Review: 'Reflection with Two Children' by Lucian Freud

 Phoebe Clark analyses ‘Reflection with Two Children (self portrait)’ by Lucian Freud and how this understanding can benefit the art world as well as the ‘excluded viewer’. 

Lucian Freud is renowned in the art world, and beyond, for ingeniously manipulating the language of symbolism through his artwork in order to create a narrative, usually about his own life or a chosen subject. Symbolism has been used throughout the history of art and literature to create hidden meanings that lie deeper than face value, it is a system of conveyance that allows art to communicate in a visual manner. This language can be extremely alienating if you are not a native speaker, which allows the art world to appear exclusive to outsiders, but by interpreting and teaching this language, it allows a more extensive appreciation and understanding of art. 

Not only symbolism, but also certain painting techniques were used by Freud to create a narrative and therefore an insight into his life. The impasto painting technique, which is thick paint layered to create texture, is utilised throughout his oeuvre, especially in the works of his later years, when he clearly became more confident in his unrelentingly brutal mark making technique. 

His intriguing personal life was also a faucet of his character that has been a topic of interest and therefore added to his fame as there were parallels to the classic ‘crazy artist’ trope. Accounts have been made by multiple people, including his wife, about his enraged fits of rage and jealousy, even resulting in physical violence. He had relentless affairs and other such relations which clearly has come under consideration for this particular painting with the inclusion of two out of his fourteen children, Rose and Ali Boyt, in this particular piece. 

These characteristics, symbolism, impasto mark making and his family relations, have culminated in one of his most acclaimed works ‘Reflection of two children (self-portrait)’ which depicts himself in the centre of the image, looking down on the viewer and his two children in the left hand corner of the painting. 

Firstly, I feel it is best to consider his painting technique of impasto that results in an unflattering image with brutal features, which could convey the way in which he analyses his life, with a brutally realistic exploration of his family relations. 

Possibly the most important aspect of the painting, and arguably every work of art, is the composition. This is the placement of each object or person within the image as a whole, and the way each one works in relation to others has a meaning. In the centre of the image is Lucian Freud himself looking down at the viewer, making himself seem superior and overly important, especially as this is where the ‘(self portrait)’ label from the title is justified. Therefore, he clearly thinks very highly of himself. However this meaning is extended and layered upon with the introduction of his children in the bottom left hand corner of the image. In relation to his children, this choice of angle could now be a sign of the power he holds over them, an angle that they would often see him from as young children or to create a sense of distance between them, possibly reflecting their relationship, or a mixture of all three ideas. His body language is important when talking about his figure in the centre in relation to his children as his arm is hidden away, enhancing this sense of distance and lack of intimacy within their relationship. 

The two figures of the children in the bottom left of the painting are clearly important to the narrative of the painting, but the small portraits themselves allow an insight into Freud’s view of his children. I think it is of paramount importance that I explain why it is so obvious in the image that these two children are Lucian’s own, and that it is due to their position in relation to Lucian’s figure; they are cleverly placed adjacent to Freud’s crotch, showing that they are his own. The size and placement of the children are significant because it could show the space they occupied in Freud’s life (as it was painted by him), quite small as he was a distant father to Rose and Ali. This sense of separation is also highlighted by the figures on the other side of the mirror that Lucian is in, placing a physical barrier between Lucian and the other two subjects. Alternatively, and possibly more positively, it could show how small and innocent they will always seem to him. 

Finally, we must consider the lighting in the background of the piece, that is otherwise rather bland and plain, but dark and foreboding nonetheless. These two objects allow the viewer to peer into the way that the artist viewed himself, and, might I add, it is a rather critical one, just like his style of painting. Starting from the top, the circle of light, a term which might aid one to see the symbolism, is just off of his head, acting like a fallen halo. This could show that Freud thought himself similar to the devil, as he is often referred to as the fallen angel, which would make sense considering his devilish and shocking life events. The halo at the bottom of the image is categorically placed at the artist’s bottom, showing his sense of importance. This perspective can be justified by the popular phrase ‘the light shines out of his own ass’ which could mean that he loved and admired himself so much he didn’t, or refused, to see his own flaws. 

Through this thorough analysis of the painting, I hope that people who are usually confused by the meanings of paintings, or feel excluded by the art world because of this knowledge, that can be gate kept most of the time, and used to fuel the art world’s elitism, are able to feel more included into the art world. This understanding not only benefits the viewer of the art and allows them to feel incorporated into this ‘exclusive club’ of artists and dealers, but also promulgates the appreciation for art throughout society, and allows this important aspect of culture to be celebrated more widely.