It is sad to read that Lucien Freud has died. I saw a couple of exhibits of his work and was astonished at his portraits. I believe I saw the painting above, "Benefits Supervisor Sleeping" or I've seen photos of it -- it was sold a few yeas ago for $17 million, the most ever paid for the work of a living painter. I vividly remember his painting of Leigh [Brouly - perhaps misspelled]. Freud loved painting very large people on his ratty old sofa. These were fascinating paintings but I especially was moved by a portrait he did of his mother [properly clothed], a very real and lovingly painted picture. At a small show of drawngs at MoMA maybe three years ago there was a wonderful etching of one of his whippets done just as lovingly.
I don't need to write biographical material, it will be in the major papers tomorrow. I'm always very glad I lived in a place where I could see wonderful art. One of my youthful ambitions had been to live in such a place, although at that early age I had not understood that it had to be New York City.
