Tribute to Frank Auerbach

It is with sadness that we learned of the death of Frank Auerbach last week.

Frank was our father's tutor at The Slade, and they corresponded regularly until our father’s death in 2007. Our father was a great 'chaser' of the postman, often taking backroad routes to destinations in the hope of intercepting him. The reasoning behind this was never fully understood, though there was always the suggestion that "there may be a cheque." Sometimes this proved true, and we’d live like kings for a day or two! But I digress.

The arrival of one of Frank's letters always created an air of excitement in our house, with his distinctive handwriting gracing an envelope addressed to *Peter Prendergast Esq*. As we grew older and became art-educated ourselves, we children were just as eager to read his letters. They consistently offered thoughtful reflections and honest critiques of our father’s work, commenting on its development and the success—or lack thereof—of sales. Frank often discussed gallery choices and provided advice, with much debate about the potential move from Agi Katz to the Boundary Gallery.

From their correspondence, it was clear that Frank remained our dad’s mentor throughout his life. He was inspiring in his unwavering commitment and obsession with painting—an obsession that our father shared. This was perhaps best expressed in Frank’s final letter to our dad, written on December 27, 2006. In it, he wrote: “We saw Lucian Freud on Christmas Eve, and despite occasional confusion and a certain frailty, his concentration, judgement, and industry are more formidable than ever. When one has that example, it is impossible to slacken off.”

It seems clear that, in reality, Auerbach himself never "slackened off."

The Prendergast family would like to express our heartfelt gratitude for the role Frank played in our father’s life and to offer his family strength during this sad time. Perhaps now, Frank can finally "slacken off."

Image: Bacon, Freud, Auerbach and Andrews (copyright https://wsztuce.net/2022/12/18/przyjaciele-bacon-freud-auerbach-andrews/)

Updated: 18/11/24