Bacon's Eye: Works on Paper Attributed to Francis Bacon from the Barry Joule Archive - Softcover

Sladen, Mark

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1901785068 ISBN 13: 9781901785067

Publisher: 21 Publishing Ltd, 2001

Synopsis

Francis Bacon died of a heart attack in 1992. During his lifetime the artist maintained that he painted straight onto canvas without the benefit of preparatory studies. However, since the artist's death, several groups of works on paper have come to light, offering amazing new insights into Bacon's working methods-and his personal obsessions. This book showcases a unique collection of works on paper that were bundled up and given to Bacon's friend Barry Joule by Bacon just before he died. There are over 1000 items in what is now known as the Joule Archive. One of the most significant parts of the archive is The X Album, a collection of 70 oil sketches painted in a photograph album that apparently once belonged to Bacon's nanny. These drawings relate to Bacon's work from the 50s and 60s, and include many nudes and portraits, as well as studies of facial malformations. The Joule Archive also includes over 900 'working documents'- photographs that have been torn from books, magazines and newspapers, many of them folded, scratched or worked over with paint. Here are reproductions of some of Bacon's most famous subjects, such as the painting by Velazquez from which he made his screaming Pope. But the working documents are also an amazing compendium of images in their own right, revealing an artist's eye-view of some of the most important people and events of the 20th Century. At the time of going to print these works had not been officially recognized as being by Bacon. And although the curators and publisher had wanted to show these works alongside Bacon's paintings permission to do so was categorically denied by the Bacon Estate. Working against a backdrop of intrigue and mystery the show and the book have now been unveiled. The Barbican, 21 Publishing and a host of Bacon experts firmly believe that the majority of the works are by Bacon and now invite the public to judge for themselves.

About this title

Synopsis

Published to coincide with an exhibition at the Barbican Art Gallery, London, the Barry Joule Archive provides a vivid insight into the mind and work of the controversial artist Francis Bacon. Widely acclaimed in his lifetime as being utterly spontaneous, this collection provides evidence to the contrary with over 1000 items of working documents previously unseen.

Edition details

• Publisher: 21 Publishing Ltd
• Publication date: 2001
• ISBN 10: 1901785068
• ISBN 13: 9781901785067
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 112