Lucian Freud is one of those remarkable figures who, throughout a century in which new forms of art, new media, and new technologies prevailed, never abandoned the rich possibilities of naturalistic painting. His work was always based on close observation of his subject. Predominantly, and most famously, this was the nude (both male and female), although he was also fascinated by landscape and still life. Within his exploration of the power of paint was a profound concern with the nature of art, and what it means to look, to paint, and also, to be painted. 

Neither his approach nor his technique was static, and the large-scale exhibition in London this autumn and winter (from 1 October until 22 January) will allow a careful evaluation of the ways in which his work developed. In the context of the National Gallery it will also encourage us to reconsider how his paintings relate to the art of the past, and to think about the masters who most influenced him.

This talk, like many others I have given recently, will be a virtual 'walk through' of the exhibition, as well as showing Freud's work alongside works by artists who were important for his development.