Jewish painter Frank Auerbach, one of the most significant figurative artists of the past century, died on Monday. He was 93.
"Frank Auerbach, one of the greatest painters of our time, died peacefully in the early hours of Monday, November 11, at his London home," said Geoffrey Parton, director of the artist's gallery. "We have lost a dear friend and an extraordinary artist, but we take comfort in knowing his voice will resonate for generations."
Auerbach was born in Berlin, Germany in 1931, and his life was saved during World War II through the Kindertransport program, which rescued Jewish children from Nazi Germany. His father, a patent agent specializing in engineering, and his mother, an aspiring painter, were both killed at Auschwitz.
He studied at Bunce Court School in Kent, a boarding school for Jewish children, where his talent in art and theater became apparent. In 1947, he was granted British citizenship, and a year later, he began formal art studies in London. During this period, he acted in the debut play of Peter Ustinov, but painting soon became his true calling, and he went on to study at the Royal College of Art.
Over a career spanning seven decades, the German-British artist became renowned for his portraits and urban landscapes of Camden in North London, where he kept his studio for 50 years. He developed a distinctive technique, repeatedly scraping away layers of paint from versions he was dissatisfied with, starting anew each time until the finished work sometimes became so thick with paint it seemed ready to fall off the canvas. He estimated that 95% of the paint he used was ultimately discarded.
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Jake State Oil on Wood 2000 Frank Auerbach
(Photo: Ian Gavan/Getty Images for Sotheby's)
Auerbach's first solo exhibition took place in 1956 at London's Beaux Arts Gallery. Some critics were unimpressed with the heavy use of paint, but art critic David Sylvester found it thrilling, calling it "the most exciting and honorable first exhibition by an English painter since Francis Bacon in 1949."
Auerbach’s experience as a Holocaust survivor profoundly influenced his work; he would wander through London’s bombed-out sites, attempting to capture and document the collective trauma of the British people. He also developed deep connections with his models, preferring to paint only a small circle of friends and family, including his wife, painter Julia Wolstenholme, model Juliet Yardley Mills, and Estella Olive West, with whom he had a romantic relationship that led to his separation from Wolstenholme.
After years of financial struggle, Auerbach’s career began to flourish later in life. In 1978, a retrospective of his work was held at London’s Hayward Gallery, and in 1986, he represented Britain at the Venice Biennale, winning the Golden Lion alongside German artist Sigmar Polke. In 2015, a major retrospective of his work was displayed at the Tate, and in 2022, his painting "Head of Gerda Boehm" sold for over $5 million.
Auerbach often referenced art history in his works and enjoyed discussing his influences. He traveled infrequently, rarely leaving North London, and once admitted to being "addicted to work." During the COVID-19 lockdown, at age 91, he continued painting self-portraits. He is survived by his son, filmmaker Jake Auerbach, from his marriage to Wolstenholme.
"I sometimes think of doing other things," he told the Guardian in 2015, "but it’s actually much more interesting to paint."
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