In Francis Bacon’s self-portraits, the face becomes a battleground. Ahead of The London Sales, Sotheby’s Tom Eddison investigates how Bacon’s series self-portraits acted as tools for the artist to explore the depths of his own identity. Bacon’s 1972 self-portrait is a masterwork from the most inwardly scrutinizing year of his life. Following the death of his partner, George Dyer, Bacon produced nine self-portraits in this smaller format. The painting shown here is one of the most striking iterat

Despite saying that he ‘loathed’ his own face, Bacon painted over 50 self-portraits. Each one an intimate exploration of his psyche, body, and identity. Bacon’s portraits go beyond self-reflection: they blur boundaries, sometimes merging his face with those of his subjects like Lucian Freud and George Dyer. His innovations in technique and format continue to captivate, revealing as much about his technique as his inner world. ➡️ Discover Francis Bacon: Human Presence on until 19 January Hashtags

'Study for portrait of Gilbert De Botton', 1986 Oil on canvas 78 x 58 in. (198 x 147.5 cm) Quote From: David Sylvester, Interviews with Francis Bacon (Thames & Hudson, 2008). | Francis Bacon (artist)