Francis Bacon - A Tainted Talent (Full Documentary) 

In the 1989 Batman movie, a Francis Bacon painting is the sole painting that Jack Nicholson's Joker chooses to spare from destruction during the art museum scene.

This documentary saved my entire art career. I say this without any exaggeration, thank you so much for your incredible work. I loved his work for so many years but I watched the series a year and a half ago. I literally just had my first exhibition and I am graduating as an honors fine arts this year. I cannot express my gratitude enough. Thank you. Edit: I just graduated from Texas A&M University and have another offer for an exhibition in my city. I have been showing my art in a few galleries this year as well. I cannot thank you all enough for your encouragement and kind words :)

Before I watch this, I have to pop this here: My late Grandfather knew Francis Bacon (He also knew Lucian Freud) as he was the accountant/book keeper for a resturant called Wheelers (Sp?) that was a favourite among artists since they could pay for food with art work as most were struggling due to their studios and gallery people taking massive cuts of the sale price for pieces. According to my Grandad, Francis Bacon would sometimes come over to talk to him when he grew bored of whoever he had been there with. My Grandad said he was a "Troubled, yet pleasant man.". My grandad was also there when the Resturant Owner asked Bacon and Freud to paint pieces of one another. (There's a piece on ArtUK that talks about that).

One of the best, if not THE best, documentaries made on Francis Bacon. Well done 👍🏻

Im not much of a painter, but your documentaries on these artists always inspire me to abandon my drawings and paint some. Honestly when i watch these i always improve a lot, and i feel enriched by the stories. Thank you so much for making these!

What makes Francis Bacon my most favorite artist, is how his art somehow seems to give a "glitchy" visual, *years* before the concept of such would even exist....

I just saw one of Bacon's paintings in a museum the other week. It was so bizarre. I wasn't even looking for it and I didn't even know it was in there, I was just walking through the halls and outside one wing there it was, like a fucking jumpscare. I love him

Some of his paintings are nightmare like, it's like he could conjure a horrific image yet paint it in an interesting way, I think it's fascinating, as if he captured a dark human thought and painted it.

Supposedly, Bacon's work was a partial inspiration for the Silent Hill game franchise. If true, then I can totally see why!!!

It's interesting that you mentioned Turing. It's almost as if the British were willing to accept open homosexuality in an artist as that could be explained as Bohemian eccentricity. But they would not accept it in the man responsible for helping win the war. They couldn't allow a homosexual to be a hero

I love Francis Bacon and all the artists you've talked about. Thank you for everything you do.

Adrian Lyne was also inspired by Francis Bacon for his film Jacob’s Ladder. In the screenplay there are biblically literal devils with horns and angels with feathered wings. Lyne wanted something more grounded and disturbing and so he looked to Bacon’s paintings as inspiration for the more abstract demons in the movie.

Make a full documentary on Beksiński. He more than anyone deserves a documentary exploring his work and his life.

1:49:20 - It's called a 'hanky hat'. Often worn by a particular type of balding, working class man on the beach at the seaside in the 30s, 40, 50 and 60s, the hanky hat is a regular handkerchief knotted at each corner and placed on the head to prevent sunburn. I think it became associated with a type of unworldly, provincial, and unrefined factory worker for example, typically on an away day to Blackpool, Margate, Southend et al. or at a Butlin's holiday camp. So Bacon was perhaps using the incongruous hanky hat to mock Dyer's East End, working class roots and demeanour.

I need more people to appreciate nanny Lightfoot. What a woman! She was one of the only motherly figures to Francis, loved and took care of him. She moved out with him to keep him company. SHE SLEPT ON A TABLE FOR HIM. I truly hope Francis showed her how much he appreciated all she did. Love her.

I never knew I loved art so much until I stumbled upon your channel a couple of months ago. Thank you for all your wonderful work

53:58 he’s talking about “The Flow State” in which a person is completely immersed in the task at hand. All the best kind of stuff is created from this state of being.

In Dublin, at one of the museums, I saw in 2016 a complete replica of his painting studio. As in, someone took everything out of it and recreated it inside the museum. Filthy! Repugnant! So visceral in effect. ... I find his work very hard to look at. The deliberate grossness of it. Genius.

