Francis Bacon's artworks are violent, raw, and disturbing, producing twisted figurative works that often came in a series. His use of gestural technique in his portraiture work helped inform me on how important mark making is in regards to portraying emotion. The blend of expressionism and cubism I thought was very interesting, which also reminded me of how impressionist painters create the illusion of blending through technique alone, similar to how Bacon approaches certain portraiture artworks.
His work made me also realise how important colour and contrast is in creating atmospheres, such as with 'Three Studies for a Crucifixion'. Large areas of colour highlight the raw subject matter, creating a backdrop that eerily forces the viewer into facing the violence central to each painting in the triptych. The orange itself implies a spontaneity, but Bacon takes this a step further by allowing it to coexist with a blood-red, which I thought conveyed fear and discomfort when paired together. These stark blocks of colour work in conjunction with the black voids to add an overarching mood of dread, as in my opinion, Bacon intended to suffocate the viewer with this eerie contrast.
'Three Studies for a Crucifixion', 1962
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