Katharina Günther’s research on the content of Wirth-Miller studio published in The Burlington Magazine

The Burlington Magazine has published in its September issue an article by Katharina Günther exploring the artistic relationship between the two British artists Denis Wirth-Miller and Francis Bacon. It summarises Katharina Günther’s research, supported in 2014 by our Foundation, on the content of Wirth-Miller studio located in Wivenhoe, Essex.

The image used for the magazine front cover is Study for ‘Dog in Movement’, painted c. 1953 by Denis Wirth-Miller, that is part of the MB Art Collection.

With its strong resemblance to his London studio, the overall set-up of Wirth-Miller's Wivenhoe atelier must have been to Bacon's liking. For almost 25 years, he shared the small, cluttered space with Wirth-Miller on a regular basis until in 1975, Bacon bought his own property close to his friend's house. In the working environment provided by Wirth-Miller, Bacon had found an artistic home away from home.

Katharina Guenther undertook a twelve-month research project analysing a collection of hitherto un-researched material from the MB Art Collection, associated with Francis Bacon.

During a year, the items were thoroughly studied and carefully evaluated with the intention of gaining a better understanding of the material itself, the two men's relationship to it and Bacon's activities in the East Anglian countryside.

Read the article here.