Francis Bacon 1909-1992

By Leila Allan

Francis Bacon, Painting, 1946, Oil and pastel on linen, 6’ 5 7/8” x52” (197.8x132.1cm), MoMa, New York.

An enigmatic blend of tragedy and desolation, Francis Bacon remains one of the most celebrated British artists of the twentieth century. His unnerving exploration of anthropomorphic forms steeped in violent or erotic connotations paralleled his destructive persona. Born on 28th October 1909 in Dublin, Bacon had a challenging upbringing conditioned by his father’s uncompromising attitude towards his homosexuality. Upon Bacon’s dismissal from his family home in 1926, Bacon moved to Berlin and subsequently Paris. During his time in Paris, he encountered Poussin’s The Massacre of the Innocents (1628-2) which stimulated a complete enthralment in specific imagery. Such an obsessive mindset would endure throughout his career, with paintings such as Head VI (1949) conceived out of an obsession with the imagery of Velazquez’s Portrait of Pope Innocent X (1650). Photographs were a valuable tool for Bacon as it enabled the study and manipulation of imagery in the creation of innovative artwork. The interaction with imagery stimulated the convergence of tradition and invention within his work.

Returning to London, Bacon worked as an interior and furniture designer before creating Crucifixion (1933) signalling his transition into the realm of painting. During this time, Bacon became romantically involved with Eric Hall, one of his first patrons who would remain Bacon’s lover for over a decade. Hall represents a string of lovers who would have a profound impact on Bacon’s life and work. Indeed, Bacon typically engaged with sitters in which he was sexually intimate with. Few artworks survived from this early period due to the personal

destruction of works, a recurrent practice throughout Bacon’s life which foregrounds the volatile temperament of the artist.

Bacon operated within the socio-political instability of World War Two. The war exposed the horrific capabilities of mankind and Three Studies for Figures at the Base of a Crucifixion (1944) directly responds to the anguish of war. The twisted, dehumanised forms in a state of torture placed against a stark orange background intended to provoke intense emotional responses of fear and shock within post-war audiences. Bacon developed a distinct visual language throughout his career, and this triptych formation became characteristic of the artist’s oeuvre. Such a depiction set a precedent for the stream of unsettling paintings which would follow. Indeed, this unnerving aesthetic would continue with the mutilated figure encircled by animal carcasses in Painting (1946). The success procured from his paintings launched him into an affluent group of post war artists which included Lucien Freud among others.

Bacon’s relationship with George Dyer which began in 1963 had a huge impact of the artist and his works. This relationship was charged by destruction, alcoholism, and dejection. Dyer would often become the subject of Bacon’s portraits, and such a destructive relationship inspired the production of compelling and emotive depictions. While Bacon’s lovers often impacted his artistic production, Dyer seemed to have the most dramatic impact on the artist and his work. Progressing from his post war imagery, Bacon explored Dyer through an erotic dialect, while his postmortal depictions of Dyer were far more melancholic. Mere days before the opening of the Francis Bacon’s retrospective exhibition at the Grand Palais in 1971, Dyer committed suicide, an event which Bacon would ignore until the opening of his exhibition. This would have a profound and enduring impact of Bacon’s life. On the 28th of April 1992, Bacon died in Madrid having suffered a heart attack. Bacon left behind a dark legacy of artistic invention characterised by death, loss, and trauma.

Bibliography

“Consumed by his own Effigy: George Dyer’s Relationship with Francis Bacon.” Sotheby’s. https://www.sothebys.com/en/articles/consumed-by-his-own-effigy-george-dyers-relationship-with-francis-bacon

“Francis Bacon Biography.” The Official Website of the Estate of Francis Bacon. https://www.francis-bacon.com/biography

“Francis Bacon.” The Gagosian Gallery. https://gagosian.com/artists/francis-bacon/

“Francis Bacon.” The Tate Gallery. https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artists/francis-bacon-682

Jones, Jonathan. “Francis Bacon was a shock merchant, not a Nazi.” The Guardian. 4th September 2012. https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/jonathanjonesblog/2012/sep/04/francis-bacon-shock-merchant-nazi