It was through your original 4 part series that I discovered your amazing channel, i love every artist that you have covered and I look forward to more. Thank you for all your work.

This was excellent. I appreciate the work you put into this.

I think.... i must thank you. No matter how visceral his life was, or bleak.. rather quite chaotic. Nevertheless, it made me want to get back to drawing... i haven't touched a pen nor have i sketched for 2 years now. I feel like it's fleeting from me. Thank you, i really needed this.

Your style of narration is very unique and captivating, and the amount of work you put to your videos is admirable. A true find your channel is.

Although deeply disturbing, this is one of the best artist documentaries I’ve come across. Listening to people’s different interpretations on The Three Studies and then Bacon’s own description of how these paintings manifest themselves, I came to understand as an artist myself that humanity is the instrument with which a much deeper mind makes itself known. There are artists which are moved by light, and there are artists that are moved by shadows, and there are artists that are moved by the dance between light and shadow, and through all of these we can learn to grasp the inexorable nature of light and shadow upon perception itself. Until we can unite the two in one purpose in our understanding, we will continue to manifest the extremes both in art and in life. This documentary gave me a greater compassion for all human beings caught in the struggle of this greater thing that is becoming itself.

I can’t imagine the work it must take to make these beautiful documentaries. Thank you. Your passion for art, painting & painters is palpable. I have always loved art & have a fascination for the dark & “ugly”, so discovering your channel has been so cool because I likely wouldn’t know of most of these works nor of the artists’ lives. It makes the pieces that much more haunting & intriguing to know what may have led them to these dark depictions. Again, thank you; your art has shown myself & so many others beautiful stories of artists who have created beautiful art. ❤

Just finished watching this documentary and I really want to thank you for making this. By the very end of the video I felt really emotional hearing about his art and life that inspired it. Francis Bacon is one of my all time favorite artists and I can see myself revisiting this video again. Thank you

I think you should do a video on Alice Neel! I probably told you this before but she went to school with my great-grandma in Philadelphia... The same woman's art school. My great grandma was also an artist but not as famous as Alice Neel 😂 lol of course. But Alice Neel's story is amazing!

I remember this being up sooner... Am I insane??

The extreme anxiety this man felt for the majority of his life must’ve been overwhelming. I’m surprised he lived as long as he did, considering he was self medicating through pretty much his entire existence.

As the saying goes. "Knowledge is Power, France is Bacon".

sadly you can almost completely understand this man's world view and outlook when you think about being an openly gay man in the areas and at the time when most are figuring out the world... add to that the deaths of almost anyone would he viewed someone who cared about his well-being in his youth or a love interest who he would muse and paint... I really like how he adapted spray paint into his later works... that really shows he was someone not afraid dabble in new methods of expression... I feel some times there's a stigma when mentioning oil paint masters.. as much as people he had a negative view I think u really got to think about the iron will nerve confidence one would have to have choose the path he did and to walk it to the end no apologys becuz he was just being himself.. he may have never known how his art would be viewed in years after his passing but he certainly knew he was bringing something fresh to the table and that's hard to do when ur not exactly there to show the world the pretty and happy go lucky side of humanity but instead choose to be the one who reminds the world of all the things that stay in view but pushed aside slightly hidden...his first 3 paintings must of been like someone slapping flower vase off the dinner table atta fancy banquet lol...

Hurt people, hurt people. His father despised him and offered him to his would be torturer, Harcourt-Smith, who no doubt terrorized Francis. To which later he would laugh about and say “he fell in love with me”…. That is a very twisted way to describe being repeatedly SA’d

Fantastic job, enjoyed every minute of this. I went to RA exhibition, honestly made me cry.

