Francis Bacon : man and beast / exhibition curators, Michael Peppiatt, Anna Testar, Sarah Lea.

Format:

Book

Contributor:

Peppiatt, Michael, curator.

Testar, Anna, curator.

Lea, Sarah, curator.

Royal Academy of Arts (Great Britain), host institution.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Bacon, Francis, 1909-1992--Exhibitions.

Bacon, Francis.

Bacon, Francis, 1909-1992--Criticism and interpretation.

Bacon, Francis, 1909-1992.

Animals in art.

Criticism and interpretation.

Genre:

Exhibition catalogs.

Criticism, interpretation, etc.

Physical Description:

157 pages : illustrations (chiefly color), portraits ; 29 cm

Distribution:

New York, NY : ARTBOOK/D.A.P.

Other Title:

Man and beast

Place of Publication:

London : Royal Academy of Arts, [2021]

Summary:

An exhibition of Francis Bacon's paintings at the Royal Academy of Arts in 2020 explores the role of animals in his work - not least the human animal. Having often painted dogs and horses, in 1969 Bacon first depicted bullfights. In this series of works, the interaction between man and beast is dangerous and cruel, but also disturbingly intimate. Both are contorted in their anguished struggle and the erotic lurks not far away: "Bullfighting is like boxing," Bacon once said. "A marvellous aperitif to sex." Twenty-two years later, a lone bull was to be the subject of his final painting. In this publication, authors discuss Bacon's approach to animals and identify his varied sources of inspiration, which included surrealist literature and the photographs of Eadweard Muybridge. They contend that, by depicting animals in states of vulnerability, anger and unease, Bacon sought to delve into the human condition.

Contents:

Francis Bacon: man and beast / Michael Peppiatt

The animal that is not one / Stephen F. Eisenman

Man, woman, beast: Bacon's nudes / Catherine Howe

Catalogue plates : Furies ; Wildlife ; The animal within ; Bodies in motion ; The animalistic nude ; The bullfight / with section introductions by Anna Testar

Chronology / Isabella Boorman

With reflections on Francis Bacon / Desmond Morris ; Maggi Hambling ; Susanna Paisley ; Catherine Lampert.

Notes:

"This catalogue was created in extraordinary times, to accompany and record an exhibition of the same title that had been scheduled to take place in the Main Galleries of the Royal Academy from 30 January until 18 April 2021. However, vital lockdown measures to limit the spread of Covid-19 meant that the Royal Academy had to close its doors during this period. At the time of this book's publication, the exhibition has been postponed until a later date"--Title page verso.

Includes bibliographical references (pages 154-155) and index.

ISBN:

9781912520558

1912520559

OCLC:

1184099122