Life Above Everything - Lucian Freud and Jack B. Yeats

Lucian Freud's interest in the art of Jack B. Yeats is little discussed but he held a long-standing appreciation for the Irish artist's work, admiring his force and energy. A pen and ink drawing by Yeats, 'The Dancing Stevedores' (c 1900), hung on the wall beside Freud's bed for over twenty years.

Life Above Everything is a major exhibition that brings together the work of two acknowledged masters,exploring the affinities and interconnections between them. The title quotes British Painter Walter Sickert, who praised Yeat's ability to paint the life of his country, noting his clear affinity with the scenery and people he depicted. This connection between art and life is equally present in Freud's work, described by the artist as a 'continuous group portrait'. With this catalogue, we are very pleased to present new research and responses by scholars, curators and artists, to both Lucian Freud and Jack B Yeats.

Edited by Christina Kennedy and Nathan O'Donnell with texts from David Dawson, William Feaver, James Finch, Róisín Kennedy, Hilary Pyle and Eithne Jordan.

Paperback
230 x 165 x 15 mm
160 pages