Just wanted to say thank you for having some of the best art documentaries on RU-vid, absolutely love your channel!!

thanks for your excellent delivery; post modem platter service. mentioned Alan Turin context of the time's tolerances but missed the question of what matched him with J Edwards, a comparative valuation, complimentary gender derivative content of the geriatric Picasso's age difference to his women; that delta paid as Integrity seen as described paternal relations [at best too]. Said crudely translates a bias of what would have been long suffered silence of a society that heaps praise when a Picasso in old age maintains much younger girlfriends and wives [maybe] but forces J Edwards into a paternalistic narrative with open questions of commonality beyond what would be their own major

This is a superb, magisterial documentary of the most important, iconoclastic 20th century English painter. Exceedingly well done. Thank you for all of this work.

Interesting how nobody can just simply observe art. There’s always got to be some opinion or interpretation of it. Usually excessive and overly complex. Just look at it, its not that hard

Thank you for creating your channel, these videos really stuck with me when you first uploaded them; I will be re watching because Bacon’s art is so fascinating and gruesome and you just can’t look away

This is the best documentary on Francis Bacon I have ever seen, and must be one of the best artist documentaries I have seen, period. Thank you and bravo!

I was mistaken and thought this was about another Francis Bacon from the 16th century. I was waaay off... As a painter ,etc. I often wonder what made up stories or inspiration people will attribute to my works haha. People often over thinks works, with me I just try to painting what I see in my minds eye, no meaning at all, even now people make up thinsg as to why I did something a certain way... "Uh... no... how did you think that up??"

I felt that Bacon was tortured by his own homosexuality, he said as much, the brutal violence in his relationships was due in part to the self loathing these closeted men felt about who they were and what they practiced. I don't find the violence in his paintings beautiful at all, beautiful is not a word I'd use. His earlier work, the screaming pope series, and the bull study painting at the end are all quite powerful. He was a uniquely personable artist, and a great painter. RIP

Can we please have the full version of your script now? I could listen and learn for another 3 hours!

We look back on systemic homophobia with so much collective embarrassment now... I wonder which attitudes we'll look back on with the same collective shame 100 years from now.

As far as RU-vid documentaries go this is a clear 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟. You did so well I feel like I understand the guy. His story is relatable to me for better and worse but your treatment of the subject was just perfect. You describe paintings very well, also.

I think it should be noted that the painting the Joker stops his right hand man from slashing is one of Francis Bacons famous pieces. It's in the art gallery scene when his crew is stylistically vandalizing great works of technical art like Marcel Duchamp.

I came across your video last year and decided to make an experimental horror film based on Bacon's paintings. It turned out great and gave me the confidence to make another film. Both got screened at student film festival. Would not have happened without you.

interestingly, in some cultures bulls are said to guard the soul on its way to the afterlife

as publicly recorded statement: 49:21 the (brush) under the figure is more than likely a shadow of the figure. The reason a shadowed area would grow life is because that is where many artists live, in the shadows. -KRD

what a fascinating man, I never heard about him but im fascinated ....thank you for making this pice

An absolutely fantastic documentary, really well put together - very thorough whilst produced in an engaging way to keep you listening. As a big fan of Francis Bacon, I enjoyed every minute of this. Many thanks.

Thank you for putting all of your hard work into one video. I love your videos.

The figures in the Studies make me think of disturbing extreme sexual connotations.

"Biomorphic hybrid" and "extraction of man" reminded me of what I saw in the following Bacon paintings: 1959 Head of a Man contains a snouted, zebra/ant eater looking animal. 1963 Portrait of Henrietta Moraes contains a black snake coiling around a baby bird. 1971 Lying Figure in a Mirror contains a Hippo. 1975 Two Studies of The Human Body, the central figure contains a beaver.

Thank you for this, I've always loved Bacon's work and learned a lot from this project. This video definitely is a great resource for anyone wanting to learn more about his life and work.

this is a wonderfully put together documentary. i've been curious about francis bacon since i learned about him in my art appreciation class, but never looked into this curiosity until this video popped up. thank you :)

I had to choose between art and music in school. I was in a arts magnet program in highschool and I was already double majoring in french horn and classical singing. In senior year I had room for one elective and I picked art. I wish I had prioritized it more because I am pretty good. Your videos are amazing for me, really easy to digest and engaging. I hate that I didn't get to take art history or anything like that. I'm so grateful for you 💚💚 thank you for your work.

