Jasper Johns' Regrets series, revealed to the public in a 2014 exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), represents a fascinating chapter in the artist's exploration of memory, perception, and the process of artistic creation. This series comprises a cohesive group of two paintings, 10 drawings, and two prints, all inspired by a photograph of the artist Lucian Freud, taken by John Deakin. Freud is depicted sitting on a bed, holding his right hand to his forehead in a gesture that suggests weariness or despair. This image, originally intended for a painting by Francis Bacon, captured Johns' imagination and led to an 18-month period of intensive creative activity (MOMA).
The inception of this series was somewhat serendipitous, stemming from Johns' encounter with the photograph in a Christie’s auction catalogue. Intrigued not only by Freud's pose but also by the photograph's worn condition, Johns embarked on an exploration of the image across various media. The series title and the words inscribed on most of the artworks, “Regrets/Jasper Johns,” add layers of meaning to the works, blending feelings of sadness or disappointment with a sense of irony. This title was borrowed from a rubber stamp Johns had previously created to decline numerous requests and invitations (MOMA).
The Regrets series is characterized by Johns' trademark experimentation with materials and techniques, showcasing the artist's reflective engagement with themes of memory, time, and the iterative nature of the creative process. The works feature a repeated, mirrored format of the Freud image, introducing a haunting, doubled aspect that invites viewers to consider themes of reflection and introspection. In one particular work, the reversal of the distorted photograph forms an image resembling a skull atop a pedestal, invoking the tradition of Vanitas paintings and suggesting contemplations on mortality and the ephemeral nature of beauty and life (Apollo Magazine).
This exploration further underscores Johns' continuous interest in doubling and transformation, as seen through his use of varied media—from pencil sketches to large canvas works. Johns manipulates color and monochrome to create depth and complexity, layering and juxtaposing images to produce new meanings and associations. His use of a rubber stamp to title and sign the works introduces a conceptual element that plays with notions of identity, regret, and the passage of time (Apollo Magazine).
The Regrets series, while deeply personal, also engages in a dialogue with art history, nodding to the works of Dürer, Goya, Cézanne, and the Vanitas tradition, as well as the more immediate connections to Bacon and Freud. It offers a rare insight into Johns' artistic process and thought, revealing the layers of consideration, revision, and experimentation that underlie his work (Apollo Magazine).
