Francis Bacon's "Pope Innocent X": A Study After Velzquez

Can a single painting truly capture the essence of both power and vulnerability? Francis Bacon's "Study after Velzquez's Portrait of Pope Innocent X" achieves precisely that, offering a chilling and unforgettable exploration of human existence through the lens of art.

This expressive piece, born in 1953, is an oil on canvas, a testament to Bacon's masterful command of the expressionist movement. The artwork itself is a reinterpretation, a symbolic and dramatic reimagining of an earlier portrait. Specifically, Bacon drew inspiration from Diego Velzquez's original, a work that had already established its own powerful legacy. The painting's full title, Study after Velzquezs Portrait of Pope Innocent X, immediately signals its relationship to the older work, but it's in the execution, the visual language employed by Bacon, that the true dialogue begins. This dialogue is not merely a copying, but a conversation, a challenge, and ultimately, a redefinition of the subject.

Full Name	Francis Bacon
Born	October 28, 1909, Dublin, Ireland
Died	April 28, 1992, Madrid, Spain
Nationality	British (born in Ireland)
Artistic Movement	Expressionism, Figurative Art
Notable Works	"Study after Velzquez's Portrait of Pope Innocent X" (1953), "Three Studies for Figures at the Base of a Crucifixion" (1944), "Figure with Meat" (1954)
Key Themes	The human figure, isolation, violence, existentialism, suffering, power, vulnerability
Influences	Diego Velzquez, Pablo Picasso, Sergei Eisenstein, Eadweard Muybridge
Education	Self-taught
Style	Distorted figures, bold colours, raw brushstrokes, use of chance and accident
Quotes	"I want to paint a scream rather than a portrait." "The job of the artist is always to deepen the mystery." "I think of life as a great big meal."
Where to learn more	Tate: Francis Bacon

The painting itself is a focal point. "Study after Velzquez's Portrait of Pope Innocent X" is a haunting image, one that has cemented itself in the collective consciousness of art lovers worldwide. Bacon's version strips away the outward trappings of authority, revealing a figure wracked by internal torment. The screaming pope, a central motif of the work, is a departure from Velzquez's original. While the earlier portrait depicted a figure of immense power, Bacons work presents a sense of vulnerability and existential anguish. The distortion of the figure, the bold application of paint, and the claustrophobic setting all contribute to the unsettling atmosphere of the piece.

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This work wasnt a solitary creative act. It was part of a series. Scholars have meticulously examined these paintings, delving into the potential inspirations behind them, all the way back to the 1950s. Bacon's "Pope series" is a deep dive into the human condition. The artist, a self-proclaimed atheist, uses the figure of the Pope as a potent symbol, challenging the notion of absolute power and revealing the fragility that lies beneath. His reinterpretation of Velzquez's original isn't just a visual exercise; it's an interrogation, a critique, and a commentary on the nature of authority and the human experience.

The inspiration, of course, stems from Diego Velzquez's extraordinarily lifelike portrait of Pope Innocent X, painted in 1650. Velzquez's original, held in the Galleria Doria Pamphilj, Rome, is a portrait of a powerful and, as history suggests, rather unscrupulous pontiff. Bacon, however, was less interested in portraying the external trappings of power. Instead, he seized the opportunity to explore the inner turmoil, the existential dread that he believed was a universal human experience.

The artist himself revisited the theme in numerous iterations. "Pope I (Study after Pope Innocent X by Velazquez)" is another notable example, a stark and powerful exploration of the subject. The series, in total, comprises around 50 paintings, created between 1946 and 1971. Other examples include "Untitled (Pope)," from 1954, and other variations that highlight Bacon's obsession with the subject.

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The technique that Bacon employs is crucial to understanding the impact of the work. He uses oil on canvas, a medium that allows for both meticulous detail and unrestrained expression. The brushstrokes are raw, sometimes violent, reflecting the internal struggle he seeks to portray. The colours are often intense, adding to the overall sense of unease and drama. The disintegration of the figure is a recurring motif, a visual representation of the psychological and emotional fragmentation that Bacon saw as inherent in the human condition. The use of the grid-like structure often seen in the background creates a sense of confinement, further amplifying the feeling of vulnerability.

Consider the comparison. In the Velzquez painting, Pope Innocent X exudes confidence and control. Bacon, however, transforms this confident figure into a screaming victim. The scream itself is a key element. In Bacon's art, the scream is not a cry for help, but an expression of a deeper, more profound suffering, echoing in what the artist described as "the vortex of contracting space." This is not a scream meant to be heard externally; rather, it is an inward experience of anguish.

The impact of Bacon's work extends beyond aesthetics. The artist, in his distinct style, dissects the human body, amplifying his messages of human vulnerability. He deconstructs the powerful figure portrayed by Velzquez, exposing the Pope as an empty symbol. This process of deconstruction and reinterpretation is what makes Bacon's work so powerful, so memorable, and so thought-provoking.

The painting's context further enhances its impact. The 1950s were a period of intense artistic creativity for Bacon, marked by feverish experimentation with new subjects and styles. This was a time of great turmoil. Bacon's exploration of the human condition resonates powerfully with the anxieties of a world grappling with the aftermath of war and the looming threat of the Cold War.

The "Study after Velzquezs Portrait of Pope Innocent X," is an example of the expressive force of Bacon's artistic vision. It is a work that prompts questions about the nature of power, the nature of suffering, and the very nature of being human. It is a painting that continues to resonate, long after the last brushstroke.

The artists influence on the art world is undeniable. His work has inspired generations of artists, and his paintings continue to fetch extraordinary prices at auction. Bacon's ability to convey profound emotions through a unique visual language has secured his place as one of the most important artists of the 20th century. His name, his style, and the power of his subjects have all left an indelible mark on art history.

The exhibition, "Couplings," which was on at the Gasogian in London until August 3, 2019, provided another opportunity to consider his work. It is an ongoing effort to celebrate and explore his legacy. As the decades pass, his work is re-evaluated and reinterpreted, maintaining its relevance to the present.

His most recognizable image, and hence his most famous painting, is the screaming pope of "Study after Velzquez's Portrait of Pope Innocent X," 1953. The picture was inspired by Diego Velzquezs extraordinarily lifelike portrait of a powerful and unscrupulous pope. tude d'aprs le portrait du pape Innocent X par Velzquez (study after Velzquez's portrait of pope innocent x) est un tableau peint par francis bacon en 1953. The artwork, a testament to his skills, is a bold statement on humanity's complexities. "Study after Velzquez's Portrait of Pope Innocent X" by Francis Bacon is a critical work. Its a painting that will continue to generate discussion and analysis for years to come.