I thought it was a bed of nails on the right hand painting of the Crucifixion series.

the last figure of the studies reminds me of a child crying or being hurt. I think you could be onto something with the childhood memories. the first figure reminds me of a crying woman that's bent over, almost like she's resting her head on a hand or bending down to a child.

This one has got to be one of Blind Dweller's best. As for George, I can't help but wonder if he took sleeping pills on the potty with booze knowing full well that he would remain a permanent fixture in Bacon's psyche that way--a payback for his humiliating portrayal by Francis...

I can't express my gratitude for the fact that this documentary is free to watch. I am talking to my friends about it. Its form and composition made me feel closer to the artist itself. The portrayal of his life touched my heart deeply and I keep his person constantly in my head. Made me long for someone I couldn't live linearly with. I can see myself in him although our lives are so different. I had known Francis's art but after this documentary, I know something much more important than this art itself. He put his heart, soul and mind to be inspired and inspire others till the end of his life. He keeps inspiring even now as truly alive.

Hey Blind Dweller, I've been a fan/watcher for a good bit now and was hoping you would look into potentially doing a video on installation artist, Ed Kienholz.

that thumbnail is my face when i stub my toe

(I'm french my English is sometimes terrible i don't know if the words translate correctly but) I had to write an essay (I believe it's the right word to describe a dissertation in french high school) and had a 16/20 on the painting of the Pope (the one with the longest title, the biggest pope painting) wich is great and since then I spent a lot of time learning about Bacon's life and understood how an artist is not just an artist in the body of a human, but a human living the life of an artist. His life is as important as his art and we rarely talk and usually skip the life of the artist when looking at the art. Hey, if you're reading this, can you lake a video about Alex Grey ? I'm not sure if it's the kind of artist you talk about or not tho, but I don't see enough people talking about him I spent some of the most interesting 2 hours watching your video, thank you

My Favorite Painter. Thanks Mr.Dweller..

Wonderful, sensitive treatment of a complicated man and his art. Thank you... BTW, my interpretation of the 1962 triptych, Three Studies for a Crucifixion, is different. For me it represents the physical and emotional violence, upheaval and agony of giving birth and being born... LEFT PANEL: From the point of view of a woman about to give birth: legs spread, feet and calves bruised, tensed up, the man on the right (baby's dad?) about to leave, the other man (baby's grandpa?), useless, detached. Fear always surrounds childbirth: it could go either way. MIDDLE PANEL: She's all alone. It appears that her womb has just exploded, ending her pregnancy - globs of blood drop down from the ceiling. The drawn shades suggest the secrecy of an illegal abortion... she hasn't survived. The sheet beneath her seems to flow like amniotic fluid. A weird-looking miniature bull with mangled horns lies next to her (the potential human that fought and lost?)... The white dot is a PEARL on the bottom of her shoe - bullfighters' outfits are adorned with pearls; this bullfighter lost... On her face is a contorted maniacal grin, but it merges just above and to the left with a realistic sleeping face that rests on the side of a skull. Above the skull, at the pinnacle of the classic triangular composition, is the traditional Catholic rendering of the white-haired 'God the Father' overseeing and judging all... One other interesting feature: the outline of a large, milky profile of a breast that seems to cradle her on the pillow to her right. RIGHT PANEL: A monument on a plinth. The representation of the symbiotic but violent nature of giving birth and being born... full-figured woman, head at the top (resigned? grieving?), hugging herself, her body opening like a giant, gaping scream, amniotic fluid pouring out of the cavity as the screaming head of a baby (or man? the woman herself?) is about to break away and slide down the birth canal into a difficult world - the two seem joined at the spine that has a hole in it. They are encircled by a umbilical cord on the right, a bull's horns on the left. The shadow in the foreground is reminiscent of a twisting, encroaching gravestone. The fight of living/dying has begun.

