Francis Bacon’s attitude to printmaking was highly ambivalent. Although he claimed to have no interest in prints as a medium, he eventually allowed some of his major works to be reproduced and even became involved in the process of creating the prints.
The first part of the exhibition shows the metal plates used to create some of the engravings, alongside the prints made from them.
The exhibition explores themes dear to the artist via a selection of prints. Bacon’s favourite themes, which encompass the human figure, bullfighting, Greek mythology and religious subjects, all reflect an enduring interest in the human condition. Displaying these graphic works provides an opportunity to study the narratives they generated in greater depth.
The hang also highlights the importance of repeated images. Bacon’s interest in repetition can be discerned in his graphic works, in which the principle of reproduction is inherent.
Dotted along the itinerary are photographs and source materials from the artist’s various studios and copies of periodicals and folio format books that afford insights into Bacon’s approach to printmaking.
All the items on display are from the MB Art Collection – the private collection of the founder of the Francis Bacon MB Art Foundation.
