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Obras
after Triptych August (1972) (right panel)
Francis Bacon
after Triptych August (1972) - right panel, 1979
Lithograph on Arches paper
Sheet: 89.5 × 61 cm. 35 1/4 x 24 in.
Image: 65.5 x 48.5 cm. 25 3/4 x 19 in.
Image: 65.5 x 48.5 cm. 25 3/4 x 19 in.
Edition of 180 (plus proofs)
Signed in pencil lower right
£12,000 GBP
Further images
Edition of 99 with Arabic numbering, together with a number of H.C. (Hors Commerce) and E.A. (artist proofs). Inspired by the painting of the same title in the collection of...
Edition of 99 with Arabic numbering, together with a number of H.C. (Hors Commerce) and E.A. (artist proofs). Inspired by the painting of the same title in the collection of the Tate Gallery, London, England
After Triptych August (1972) is a deeply personal and haunting reflection on loss, mortality, and existential despair, driven by the tragic suicide of his ex-lover, George Dyer. The work powerfully explores the fragility of the human body and the inevitability of death. In the left panel, Dyer is seated before a black void, symbolising the inescapable pull of mortality. His slouched posture suggests emotional and physical collapse, with the void representing the looming presence of death.
In the right panel, Bacon places himself in a similar position, mirroring Dyer's posture, symbolising their shared despair and Bacon's grief. A pink smear seeping from Bacon’s body symbolises the slow disintegration of life, reflecting his confrontation with loss. The centre panel, abstract and ambiguous, evokes themes of death and decay, using twisted, skeletal forms to underscore the finality of mortality.
Dyer's suicide, occurring just before Bacon's major retrospective, profoundly affected the artist. This triptych not only memorialises their turbulent relationship but also reflects Bacon’s broader existential concerns about death and suffering, compounded by the near-simultaneous loss of his close friend John Deakin. The recurring motifs of voids, shadows, and decaying bodies convey Bacon’s lifelong preoccupation with the darker aspects of the human condition, making the triptych a poignant exploration of grief and mortality.
For further information on the original painting please visit the Francis Bacon Estate page: https://www.francis-bacon.com/artworks/paintings/triptych-august-1972
After Triptych August (1972) is a deeply personal and haunting reflection on loss, mortality, and existential despair, driven by the tragic suicide of his ex-lover, George Dyer. The work powerfully explores the fragility of the human body and the inevitability of death. In the left panel, Dyer is seated before a black void, symbolising the inescapable pull of mortality. His slouched posture suggests emotional and physical collapse, with the void representing the looming presence of death.
In the right panel, Bacon places himself in a similar position, mirroring Dyer's posture, symbolising their shared despair and Bacon's grief. A pink smear seeping from Bacon’s body symbolises the slow disintegration of life, reflecting his confrontation with loss. The centre panel, abstract and ambiguous, evokes themes of death and decay, using twisted, skeletal forms to underscore the finality of mortality.
Dyer's suicide, occurring just before Bacon's major retrospective, profoundly affected the artist. This triptych not only memorialises their turbulent relationship but also reflects Bacon’s broader existential concerns about death and suffering, compounded by the near-simultaneous loss of his close friend John Deakin. The recurring motifs of voids, shadows, and decaying bodies convey Bacon’s lifelong preoccupation with the darker aspects of the human condition, making the triptych a poignant exploration of grief and mortality.
For further information on the original painting please visit the Francis Bacon Estate page: https://www.francis-bacon.com/artworks/paintings/triptych-august-1972
Provenance
Published and printed by the Galerie Lelong, ParisPublications
Bruno Sabatier, Francis Bacon, The Graphic Work, no. 23Alexandre Tacou, Francis Bacon, Estampes, no. 24
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