London-born and based Bella Freud is one of Britain’s leading tastemakers. Launching her eponymous womenswear label in 1990, her playful knits received cult status amongst the fashion set and continue to be highly sought after.
London-born and based Bella Freud is one of Britain’s leading tastemakers. Launching her eponymous womenswear label in 1990, her playful knits received cult status amongst the fashion set and continue to be highly sought after. Born into an artistic family – Lucian Freud is her father – it appears creativity runs in her blood, going on to work with British fashion house Jaeger and the legendary label Biba. A regular contributor to Vogue, Harpers Bazaar and Pony Step, Freud was also guest editor of the Document section in AnOther Magazine’s spring/summer 2008 issue. A welcome return to AnOther, for the next two weeks Freud will be Guest Lover on AnOther Loves.
For her Favourite Thing Freud has chosen a watercolour by the German artist Albrecht Dürer, considered one of the greatest printmakers and among the most important figures in Northern Renaissance. With incredible precision and ideal proportions Dürer’s A Young Hare, 1502 perfectly resembles the Lepus down to the minute detail of every single hair. Here we speak to Freud about her choice of artwork and what significance it bears to her.
What made you choose Albrecht Dürer’s A Young Hare (1502) as your favourite thing?
I used to have that picture on my wall when I was a child. It was one of the first paintings I really loved and I have never gone off it. I used to have a Belgian hare as a pet that looked like the Dürer hare, very elegant.
When and where did you first come across this watercolour?
I feel like it was always around. I must have been between the age of 9 and 11.
If you owned it where would you hang it and why?
If I owned it I would hang it in my study and probably spend a lot more time there because of it. When I look at it, it reminds me of everything I like in life.
The daughter of one of the greatest artists you must have been surrounded by art from a young age – why do you feel art is important?
I wasnt surrounded by art at all, as I didn’t grow up with my father, apart from some Toulouse-Lautrec posters in my room. I wanted to be interested in art because of dad being an artist so I looked at lots of books to see what I liked.
What is the best piece of artwork you own?
I used to own the drawing my dad made of my dog logo – but it disappeared when I moved.
Are there any artworks you are particularly coveting?
I am coveting that Picasso portrait of Dora Maar. Remember that song by Rufus Wainwright called the The Art Teacher? You never know...
What influence does art have on your practice and are there any artist’s works who have recently influenced you?
Looking at paintings or reading a book is a good way to change the subject in my head. Then new thoughts and ideas spring up. The first suit I made was inspired by a Manet painting, not that it actually looked like it, it was something about the style of it that I was after. It was sort of Manet girl goes skating in a mini skirt.
Text by Lucia Davies
