Literature Review
The unsettling power of Three Studies for Figures at the Base of a Crucifixion arises from a masterful interplay of form, content, and historical context. Art historian Ernst van Alphen in “Francis Bacon and the Loss of Self” explores the sense of dislocation and defamiliarization in Bacon’s work, suggesting that the artist’s images deprive viewers of a secure sense of reality. This dislocation is amplified in the triptych format, which, with its sacred origins, evokes expectations of religious reverence and contemplation. Yet, what Bacon presents is not the divine, but the grotesque — a subversion that inherently breeds unease. Bacon’s use of stark color contrasts, his distortion of the human form, and the suffocating confinement of the figures within nondescript spaces all contribute to a sensation of dread. These formal decisions aren’t arbitrary; they ground the viewer in a visceral reality where sacred structures are repurposed to convey profound existential distress.
The pervasive dread and unease in Bacon’s work can be interpreted in various ways in relation to fascism. On one hand, the nightmarish quality of his figures could be seen as a warning against the dehumanizing forces of fascist ideologies. On the other, by contorting and presenting the human form in such a raw and vulnerable manner, Bacon might be staging an act of defiance against fascist ideals of purity, strength, and order. Both interpretations point towards a deep engagement with, and response to, the political turmoil of his time. Regardless of the exact stance, a consensus has emerged among scholars that Bacon’s work elicits a powerful emotional response tied to the socio-political context of his era.
Leaders in Bacon scholarship, such as Hugh M. Davies, provide valuable insights into the artist’s psychology and philosophy, deciphering the symbolism within his work. However, these analyses often lack broader contextualization within the artistic climate of his time. Laura Doan’s article, “Recuperating the Postwar Moment: Green’s Back and Bacon’s ‘Three Studies for Figures at the Base of a Crucifixion’”[1] explores the connection between Bacon’s painting and British photographer William Green’s work. Doan argues that both Bacon and Green were interested in exploring the violence and trauma of the postwar world, and that their work can be seen as a way of “recuperating” the postwar moment. The article specifically discusses the way in which both Bacon and Green use distorted bodies and violent imagery to represent the trauma of the war. The term “recuperating” in this context implies that both Bacon and Green, through their respective mediums of painting and photography, engaged with the harsh realities of their era by creating works that directly confront the violence and trauma experienced during the war. Their artistic endeavors are thus seen not just as creative outputs but also as forms of historical and cultural processing, a way for society to deal with the lingering psychological impacts of the war. By using distorted bodies and violent imagery, both artists seem to reject sanitized or heroic portrayals of the war experience, opting instead for a raw and direct representation of trauma. This approach can be interpreted as an attempt to represent the unvarnished truth of human suffering and the complexities of the postwar psyche. The implication of this idea is significant: it positions the works of Bacon and Green as integral to the collective understanding and memorialization of a traumatic period in history. Art, in this sense, becomes a tool for psychological healing and social reflection, offering a space where difficult emotions and experiences can be explored and understood. Moreover, it suggests that by placing these works within the larger context of their time, one can gain a deeper appreciation of their cultural and historical relevance, as well as their contribution to the broader narrative of postwar recovery.
Scholars like Richard Calvocoressi, in “Francis Bacon: Couplings” delves into Bacon’s engagement with themes of wartime violence, politics, and trauma. [2] Calvocoressi’s analysis contributes to understanding how Bacon’s work transcends mere representation of the human form, intertwining it with deeper socio-political and psychological narratives. Calvocoressi provides insight into the layered meanings behind Bacon’s art. This perspective is crucial for understanding not just the thematic content of Bacon’s work, but also his method of integrating personal and collective experiences into his art. In the case of “Three Studies,” this approach helps to decipher how Bacon encapsulated the trauma of his time, transforming it into a visceral artistic expression that challenges and confronts the viewer.
My thesis aims to carve a distinct niche within the existing body of literature on Francis Bacon’s “Three Studies for Figures at the Base of a Crucifixion” by undertaking a comparative analysis with artists such as Graham Sutherland, Frances Hodgkins, Henry Moore, and Matthew Smith. Notably, these artists not only exhibited alongside Bacon at the same gallery during a pivotal time but also shared the experience of serving in the War Artists’ Advisory Committee (WAAC) during World War II. This unique confluence of circumstances provides a rich comparative ground to explore how each artist, within their distinct styles and thematic concerns, engaged with the trauma of war. Furthermore, my thesis seeks to employ Cathy Caruth’s trauma theory as a critical framework to elucidate the representation and impact of trauma in Bacon’s work. Caruth’s conceptualization of trauma, focusing on its belatedness, its unassimilability, and the way it is experienced through repetition, offers a nuanced lens through which to view Bacon’s abstract and distorted figures. By applying Caruth’s theory, I intend to deepen the understanding of how Bacon’s painting not only encapsulates the personal and collective trauma of his era but also engages with the viewer in a way that mirrors the processes of traumatic memory and its aftermath. This interdisciplinary approach, juxtaposing Bacon’s work with his contemporaries within the context of their shared experiences of war and using a sophisticated theoretical framework to interpret the depiction of trauma, sets my thesis apart. It not only contributes to a more comprehensive understanding of Bacon’s place within the post-war British art scene but also illuminates the broader dialogues between art, trauma, and memory that these artists collectively engage with. Through this analysis, my thesis aims to offer fresh insights into the complexities of representing trauma in art and the specific resonance of Bacon’s Three Studies in the landscape of 20th-century artistic responses to conflict and suffering.
[1] Laura Doan, Recuperating the Postwar Moment: Green’s Back and Bacon’s ‘Three Studies for Figures at the Base of a Crucifixion.’” Mosaic, vol. 23, no. 3, 1990, pp. 113–124,
[2] Richard Calvocoressi and Martin Harrison, Francis Bacon : Couplings London: Gagosian, 2019.