Francis Bacon – In the Mirror of Photography : Collecting, Preparatory Practice and Painting

The British painter Francis Bacon (1909–1992) is famed for his idiosyncratic mode of depicting the human figure. Thirty years after his death, his working methods remain underexplored. New research on the Francis Bacon Studio Archive at Hugh Lane Gallery, Dublin, sheds light on the genesis of his works, namely the photographic source material he collected in his studios, on which he consistently based his paintings. The book brings together the artist's pictorial springboards for the first time, delineating and interpreting recurring patterns and methods in his preparatory work and adoption of photographic material. In addition, it correctly locates 'chance' as a driving force in Bacon's working method and qualifies the significance of photography for the painter. German Photo Book Award 23/24, Gold in the category Text Volume Photo Theory Francis Bacon (1909-1992) ist berühmt für seine idiosynkratische Darstellung der menschlichen Figur. Auch 30 Jahre nach seinem Tod sind seine Arbeitsmethoden kaum erforscht. Neue Analysen seines Atelierinhalts an der Dublin City Gallery The Hugh Lane eröffnen überraschende Perspektiven auf die Genese seiner Werke: Bacon griff für sein Bildprogramm regelmäßig und gezielt auf das fotografische Material zurück, das er in seinen Ateliers sammelte. Die Publikation verknüpft dieses Material erstmalig umfassend mit Bacons Ikonografie. Sie beschreibt Muster und Methoden in der Vorbereitungsarbeit und bei der Übernahme von fotografischem Material, verortet "Zufall" als kreative Triebfeder im Werk und definiert die Grenzen von Bacons Interesse an der fotografischen Vorlage sowie deren Nutzen für seine Arbeit "The British painter Francis Bacon (1909-1992) is famed for his idiosyncratic mode of depicting the human figure. Thirty years after his death, his working methods remain underexplored. New research on the Francis Bacon Studio Archive at Hugh Lane Gallery, Dublin, sheds light on the genesis of his works, namely the photographic source material he collected in his studios, on which he consistently based his paintings. The book brings together the artist's pictorial springboards for the first time, delineating and interpreting recurring patterns and methods in his preparatory work and adoption of photographic material. In addition, it correctly locates 'chance' as a driving force in Bacon's working method and qualifies the significance of photography for the painter."-- Provided by publisher "The British painter Francis Bacon (1909-1992) is famed for his idiosyncratic mode of depicting the human figure. Thirty years after his death, his working methods remain underexplored. New research on the Francis Bacon Studio Archive at Hugh Lane Gallery, Dublin, sheds light on the genesis of his works, namely the photographic source material he collected in his studios, on which he consistently based his paintings. The book brings together the artist's pictorial springboards for the first time, delineating and interpreting recurring patterns and methods in his preparatory work and adoption of photographic material. In addition, it correctly locates chance as a driving force in Bacon's working method and qualifies the significance of photography for the painter"--Back cover Table of Contents 1. Introduction 2. The Studio – Analysis of the Working Environment 3. Comparative Analyses – Bacon’s Paintings and their Photographic References 4. Conclusion – ‘A Sponge that Absorbs Everything’ 5. Appendix