Francis Bacon: Human Presence

Fondation Gianadda
Martigny, Switzerland
14 February – 8 June 2025
For this exhibition, which is on at the Fondation Pierre Gianadda, in Martigny, Switzerland, until 8 June 2025 the Francis Bacon MB Art Foundation has lent a series of rare photographs of Francis Bacon including two unique portraits of the British painter taken by Helmar Lerski and Francis Julian Gutmann respectively.

The exhibition features thirty or so paintings by Francis Bacon and photographs documenting his life and work. It explores his deep connection with portraiture and the way in which he challenged traditional definitions of the genre. From the mid-1950s, Bacon began to paint sitters from life. He painted portraits of his patrons and friends including the artist Lucian Freud. He admired Rembrandt and was especially inspired by his emblematic Self-portrait in a Beret (1659), which the Musée Granet (Aix-en-Provence) has generously lent for the exhibition.

The itinerary is organised by theme and chronologically and comprises five sections entitled ‘The Emergence of the Portrait’, ‘Beyond Appearance’, ‘Paintings after the Masters’, ‘Self-portraits’ and ‘Friends and Lovers’.

Additional information is available (in French) at (https://www.gianadda.ch/)

Fondation Gianadda, Martigny, Switzerland.b14 February – 8 June 2025