In 1949 Francis Bacon found his subject the human body and from then on it remained his principal theme. But he did not paint from life. This book presents over 200 of the working documents about which Bacon was entirely secretive but which, it emerges, were integral to his creative process.



In 1949 Francis Bacon found his subject – the human body – and from then on it remained his principal theme. But he did not paint from life. Instead he appropriated images from the mass media that he manipulated into his ‘studies’. This book presents over 200 of the ‘working documents’ about which Bacon was entirely secretive but which, it emerges, were integral to his creative process. Culled from thousands of pieces of original material found in his studio, including newspapers, magazines, books and photographs, these items have each been exhaustively and minutely researched, providing for the first time comprehensive details of the artist’s sources. Previously unseen, these visually thrilling documents demonstrate Bacon’s tactile, visceral relationship with his sources, and his unerring eye for seeking out visual stimulation in the most unexpected places. This unique selection of material from Bacon’s studio – thoroughly researched, meticulously documented and compellingly presented – will provide an invaluable insight into both the artist’s work and his working methods.