". . . The insecurity of the modern world is a theme in a particularly dramatic portrait of Freud against a velvety black ground. An antique gilded frame whose egg and dart detail is broken off in several places contains the figure, which is so ethereal that you get the feeling he's in danger of dissolving. Scattergood-Moore describes the work as 'a twisting figure in a void with a classical frame that's falling apart.'"

". . . Freud's slim angular figure retreats into the paper, like the Virgin in a Renaissance Annunciation shrinking from the angel confronting her. A particularly striking Freud portrait features drawings both on paper and on the glass over the paper, giving an effect of richness and depth. The figure almost merges with the black void behind him; spectral bits of white skin sketchily define his features. Surrounding him, almost mocking him, is a broken antique gilded frame; the gold, black and white working together create a rich effect. . ."

from two reviews by:   Christine Temin   The Boston Glove