‘I don’t want to cancel him’: Rose Boyt on confronting the gaze of her father, Lucian Freud
https://www.theguardian.com/culture/article/2024/may/12/rose-boyt-naked-portrait-lucian-freud-daughter-interview?CMP=share_btn_url
Maybe because my father is the furthest from this model of manhood / fatherhood that there is, but I find these stories of hugely talented, feted men who are extremely abusive to their families just fascinating. I live in France and there is an ongoing reckoning here from the now-adult children of many influential and celebrated public intellectuals from the 70s now being exposed as having abused their children, sexually and in other ways - and their behaviour was excused and covered up again and again. Everyone knew.
i guess they were of their time? The hugely talented, unstable, passionate artist; the self sacrificing women who put their own careers on hold to serve his every need; the various fucked up offspring living chaotic lives.
take away the painting, the art, and Freud is just one more abusive, man. Why does the painting make the difference?