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Peter:
Yes, I think you make a valid point about the confrontational aspect of Freud's work becoming a mannerism. As I said in a previous post, I'm not claiming that I LIKE everything he's done, in fact "likeable" is not a word that springs to mind about his work! Respect, though, I certainly have. And having looked pretty closely at his large etchings at a recent exhibition, I have to say if my drawings had half the power of his I'd be humbly grateful.
Karin:
I have seen some early Picasso drawings- admittedly in a book not "in the flesh". I'll have a look for them but I can't actually remember where I saw them, so a bit of library searching may be required. As a student, though, I'd have to say, from my experience at least, that teachers and experienced artists seem to differ about what constitutes good drawing! I was very impressed, for instance, by the power of some Picasso prints and drawings I saw here (last year?) which were from his "neo-classical" period (hardly "early" works)- but one of my teachers thought them so-so.
I'm not a Freud worshipper. Just feel that he is due the same respect any artist is due, to try to understand his work, and see critically both its strengths and weaknesses. Whether he is rich and successful is quite irrelevant.
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