Frank Auerbach (29 April 1931 - 11 November 2024)
The Legacy of Frank Auerbach: A Life in Paint and Passion
The art world has lost one of its towering figures with the passing of Frank Auerbach, a painter who, for over six decades, charted a path through raw emotion, intense observation, and unflinching dedication to his craft. Auerbach, who passed away yesterday at the age of 93, was among Britain’s most profound and influential artists, forever altering the way we view the human figure and the landscapes around us. His devotion to art was uncompromising, rooted in his daily practice at his Camden studio, where he painted seven days a week, taking only one day off each year.
Auerbach’s distinctive style—characterized by heavy impasto and a palpable physicality to his brushwork—has earned him a place beside his contemporaries and friends, Francis Bacon and Lucian Freud. Although his work is housed in collections around the world, many people are still only beginning to understand his contributions to postwar figurative painting.
Who Was Frank Auerbach?
Born in Berlin in 1931, Auerbach’s early life was marked by trauma and resilience. In 1939, at the age of eight, he was sent to England on a Kindertransport to escape the rising threat of Nazism. His parents, left behind in Germany, perished in the Holocaust. Settling at Bunce Court, a school for refugee children in Kent, Auerbach found solace in art and drama—a dual interest that almost saw him pursue a career in acting before he finally committed to painting.In London, Auerbach studied at St Martin’s School of Art and the Royal College of Art from 1948 to 1955. Alongside his friend Leon Kossoff, he attended evening classes with David Bomberg, a teacher who profoundly influenced his approach to art. Bomberg’s emphasis on portraying life’s inner pulse rather than mere appearances helped shape Auerbach’s philosophy, leading him to create works that are as much about the texture and vitality of paint as they are about his subjects.
The Journey of an Artist: From Monochrome to Colour
Auerbach’s early work from the 1950s and early 1960s is characterized by layers of monochrome paint, piled so thickly that it gave his canvases a sculptural quality. Viewers often feel compelled to reach out and touch these works, their surfaces akin to rough clay or mud, reflecting an intense physicality. It wasn’t until the late 1960s that Auerbach began to incorporate colour more freely into his work, a shift partly enabled by financial success. By the 1970s, his palette had expanded to embrace vivid, saturated hues, and he began scraping down his canvases to rebuild them with new fluidity and light.One of his most famous series began with Mornington Crescent (1965), a work that marked a breakthrough in Auerbach’s career. In this painting, Auerbach’s signature style came into full maturity, using lines and colour to create a dynamic composition that immerses the viewer in London’s iconic streetscape. This shift was as much a technical evolution as it was an emotional one, with his work beginning to exude a sense of joy and liberation.
Portraiture and Humanism in Paint
Portraiture became an essential component of Auerbach’s oeuvre, accounting for a significant portion of his output. His portraits of friends and family—including his wife, Julia, and the model Juliet Yardley Mills (JYM)—reflect his commitment to capturing the humanity of his sitters. Unlike traditional portraits, his subjects emerge from the paint in complex, almost haunting forms, their identities conveyed as much through texture as through line and likeness.Auerbach’s approach was influenced by existentialist themes, much like the work of Bacon, Freud, and Giacometti. These artists sought meaning in an uncertain world, and Auerbach’s thick, layered paint became his way of grappling with that existential struggle. Yet, unlike Bacon’s nihilism, Auerbach found a sense of contentment in his art, a belief that art could provide something meaningful to those who came after him.
A Legacy of Resilience and Joy
In later years, Auerbach’s works became increasingly vibrant, embracing primary and secondary colours with minimal use of the murky greys and blacks that dominated his early works. This evolution mirrors the happiness and fulfilment he found in his rigorous artistic routine. Critics like Simon Schama described Auerbach’s art as joyous and “self-indulgent,” marking a departure from the austerity of the postwar years.With a meticulous work ethic, he continued his artistic journey until his last days. In an interview, Auerbach once said, “I am always trying to catch up with something. A sense that I haven’t done enough pictures to justify my existence.” This relentless pursuit of meaning through art resonated with Samuel Beckett’s famous words: “Ever tried. Ever failed. Never mind. Try again. Fail better.”
A Market Poised to Honor His Legacy
While Lucian Freud’s works have fetched upwards of $50 million, Auerbach’s top auction record remains around £2.5 million. Many experts believe the market for his work will soar, with his contributions finally gaining the recognition they deserve. As a new generation of collectors discovers his work, Auerbach’s art stands poised to command its place among the greats of British painting.Auerbach’s life and work invite us to look deeper—not just at his canvases, but at the human condition. His dedication to his craft, his commitment to pushing paint to its limits, and his resilience in the face of personal tragedy make him a figure whose legacy will continue to inspire. In an art world that so often chases novelty, Frank Auerbach leaves behind a testament to the power of persistence, human connection, and the unending pursuit of beauty.
Date of article Tuesday 12th November 2024
Article written by:
Jolanda Chandler
Art Curator
Exceptional Art & Design
instagram:
@cjolachandler
linkedin:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jolanda-chandler-2435431/
Jolanda Chandler is a passionate Swiss art curator and creator of art experiences, with long-lasting positive impact on the places and people I have worked with. My expertise lies in creating an inclusive atmosphere that welcomes everyone into art spaces and brings understanding of art to everyone through my writing pieces. I combine a rich academic and life experience with an original and innovative business approach to the promotion of arts & culture. Among the many reviews I have received, my favourite one is probably: "You are the best kept secret in town". I am also a mother (my kids are 12 and 14), and I have grown my business Exceptiona Art & Design organically alongside my children for more than ten years. With broad art world expertise over 15 years, and a lot more experience in the fields of project management, intercultural collaborations and life skills, topped off with a natural great eye, I bring a wealth of knowledge to the table.