tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20645140.post5741016207301592021..comments2023-06-13T08:29:39.914+00:00Comments on MAKING A MARK: Review: Lucian Freud Portraits at National Portrait GalleryUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20645140.post-77009413316956007702012-03-21T13:46:39.963+00:002012-03-21T13:46:39.963+00:00Hi Katherine, I really enjoyed reading your commen...Hi Katherine, I really enjoyed reading your commentary on the exhibition. I found it similarly inspiring as a collection of Freud's huge body of work, however, I found the curation a little awkward and would have appreciated more emphasis on Freud's link with London. I thought you might be interested to read my review available here: http://emilypeirsonwebber.tumblr.com/EmilyPWhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14327478710842382811noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20645140.post-2854069526307827782012-02-11T09:36:24.131+00:002012-02-11T09:36:24.131+00:00Sharon - well the simple answer to that is that he...Sharon - well the simple answer to that is that he doesn't seem to use zinc white. He uses Cremnitz White and Flake White. The latter includes some zinc oxide which is why he uses the Cremnitz White.<br /><br />If you read the post I linked to you'll see that Cremnitz White is like the old Lead White. One of its characteristics is that it does not include Zinc Oxide which is the white used to speed up drying times.<br /><br />I'm thinking here that the rationale must be that if Cremnitz White is used anywhere where there is going to be impasto he won't get cracking.<br /><br />The other thing to bear in mind is that Freud worked incredibly slowly. Nine months for a painting using a paid model was not unusual. My understanding is that cracking occurs when you get layers which dry at different times. I think that's very unlikely to happen given the way he worked.<br /><br />I understand he also used <a href="http://www.michaelharding.co.uk/" rel="nofollow">Michael Harding Oil Paints</a> who makes three Cremnitz Whites.Making A Markhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13509483023337008890noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20645140.post-36734520226118189592012-02-11T08:04:41.696+00:002012-02-11T08:04:41.696+00:00Great review Katherine! I went again on Thursday a...Great review Katherine! I went again on Thursday afternoon (using my NPG membership card) and once again saw things I hadn't noticed before. I was also pleased to discover that while it was busy it wasn't overcrowded, no elbowing your way to any painting or feeling squashed.Marion Boddy-Evanshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16492298393921353238noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20645140.post-44173526185784833502012-02-11T01:21:48.165+00:002012-02-11T01:21:48.165+00:00Hi again -I was wondering if any of the impasto pa...Hi again -I was wondering if any of the impasto paint was showing evidence of cracking. Seems that is an issue for oil when used that thickly, and especially when zinc white is used. not sure if that applies when zinc is added to titanium as in mixed white. Realize you aren't an oil painter primarily, but was wondering if it was something you noticed. <br />Interesting comment on the insurance issue!! never thought of that :)Sharon Lynn Williams Fine Arthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00726267948612291474noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20645140.post-46402136456101522972012-02-10T22:11:19.942+00:002012-02-10T22:11:19.942+00:00All the paintings are under museum glass - not sur...All the paintings are under museum glass - not surprising given the financial value of this exhibition. <br /><br />"Benefits Supervisor Sleeping" alone broke a world record when Christies sold it to Roman Abromovich at auction for $33,641,000 13 May 2008) on 8 February 2008. <br /><br />They've had to get a government indemnity for this exhibition at the NPG - otherwise the insurance costs would be astronomical.<br /><br />All the paintings are in excellent condition as well.<br /><br />They're all painted in oil - and he was a skilled painter and knew what he was doing. The crusty features started when he started using Cremnitz White in the 1970s - which I gather is a lot stiffer. See my blog post <a href="http://makingamark.blogspot.com/2011/07/cremnitz-white-and-freud.html" rel="nofollow">Cremnitz White and Freud</a>Making A Markhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13509483023337008890noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20645140.post-16157442821676531952012-02-10T21:53:25.897+00:002012-02-10T21:53:25.897+00:00Your review was amazing and took me right there! O...Your review was amazing and took me right there! Only dissappointed that the images were so small as to not be able to truly appreciate them :) Were all the older paintings under glass? What about the newer ones? Any hint of any conservation issues? Any evidence of cracking of the paint on the impasto ones? Again, thanks so much for this!Sharon Lynn Williams Fine Arthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00726267948612291474noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20645140.post-70969219219931608942012-02-10T19:48:39.092+00:002012-02-10T19:48:39.092+00:00That's brilliant Michelle :) Do tell me what ...That's brilliant Michelle :) Do tell me what you think when you see it.Making A Markhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13509483023337008890noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20645140.post-20528414431010438032012-02-10T19:04:23.907+00:002012-02-10T19:04:23.907+00:00I can actually get to the one in Texas! Thanks for...I can actually get to the one in Texas! Thanks for the wonderful review, Katherine.Michelle B. Hendryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12500918089801585939noreply@blogger.com