Four Eggs on a Plate 2002

Lucian Freud made this painting of four eggs on a plate using oil paint, but we don't know exactly when. He piles up the paint, attacking the canvas with brushstrokes that are almost violent. It's like he’s trying to sculpt the eggs right out of the picture plane. Look at how the light catches on the thick ridges of paint, especially on the edges of the eggs – they practically vibrate with energy! The color is pretty subdued, mostly browns and yellows, but somehow it feels super intense, like he’s really seeing these eggs for the first time, and wants us to see them too. There’s something so raw and real about the way he applies the paint, it reminds me of Courbet, but with a modern twist. It's like he's saying, "Here are some eggs, but they're also so much more than just eggs." Art is all about seeing the world in new ways, right?