Human Presence: Francis Bacon at the National Portrait Gallery

Francis Bacon | Study for Portrait / With Two Owls | Zarastro Art
Francis Bacon, Study for Portrait / With Two Owls (1963). Source: Zarastro Art

Francis Bacon’s work delivers a raw, haunting exploration of human existence. Human Presence at London’s National Portrait Gallery invites viewers into his intense world through over 55 striking portraits, tracing his artistic evolution and challenging us to confront the fragile nature of identity.

Visitors are drawn into Bacon’s unsettling style, beginning with Head VI (1949), an eerie depiction of a tormented Pope, and concluding with Triptych, May–June 1973, a sorrowful portrayal of his lover George Dyer’s last moments. The progression reflects Bacon’s evolution from experimenting with iconic figures to deeply intimate portrayals of close friends and lovers.

Bacon’s portraits often deviate from the polished, idealized depictions seen in traditional art. Instead, his work, such as the primal Henrietta Moraes (1966), embraces an unfiltered look at human nature, with compositions characterized by intense brushwork and bold, shifting colors.

Bacon’s reinterpretations of master painters like Van Gogh and Velázquez add historical depth, bridging classical reverence with his stark reality. Though his work is steeped in personal and existential anguish, his portrayal of unconventional friendships and queer identity remains underexplored.

The exhibition scrutinizes the recurring motif of teeth in Bacon’s work, symbolizing the omnipresence of death. In Study of the Human Head, he combines an x-ray image with a man’s smile, creating a chilling reminder of mortality.

Francis Bacon | Sleeping Figure | Zarastro Art
Francis Bacon, Sleeping Figure (1959). Source: Zarastro Art

His portraits capture not only individual anguish but also the collective trauma of the post-World War II era. The grotesque imagery, particularly in Study for a Portrait, reflects the horror and disillusionment of the time. Through disfigured faces and screaming figures, Bacon mirrors humanity’s disintegration amid unprecedented violence, echoing the loss and devastation of the Holocaust and war.

Bacon’s tumultuous personal experiences, particularly his relationships, intensify his work. In Sleeping Figure (1959), he portrays his lover Peter Lacy with a tenderness that contrasts with the violence in other pieces. His paintings of George Dyer, especially Triptych, May-June 1973, serve as a poignant homage to their bond. Dyer’s tragic suicide just two days before Bacon’s Paris retrospective haunted him, culminating in a triptych that captures Dyer in his final moments, ensnared in self-destruction.

In Bacon’s later years, his approach softened, yet he retained an unyielding commitment to portraying humanity’s darkest facets. His Self-Portrait (1987) embodies a quiet resignation, capturing the artist’s weary face at 78, offering a somber reflection on mortality.

Human Presence portrays Bacon’s journey from intense vitality to a subdued contemplation of life’s impermanence, solidifying his legacy as an artist who dared to confront the brutal realities of the human condition through his art.

The Groucho Club | London

Groucho Club Under Investigation, Doors Closed

The Groucho Club in London, a Soho private members club known for its star-studded history and hedonistic reputation, has been temporarily closed as police investigate a “serious crime” allegedly linked to a breach of its licensing conditions. Since its establishment in 1985, the Groucho Club has stood as a bold departure from traditional gentlemen’s clubs.

Read more »
Lygia Clark | Rede de Elásticos - Elastic Net (1973) | Whitechapel Gallery

Lygia Clark and Sonia Boyce at the Whitechapel Gallery: Play, Participation, and Cultural Dialogue

Lygia Clark: The I and the You and Sonia Boyce: An Awkward Relation at the Whitechapel Gallery embrace the ethos of collective engagement by exploring how participatory art transforms the relationship between artist, audience, and artwork. This bold curatorial pairing highlights shared themes of touch and play while bridging two distinct cultural and historical contexts.

Read more »
Pamela Phatsimo Sunstrum | It Will End in Tears | Barbican

Pamela Phatsimo Sunstrum at the Barbican: Exploring Colonialism and Identity through Cinematic Storytelling

It Will End in Tears at the Barbican presents a hauntingly immersive journey framed by minimalist “film sets” reminiscent of noir cinema. With influences from Hitchcock to Bessie Head, Pamela Phatsimo Sunstrum’s visual storytelling delves into the complexities of identity, colonial legacies, and self-determination. Collaborating with set designer Remco Osório Lobato, Sunstrum creates minimalist, skeletal film

Read more »
Be the First
to Know
Sign up to receive the latest art world news and insights, updates about our artists and exhibitions, and
much more.

Contact us

Fill in the form below to inquire about this artwork.

Join our newsletter and grab your free copy of Best Exhibitions Around the World in 2025.

Plus, continue to stay updated on the contemporary art world through a weekly digest of headlines and our own new articles!