Francis Bacon

Francis Bacon’s style was so personal and distinctive that his influence lay more in the intensity of his commitment to art itself than in any direct stylistic legacy. The British artist developed a way of portraying the human body that was unique in the history of painting—usually in isolation, at moments of extreme tension or even pain, distorted like figures from a fantastical nightmare. He remains a towering example to those dedicated to the depiction of the human figure. In addition to 250 full-color plates, this publication also reveals Bacon’s low-art inspirations, including magazine tear sheets, photographs, and imagery from films.

Matthew Gale, curator of modern art at the Tate Modern, is a leading authority on the international avant-garde. Chris Stephens, curator of modern British art at the Tate Britain, is a renowned expert on British art. Francis Bacon was born in 1909, in Dublin. He was one of the most individual and powerful artists who arose out of the period following World War II. He died in 1992 in Madrid.