A brilliantly made video, I am and have been influenced by the man, I'm unfortunately still haunted by his work, don't care much about his attitude to life, only the exorcism of his demons...I'll start painting again. THANKS

To me, personally, I see in this triptych work of Franc-is-Bacon, as follows: Left panel: this is the most baffling to me, so I'd left it for last before meanin' finally revealed itself to me... Similarly, from your description of interpretation so too do I see a bound figure, it tightly wrapped kept in place, or position, and waiting...but what does it wait for? Not for the city bus, certainly, but maybe, it waits for: whom the bell tolls. Creature with its outstretched neck, waits on for the arrival of its executioner, wielding a battle axe or scimitar, to finally put this abominable -- though compliant and/or patient which's surprisin' -- monstrosity completely out of its misery/miserable existence...the only way it can ever find some semblance of peace/acceptance. The nose and hair can be deciphered or interpreted as a 'death shroud,' in terms of the latter; as, the former represents a lone organ with amplied senses (as will happen when the other senses go away) left with not much else to do, other than continuously and inevitably smell which ultimately is coming, already heading its way, to send it away with finality, of both this life, world, and plane of existence for its soul or spirit, but the settin' in motion of the removal of said tormented beast's remains, not likely to a normal sepulchre or tomb, instead, relocated to deepest of the death chambers not normally visited by say the average mourning member of the deceased's surviving family, bringing flowers to place upon the foot of a grave, belonging to their dearly, departed, loved one...but so far down even if one wanted to do so, crippling fear would first persist until overtaking and then erasing any/all ability to proceed any further... Middle panel: this piece seems to me, to jump out as a combination of body upon a tripod as you'd mentioned, though I am unable to not see simultaneously, a body of ornithological, avian or birdlike origins completely plucked and DEVOID devices designed for both warmth AND for flight: feathers! But...that remaining underlying skin remaining belyingly, and impossibly smooth -- devoid of all bumps from all of the feathers being plucked, implying that they'd never even been there at all. Same goes for that alternate implication of the panel's image, which, certainly can so be seen as representin' human male organs which are both designed for reproducing, as well as possessing that strong innate desire, or drive, to do so. That position of the limply hanging neck, flashing its very cheeky grin represents Bacon's sexuality and sexual desires being torn totally into two opposing directions: that, which him and his genitals are pulled, and that they long for, and that in which his parents, or particularly his father, push Francis, also longin' for in their very own different way, for far different reasons. The two desires remain in such conflict, as to cause from this panel's creature, being, or entity now no other choice, but, to hang paralyzingly low, and limp. The head left, with nothing much else to do but lick all its bandaged and perpetually never-healing wounds, at least until a different or change to Bacon and/or his situation, potentially presents itself some other day if that day ever can rear its ugly head, revealing itself to him. Right panel: this represents to me as the final page, chapter, panel, scene or act of this particular triptych and the story that these three panels or sections, might tell the viewing public of this work. A finality in the placing of this image's orientation, alone...with English, French and German, all reading left, to right. The beast is way more confident, almost defiantly so, and, stands firmly upon its either one leg that remains or all that was there to be stood upon, and even offered to him, in the first place. That unipod somehow undeniably, but also unbelievably, much more sturdy than the previous three-legged construct which defies perception, expectation and rational conception, while stoking that of misperception, and/or the imperceptible. The singular cane-like appendage, which easily appears to prop, and hold, up a far heavier base than seemingly could prove even possible, either emerges out of or it descends into nary any sort of base, foot or supportive platform in sight, or can be seen, anyway. But...just who knows what sort of support systems live, or thrive, on down there buried or hidden in or among the jungle thicket or tall overgrown grass of the open Savannah, tumbling, carrying on, expressing itself, ripening, solidifying, transforming, or metamorphosizing...like a diamond or pearl or maybe some other gem, or precious stone, then coming into its own, while trapped down there in dark lonesome, environment -- the Rough -- an unbelievably strong, necessary, pressure, always, bearing down upon it, from every direction, for, some pre-determined TIME, completing the recipe or one of them, for achieving, brilliance. This panel's being's propped up, bracing, for the fight, impact, and long haul. Also displayed in the very erectness, of this beast's shaft of a neck, its body standing tall and ready behind it in wait. The being's wounds, all now long healed ages ago, hence bandaging being needed and applied no longer, to be seen or found. But this coming with what may be considered as a cost, perpetually now being blind to the pain, as well as blindly though not entirely aimlessly, making, or finding its way through life, blindly going with and not against the path, that some force, be it God, the universe, a creator or even the River, which Bruce Lee'd spoken of guiding one in the 'proper' direction as to more closely approach, one's destined and potential future, one's future destiny and greatest potential, or one's potential, greatest possibility for the future, so one can achieve a life, which one had always been destined to live and carry out. Here, this creature's ear is poised, and ready, it amplifying, and enhancing its hearing, to further and better ready itself, against all intruders or potential attackers. Maybe if gettin' too close anybody may suffer this raging berserker and its toothy maul that warns to be quicker to attack than to not do so. If, it so sounds like an approachin' enemy, then too it must taste as if is one and even if not, the fault still shall fall on and upon those shoulders of anybody so stupid enough to ignore warning signs in such explicit directness, as snarling, and snapping jaws. Though those same jaws and rigid, tightly-outstretched neck, both, together, also represent both a battle cry and stimulated and enticed erection in a snapshot just mere moments if not even a single moment prior to ejactulation the most triumphant release EVER achieved, up until that current point in its outcast's existence or seemingly meaningless life!

