SIGN UP FOR OUR EMAIL & ENJOY 10% OFF ON YOUR FIRST ORDER SIGN UP NOW T&C
|
One of the greatest figurative painters of the 20th century, Francis Bacon’s Surrealist work was as often a break from tradition as it was a continuation. Using photography, pre-modern painting, and his own experiences and memories as source materials, his paintings were fraught, tender, and expressive, sometimes frighteningly so.
Born into an aristocratic British family living in Dublin, Bacon was an estranged outsider from both the local community and from his family, a situation that lasted his entire life. Bacon was gay and effeminate; his father disapproved violently and had the young Bacon whipped on at least one occasion. He was sent to boarding school at age 15, but was soon expelled. In 1926 he moved to London, his parents supporting him with a £3-per-week stipend.
In London, Bacon worked various odd jobs and dated wealthy men, including art connoisseurs and collectors who piqued his interest in the fine arts. He began painting in 1933 and despite a some painful criticisms, rejections, and self-punishment, soon developed more and more confidence and began exhibiting his work in the late 1930s. Early paintings included biomorphic and mutant, allegorical figures in spare settings. Works such as Three Studies for Figures at the …
One of the greatest figurative painters of the 20th century, Francis Bacon’s Surrealist work was as often a break from tradition as it was a continuation. Using photography, pre-modern painting, and his own experiences and memories as source materials, his paintings were fraught, tender, and expressive, sometimes frighteningly so.
Born into an aristocratic British family living in Dublin, Bacon was an estranged outsider from both the local community and from his family, a situation that lasted his entire life. Bacon was gay and effeminate; his father disapproved violently and had the young Bacon whipped on at least one occasion. He was sent to boarding school at age 15, but was soon expelled. In 1926 he moved to London, his parents supporting him with a £3-per-week stipend.
In London, Bacon worked various odd jobs and dated wealthy men, including art connoisseurs and collectors who piqued his interest in the fine arts. He began painting in 1933 and despite a some painful criticisms, rejections, and self-punishment, soon developed more and more confidence and began exhibiting his work in the late 1930s. Early paintings included biomorphic and mutant, allegorical figures in spare settings. Works such as Three Studies for Figures at the Base of a Crucifixion (1944) borrowed from much earlier genres and paintings by other artists, but sexualized, twisted, and modernized their subjects, making them more representative of his haunts in London’s seedier districts.
In the 1950s and 60s, Bacon gained enormous prominence, especially with his studies after Velázquez’s Portrait of Pope Innocent X, and began being shown worldwide. Despite his financial and artistic recognition, Bacon remained reserved, shy, and self-abusive for much of his life, drinking heavily and suffering extremely from the deaths of similarly destructive friends and colleagues. His hard living, drinking, gambling, and heavy smoking took a heavy toll on Bacon and he died of cardiac arrest brought on by acute asthma in 1992. His studio has been conserved in its precise, chaotic, and highly productive last state and his works remain some of the most desired and influential in the world.
Bacon’s work was shown widely during his career and continues to be exhibited in institutions worldwide. Exhibitions since the 1990s have included retrospectives at the Tate London, a traveling exhibition that visited both the Milwaukee Art Museum and the Albright-Knox Art Gallery of Buffalo, New York; Foundation Beyeler, Foundation Vincent van Gogh in Arles, France; Yale, the Centre Georges Pompidou, and others. His paintings, drawings, and prints can be found in major collections around the world.
Now, personalize your account so you can discover more art you'll love.
PERSONALIZE YOUR ACCOUNTa treasure trove of fine art from the world's most renowned artists, galleries, museums and cultural institutions. We offer exclusive works you can't find anywhere else.
through exclusive content featuring art news, collecting guides, and interviews with artists, dealers, collectors, curators and influencers.
authentic artworks from across the globe. Collecting with us means you're helping to sustain creative culture and supporting organizations that are making the world a better place.
with our art advisors for buying advice or to help you find the art that's perfect for you. We have the resources to find works that suit your needs.
Artspace offers you authentic, exclusive works from world-renowned artists, galleries, museums and cultural institutions. Collecting with us helps support creative culture while bringing you art news, interviews and access to global art resources.
COLLECT FROM 300+ GALLERIES & MUSEUMS
Tailor your art, news & information to your preferences.
View Preference CenterWelcome to the world's premier online marketplace for fine art.
Enjoy 10% on your next purchase by using coupon code WELCOME10 at checkout.
The world's premier online marketplace for fine art.
Enjoy 10% on your next purchase by using coupon code PHAIDON10 at checkout.
Your preferences have been saved
to your account. Update them at any time
in your Preference Center
To place a bid, enter the maximum amount you are willing to pay for the work. Artspace will accept a bid at the next increment, and save any excess amount as a maximum bid. If you are outbid, we will continue bid on your behalf up to your maximum bid.
Bidding increments increase at the following intervals:
You will receive an email confirmation of your bid and when you are outbid.
If you are the winning bidder, you will be contacted 48 hours after the close of the auction.
Every bid submitted is treated as a maximum bid. You should always bid the maximum you are willing to spend for a work, though this does not necessarily mean you will pay that price. As the auction unfolds, we will increase your bid by increments to ensure you remain the highest bidder. If the winning amount is less than your maximum bid, you will pay the current increment. If your maximum bid no longer exceeds the current bid, you will receive an outbid notification email, and have the option to bid again.
In the case of multiple bidders placing the same maximum bid, the first person to place the maximum amount takes precedence as the highest bid until another bidder exceeds the maximum amount.
For Artspace Benefit Auctions, Buyer's Premiums are not applied. Purchases made from all auctions, including benefit auctions, are subject to sales tax.
Winning bidders will be contacted within 48 hours to arrange shipping and to provide final price including commission, shipping, and taxes and duties when applicable. Promotion codes cannot be applied to auction works.
All our frames are manufactured in the USA, using eco-friendly & sustainably sourced engineered hardwood for durability and a uniform finish that is free of defects. Frames are available in Black or White Satin and Honey Pecan.
All prints are hinged to a conservation quality, acid-free and lignin-free Alpha Cellulose matboard, using an acid-free linen tape. The mat's surface paper is fade and bleed resistant and is attached to a conservation quality foam-core mounting board that will keep the work safe from deterioration over time. Artworks with a deckled or decorative edges will be floated on the matboard, with acrylic spacers to separate the art from the glazing. All mounting is fully reversible, without any potential damage to the art.
All of our frames come with picture quality .090 mm plexiglass, which blocks 66% of UV to prevent color fading from exposure to light, keeping your art protected for years to come. It is now considered the industry standard for artists, museums and galleries throughout the world.
For images up to 30" x 40"
For sheet sizes larger than 30” x 40”