Last Month, to mark the 108th anniversary of Francis Bacon's birth, the English Heritage honoured him with a blue plaque at his chaotic London studio-home 7 Reece Mews, South Kensington. One of the most famous works that he painted there was Three Studies for a Crucifixion, 1962. We delve into the 'Francis Bacon: Catalogue Raisonné to find out some things you may not know about the piece.
Did you know the left panel was repainted in March 1962 having originally been white, pale in colour? The portraits title, 'has proved resistant to interpretation, as though its transgressive content abrogated the possibility of defining the iconography of the triptych'.
The genuinely violent nature of the painting comes to light as the right panel 'was influenced by Cimabue's Crucifixion', which 'reminded him of a worm crawling down a cross'.
Rolf Laessoe contended that 'the figure on the right, dressed in a black body stocking or tights, referred to Bacon's claim that he was expelled from the family home in 1926'.
Excerpts: Martin Harrison, FSA. 62-04 Three Studies for a Crucifixion, 1962. Catalogue Raisonné Volume III, page 682-687.
If you'd like to order a copy of the 'Francis Bacon: Catalogue Raisonné please visit Heni Publishing's website.
.jpg&description=The next edition of our ‘Catalogue Raisonné Focus’ series looks at Three Studies for a Crucifixion, 1962, one of the most famous works Francis Bacon painted in his London studio, which last month was honoured with a blue plaque by the English Heritage.
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