It's not a nappy on George Dyer's head. A common thing in hot weather for English men was to wear a hanky on their head. Knotted in each corner

I love art and the expressions given through different mediums. I wish I could do it myself, but just seeing and appreciating others art is pretty nice itself

44:23 This is Francis in his mother’s clothes. Or not…

Francis did not seem to be very fond of eyes. That is the one thing that stands out to me.

So, I really like the expressive qualities of his work, but ultimately his work is too dark and sad for me... which is weird because I love dark, expressive art. But idk, there's just something about his work that makes me feel drab, empty and a little bit angry. Oddly enough, the 2 unfinished paintings that were found after his passing, were my favorite out of all the paintings shown in the video. How strange that he painted George on a toilet only for George to be found passed away on a toilet, what an odd self-fulfilling prophecy.

I'm always relieved when a new narrator, that I'm listening to for the first time, turns out to have a British accent. I can't have information orally delivered to me by anything other than a good English accent.

There nothing the man couldn't do with oil paint but it's hard to escape the conviction that he was an evil person, a committed sadist and manipulator, alien to the idea of consent, relentlessly abusive, obsessed with cruelty, a heavy drinker (this intensifies cruelty and violence) and surrounded by criminal cronies.

My interpretations are Nanny Lightfoot, sleeping on the table Mother, on a pedestal and refusing to see things in front of her, though she could if she wanted to Father, a beast always yelling and unable to see even if he tried, associated with the horses

I hadn’t really known much about Francis Bacon or looked at his work (besides what was briefly featured in the Batman movie with Jack Nicholson playing The Joker). I grew up similarly; fiancially well to do home but with an overbearing, emotionally neglectful, and violent father figure that used Catholicism to drill into my head that my mere existence is a sin. I had been drawing since I could pick up a pencil and I drew pictures not too unlike Francis’ three figures. I had to hide (or destroy) whatever I created among drawings of “typical little girl” stuff, especially when my step father found one and struck me in the face several times, to the point of losing a tooth, while screaming at me that it wasn’t art and I “should be drawing happy things like a normal person”. His exact words…. Anyway… I look at Francis Bacons’ work, and I know EXACTLY what it is.

When this started autoplaying and I glanced at the time, saw how long it was going to be, also despite my enjoyment of art I'm not a true enthusiast, also the fact that I've never watched any of your videos before and wasn't in the mood to check out a new creator .... I happened to be very busy with something and didn't have time to hunt around for something else to multitask-watch, so I figured it wouldn't kill me to let this play a few minutes at least. An hour and 17 minutes later, I'm soooo glad to be less than halfway through this, so much left to enjoy, and I've put away the stuff I was doing, because this really needs seeing, not just listening and glancing. What a wonderful thing you've put together here; it's clear how much you enjoyed it. Incidentally I wonder if Banksy considers Bacon to be an influence. I swear, a good number of these paintings look to me like "Dark Banksy" "Unfinished Banksy" or "Banksy Smeared Before Drying" but the similarities I see are probably just from my not being a true enthusiast, ha.

