Bruce Bernard: Portraits of Friends, Grosvenor Hill, London, November 17, 2022–January 28, 2023

Installation Views

Installation view. Artwork © Estate of Bruce Bernard (courtesy Virginia Verran). Photo: Lucy Dawkins — Installation view
Artwork © Estate of Bruce Bernard (courtesy Virginia Verran). Photo: Lucy Dawkins

Thumbnail - Installation view. Artwork © Estate of Bruce Bernard (courtesy Virginia Verran). Photo: Lucy Dawkins

Works Exhibited

Bruce Bernard, Lucian Freud and daughter Bella with Large Interior in W11 (After Watteau), 1983. Chromogenic print, 10 × 8 inches (25.4 × 20.3 cm) © The Estate of Bruce Bernard (courtesy Virginia Verran) — Bruce Bernard
*Lucian Freud and daughter Bella with Large Interior in W11 (After Watteau)*, 1983
Chromogenic print, 10 × 8 inches (25.4 × 20.3 cm)
© The Estate of Bruce Bernard (courtesy Virginia Verran)

Bruce Bernard, Francis Bacon in his studio (with three sections of wall), 1984 (printed c. 1993). Cibachrome print, 20 × 16 inches (50.8 × 40.6 cm), edition of 25 © The Estate of Bruce Bernard (courtesy Virginia Verran) — Bruce Bernard
*Francis Bacon in his studio (with three sections of wall)*, 1984 (printed c. 1993)
Cibachrome print, 20 × 16 inches (50.8 × 40.6 cm), edition of 25
© The Estate of Bruce Bernard (courtesy Virginia Verran)

Bruce Bernard, Michael Andrews in his Norfolk studio; behind the artist, “A View from Uamh Mhòr” in an early state, 1990 (posthumously printed 2016). Silver bromide print, 11 ¾ × 17 ½ inches (29.8 × 44.3 cm), edition of 25 © The Estate of Bruce Bernard (courtesy Virginia Verran) — Bruce Bernard, *Michael Andrews in his Norfolk studio; behind the artist, “A View from Uamh Mhòr” in an early state*, 1990 (posthumously printed 2016)
Silver bromide print, 11 ¾ × 17 ½ inches (29.8 × 44.3 cm), edition of 25
© The Estate of Bruce Bernard (courtesy Virginia Verran)

Bruce Bernard, Frank Auerbach in his studio, 21st March, 2000 (posthumously printed 2011). Silver bromide print, 20 × 16 inches (50.8 × 40.6 cm), edition of 25 © The Estate of Bruce Bernard (courtesy Virginia Verran) — Bruce Bernard, *Frank Auerbach in his studio, 21st March*, 2000 (posthumously printed 2011)
Silver bromide print, 20 × 16 inches (50.8 × 40.6 cm), edition of 25
© The Estate of Bruce Bernard (courtesy Virginia Verran)

Thumbnail - Bruce Bernard, Lucian Freud and daughter Bella with Large Interior in W11 (After Watteau), 1983. Chromogenic print, 10 × 8 inches (25.4 × 20.3 cm) © The Estate of Bruce Bernard (courtesy Virginia Verran)

Thumbnail - Bruce Bernard, Francis Bacon in his studio (with three sections of wall), 1984 (printed c. 1993). Cibachrome print, 20 × 16 inches (50.8 × 40.6 cm), edition of 25 © The Estate of Bruce Bernard (courtesy Virginia Verran)

Thumbnail - Bruce Bernard, Michael Andrews in his Norfolk studio; behind the artist, “A View from Uamh Mhòr” in an early state, 1990 (posthumously printed 2016). Silver bromide print, 11 ¾ × 17 ½ inches (29.8 × 44.3 cm), edition of 25 © The Estate of Bruce Bernard (courtesy Virginia Verran)

Thumbnail - Bruce Bernard, Frank Auerbach in his studio, 21st March, 2000 (posthumously printed 2011). Silver bromide print, 20 × 16 inches (50.8 × 40.6 cm), edition of 25 © The Estate of Bruce Bernard (courtesy Virginia Verran)

About

The photographer never knows quite how the best pictures are going to turn out any more than the painter does, and the best ones are very little concerned with cleverness.
—Bruce Bernard

Gagosian is pleased to present Bruce Bernard: Portraits of Friends, opening on November 17 at the gallery’s Grosvenor Hill location in London. The exhibition features a selection of photographs by the distinguished picture editor, author, and photographer Bruce Bernard (1928–2000) and is on view concurrently with Friends and Relations: Lucian Freud, Francis Bacon, Frank Auerbach, Michael Andrews, which elucidates connections between the four painters’ respective practices, and also includes some of their portraits of each other.

Bernard established close friendships with Andrews, Auerbach, Bacon, and Freud in the 1950s and beyond. His photographs of the artists offer insight into these relationships, which were sparked by mutual respect and a shared knowledge of painting. The painter Virginia Verran, who represents Bernard’s estate, notes: “The link between painting and photography was a vital one throughout his life and the chance to bring his photographs together with paintings in this way is a profound one.”