Francis Bacon: Revelations

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By Mark Stevens ’73 and Annalyn Swan ’73

Published April 19, 2021

One of the most influential artists of the 20th century, Francis Bacon (1909-1992) reimagined the constraints on the depiction of the human figure. In this biography, Stevens and Swan conduct new research on Bacon’s roots in Ireland, his early embrace of his homosexuality, the origins of his career, and his thinking behind his most controversial piece, Second Version of Triptych 1944. As much as this biography documents the exciting life of Francis Bacon, it also explores the idea of what makes a visionary.

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