My favorite artist is Egon Schiele

This is some sick dark so called àrt. Oñly soless people create this.

This guy had to have done some of the art work on The Wall by Pink Floyd- the movie I mean. The court room scene, the judge, the screaming mouth that comes out of the wall, the weird skeletal figures with clubs and gas masks bashing ppl's brains out, it all screams Francis Bacon. If it wasn't him, it was someone directly influenced by his work. It fits the time period as well- the album is about growing up in post war London.

8:05 wow its scary how this parallels my own life yikes

Wait, what happen to the dead guy, sitting on the toilet?

So happy this was recommended to me by RU-vid! I'm fortunate enough to have seen Self Portrait 1956 in Fort Worth's modern art museum. I chose it as the prompt for an art appreciation paper, wherein I was required to talk about the curation of a piece. I remember this portrait being on it's own, on a protruding alcove of wall with a bench in front of it. Bacon was sitting there in isolation, with a menacing grin. I was so fascinated by the style, and drawn in by the black void of a background. This looked like someone I should under no circumstance approach, but who was offering some dark knowledge too tempting to pass up.

A very brave and original artist😮 thanks to his loveless childhood he became the great painter that he was ❤I hope he is at peace now ❤

This made me cry. Francis would go out & come home bashed up, it was such a regular occurance that his close friend's would stop mentioning it. He seem3d to deliberately get a good thrashing & who knows why, but maybe he wanted to just feel & that he was looked at as a pansy by his father....

With regards to trying to find an explanation for this or that in a Francis Bacon painting, particularly details within three studies for figures at the base of a crucifixion, the man was blind drunk when he painted it and as a painter myself I can attest to the fact that sometimes images emerge from the subconscious (often with the assistance of alcohol) without much intellectual or conscious thought. Things just happen.

The best! A brush with violence is probably one of my favorites documentaries ever

Love Bacon's art, seen a number of his piece, absolutely brilliant artist. Great video by the way, watch it many times.❤🙏🇬🇧👍

Bacon was raised in Ireland but his parents were both English.

His art looks like early “Dali” AI art from like 2 years ago.

Francis work struck me immediately when I was younger and led me to zdzislaw Bekzinskies work who is my favorite painter of all time. What drew me to Francis work was the tension and subject matter of his paintings.

I wonder what Francis thought of the goth scene coming out of the batcave during Soho's post punk era, with its well acceptance of queer people and appreciation of the darker side of numerous mediums of art. I feel like bands even before the Batcave like Joy Divison would've defiently spoke to him and their biggest hit "Love Will Tear us Apart"

I thought Francis Bacon was that dude who they tried to say really wrote all the Shakespeare plays, then was debunked.

I see in the triptych the inspiration for H.R. Giger who was also the set designer for "Alien".

Thank you for this video. I love your writing style and your narration. Extra long content on a channel like yours is a real treat.

Actually, and surprisingly, this left me welling up. Actually AND unexpectedly.. thanks. Subbed.

He’s an original . When I seee his paintings I feel mental pain. Because I know about WW2 and England I say he is reacting to growing up targeted to being bombed. If a normal person says it was insanity of mass murder done for political reasons. Still it is going to scare you and a sensitive artistic person will create art the reflects the experience. A human as a side of beef. A statistical casualty of warfare. That’s what I see in his art. Pain of mass murder being accepted as normal behavior

This video got me curious as to weather Fancis Bacon was related to Kevin Bacon. The answer is no. But I did find out that Kevin Bacon is related to Barrack Obama. 6th cousins. So thats something.

Today i saw the pope 2 in real life and it is totally disturbing seeing it irl... it pulls you and traps you in the canvas...it is just amazing

Did he get rich off this? I can't see anyone besides a museum actually wanting to have this displayed lol. It's cool yah but I don't want to see it every morning when I drink my morning coffee

What a fantastic film. You did a great job with what you had to work with and the narration is perfect. The thing of George's head at 1:40 looks like what women who settled New England wore. They were from England so it was probably maybe a maids hat there.