Francis Bacon Three Studies of the Male Back, 1987 Modern Art Print

The air in these three panels feels heavy with the psychological weight of self-scrutiny and isolation. A central figure is seen from behind, his form rendered in fleshy pinks and distorted grays as he sits before a mirror trapped within a skeletal geometric cage.

About Francis Bacon

Bacon often placed his subjects inside cage-like frames against flat, intense backgrounds. Bacon’s work is dramatic and unsettling, and it remains a landmark of post-war painting. Expressionist artists used bold colour and distorted forms to convey feeling rather than appearance. The original image dates from 1987. Modernist art broke with tradition in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, experimenting with colour, form and abstraction.

Styling this Francis Bacon print

The geometric style and pink and purple palette of this Francis Bacon print feel at home in modern and traditional interiors alike. In a study or living room, hang “Three Studies of the Male Back” above a desk or bookcase: 20×30″ or 24×36″ for impact, 12×18″ for a smaller wall. Finish “Three Studies of the Male Back” with a simple black or oak frame: its pink and purple palette sits softly with blush, cream and brass details.

At a glance

• Type: Francis Bacon print
• Artist: Francis Bacon
• Year: 1987
• Style: Expressionism, Modernism
• Colours: pink and purple
• Orientation: landscape
• Collections: Francis Bacon Prints, Expressionist Art Prints, Modernist Art Prints