Two Studies for Self-Portrait 1972

Francis Bacon made these two studies for self-portraits with oil paint, using a dominant palette of pale pinks, blues, and browns against a black background. Imagine him at work, grappling with his own image, the brushstrokes twisting and turning as he tries to capture the essence of himself on canvas. Poor old Francis, wrestling with his demons, probably chain-smoking while trying to get the painting right! Look how the paint is applied in thick, fleshy strokes, particularly around the face, conveying a sense of vulnerability and distortion. That single brushstroke, slicing across the face in the study on the left, feels loaded with tension, almost like an act of self-sabotage. Bacon's work always reminds me of other artists like Picasso, who also played with the human form, but Bacon takes it to another level. He's part of this ongoing conversation among artists, pushing the boundaries of what painting can do. Ultimately, it embraces ambiguity, inviting us to see ourselves reflected in its fractured surfaces.