Artist Frank Auerbach: A Fresh Look at Portraits

Frank Auerbach, a British painter who passed away recently at 93, is known for his unique portraits. He didn't just paint faces; he used thick layers of paint to create something new. His portraits are so different that they can seem abstract. Auerbach's work was part of a group called the School of London, which included artists like Francis Bacon and Lucian Freud. They all painted people when others were more interested in concepts and ideas. Auerbach's paintings from the 1950s and 1960s are especially famous. They're so covered in paint that they look almost like sculptures. His paintings of Estella Olive West, an actress he was close with, are well-known. In these paintings, West is a blob of gray paint against a black background. You can't even tell it's a person without reading the title. Auerbach's life was marked by loss and change. He was sent to England from Germany as a child to escape the Nazis. He lost touch with his parents and believed they were killed. He met Estella Olive West when he was 17 and she was 32. They had a long and sometimes troubled relationship. Auerbach's art was praised early on, but he didn't paint for almost two years after his first big show. In later years, Auerbach painted cityscapes of London that dissolved into colorful strokes. He kept working until the end, even painting self-portraits. He always felt like he was searching for a better way to paint.