Lucian Freud’s paintings now command upwards of $19 million at auction. Rizzoli’s new 488-page monograph Lucian Freud ($135), resplendent with 362 illustrations of the artist’s paintings and etchings, shows why. Engaging prose and revealing anecdotes by William Feaver, an art critic for London’s Observer who forged a great friendship with Freud and curated several shows of his work, provide unparalleled insight into the life and work of the famously cagey painter. And don’t miss the exhibition of Freud’s lesser-known etchings, which we previewed in our December issue, on view at New York’s Museum of Modern Art through March 10.
—JULIE BRENER, ASSOCIATE EDITOR

© Lucian Freud, from Lucian Freud by William Feaver, Rizzoli New York, 2007