Born 8 December 1922 in Berlin, Freud, grandson of Sigmund, became known as one of the foremost British portrait painters of the 20th Century.
Early in his career, he was influenced by surrealism, but later, starker, paintings tended towards realism. Words like “sombre”, “unsettling” and “discomforting” are often used when describing his works. He worked almost exclusively with live models, and was known for asking for extended and punishing sittings.
Here is his portrait of a fellow British great, David Hockney.