| Exhibition talk | - Wednesday, 6 December, 2006: Margarita Cappock, the head of collections at Dublin City Gallery, The Hugh Collection and project manager of the Francis Bacon Studio And Archive, will give a talk.
- The lecture will consider the importance of Francis Bacon's main studio and home, Reece Mews.
- The event will be held at the Elizabeth Fry Building, UEA, from 7pm until 8pm. There will be drinks from 6.30pm. Admission is £4 and £2.50 for concessions. Booking is advised on 01603 593199.
|
Francis Bacon: Paintings From The 1950s features 50 paintings from public and private collections across the world which have been brought together for a unique exhibition. Bacon created many of the most central and memorable images of his entire career during the 1950s. A number of the paintings in the exhibition are on public show for the first time. "This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for local people to see so many works by such an outstanding painter, some of which have never been seen in public before: a real first for the region," said Nichola Johnson, director at the Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts. Bacon in the 1950sThe 1950s was a period when Bacon was still searching for himself, eager to explore a variety of impressions and to take all kinds of risks. This exhibition explores the key themes that interested him between the late 1940s and the early 1960s, affording an unprecedented insight into the artist. "I have become increasingly convinced that Francis Bacon reached the height of his creative prowess during the 1950s," said the exhibition's curator Michael Peppiatt. "From the screaming heads and snarling chimpanzees of the late 1940s, through the early popes and portraits of Van Gogh, to the anonymous figures trapped in tortured isolation - never again would the Baconian world be so rich and inventive," he added.  | | Sketch for a Portrait of Lisa, 1955 |
The 13 Francis Bacon paintings that form the nucleus of the show were collected by Robert and Lisa Sainsbury. The works are part of the world-famous Sainsbury Collection, which was given to the University of East Anglia in 1970s, and are now permanently displayed at the Sainsbury Centre. Meeting Francis BaconSir Robert and Lady Sainsbury first met Francis Bacon in 1955, when Lisa Sainsbury commissioned the artist to produce a portrait of her husband. The Sainsburys were to become friends of the artist and were hugely supportive to him during difficult financial periods. Sir Robert Sainsbury considered Sketch For A Portrait Of Lisa, 1955, to be 'one of the most beautiful pictures Francis has ever painted', and said he would have bought it even if he wasn't related to Lisa. Rescued workThe Sainsburys dramatically rescued Study (Imaginary Portrait of Pope Pius XII), 1955 from Bacon's destructive impulse. The was artist known for destroying many of his paintings while they were still works in progress.  | | Study of a Pope, 1955 (detail) |
He referred to his painting of the Pope as a 'wonderful picture' while chatting to the Sainsburys at a party. They offered him a lift home so that they could see the work, but when they arrived at his studio Bacon slashed the painting with a razor. The Sainsburys pleaded with him to do no more damage, rolled it up and took the Pope home. The painting was restored and is now one of the paintings in the Robert and Lisa Sainsbury collection that are central to the exhibition. Francis Bacon: Paintings From The 1950s runs at the Sainsbury Centre until Sunday, 10 December, 2006.The exhibition is open Tuesday to Sunday (closed Monday), 10am to 5pm and is also open until 8pm on Wednesdays. For more details call 01603 593199. | 
