“Primrose Hill” by Frank Auerbach, executed between 1967 and 1968, is an exemplar of Expressionism. Crafted with oil on board, this cityscape takes on an abstract quality. The artwork, currently housed at Tate Modern in London, UK, showcases Auerbach’s distinctive brushwork and texture-driven approach.
The artwork is characterized by a dynamic interplay of colors and bold strokes that evoke the urban vista with an intense, emotional force. It uses a limited yet impactful color palette dominated by greys, blues, and reds, with touches of yellow adding vibrancy to the composition. The thick impasto technique Auerbach employs adds depth and a tactile sense to the scene, which seems to oscillate between abstraction and the faintest suggestion of form. The frenetic energy of the brushstrokes captures a sense of the ever-changing cityscape, reflecting the artist’s perspective of the world around him. While retaining the essence of the cityscape, “Primrose Hill” transcends literal representation and invites viewers into a visceral, subjective experience of space and mood.