Lying by the Rags 1990

This is a painting by Lucian Freud, called "Lying by the Rags", and it’s oil on canvas. The paint handling here is so physical, so blunt, almost violent. Freud used thick paint and a brushy technique to really dig into the surface. Look at how he builds up the figure with layers of fleshy tones. It's like he's trying to capture the weight and texture of skin. The way he renders the wooden floor is remarkable too, with each plank defined by strokes of brown and ochre. The overall impression is one of raw honesty, unflinching in its portrayal of the human body. It reminds me a bit of Francis Bacon, in the way it confronts the viewer with a stark and uncompromising vision of reality. It's painting as excavation, where the surface becomes a site of struggle and revelation. It's not pretty, but it's powerful.