Critics usually agree that seeing a painting by Francis Bacon (1909 - 1992) is, to a greater or lesser degree, an aesthetically painful experience. While this might be said of many works of art created in the 20th century, in the case of Bacon, this painfulness can surely be understood in a very specific sense. In the course of this essay, I shall focus on one of Bacon's earlier works, his 1953 painting "Study after Velázquez's Portrait of Pope Innocent X." I will try to analyze in which way the picture achieves its disturbing effect and in how far this effect lies at the very center of the 'meaning' of Bacon's painting.
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- Bacon's Relationship with Velázquez
- Velázquez's "Portrait of Pope Innocent X"
- Bacon's "Study after Velázquez's Portrait of Pope Innocent X"
- Formal Aspects of Bacon's "Study"
- Theological Dimensions and Aesthetic Negativity
- Bacon's Later Reflections
Objectives and Key Themes
This essay aims to analyze Francis Bacon's 1953 painting, "Study after Velázquez's Portrait of Pope Innocent X," exploring its disturbing effect and its significance within Bacon's oeuvre. The analysis focuses on the relationship between Bacon's work and Velázquez's original portrait, examining how Bacon reinterprets both the formal and thematic aspects of the original.
- Bacon's complex relationship with Velázquez and the Spanish Baroque.
- A comparison of the formal elements and composition of both paintings.
- The thematic shift from affirmation of human existence in Velázquez's work to a portrayal of futility and negativity in Bacon's.
- The theological implications and the concept of "aesthetic negativity" in Bacon's work.
- Bacon's later reflections on his reinterpretation of Velázquez's portrait.
Chapter Summaries
Introduction: This introductory section sets the stage by establishing the generally accepted notion that viewing Bacon's paintings is often an aesthetically painful experience. It then narrows the focus to Bacon's 1953 painting, "Study after Velázquez's Portrait of Pope Innocent X," outlining the essay's objective to analyze the painting's disturbing effect and its connection to the work's meaning.
Bacon's Relationship with Velázquez: This section delves into Bacon's deep admiration for Velázquez, particularly his "Portrait of Pope Innocent X." It highlights Bacon's repeated reworkings of Velázquez's painting, emphasizing the intensity of this artistic engagement and its duration over a decade. The section also notes Bacon's appreciation for Velázquez's skill in portraying "the dressed-up human being" and his own focus on the human figure as a means to capture human feeling and mental states.
Velázquez's "Portrait of Pope Innocent X": This section analyzes Velázquez's original painting, emphasizing its portrayal of Pope Innocent X as a powerful and authoritative figure. It interprets the painting as an affirmation of the human being in all aspects of existence, lacking any questioning of the pope's religious, political, or social position. The painting's open display of power is seen as a positive illustration of the status quo.
Bacon's "Study after Velázquez's Portrait of Pope Innocent X": This section contrasts Velázquez's approach with Bacon's reinterpretation. Bacon's work is characterized by radical skepticism towards established concepts and beliefs, ultimately presenting a view of the futility of human life. The section foreshadows a detailed analysis of how Bacon achieves this effect through formal changes and thematic shifts.
Formal Aspects of Bacon's "Study": This section examines the formal differences between Velázquez's and Bacon's paintings. It notes how Bacon maintains the basic compositional structure but introduces significant alterations, such as clenched fists, blood splatters, and a veiling curtain that seems to engulf the pope's head. The resulting "blurred spontaneity and instability" stands in stark contrast to Velázquez's stable composition. The transformation of the pope's facial expression into a horrifying scream is also highlighted, suggesting vulnerability and the transience of human existence.
Theological Dimensions and Aesthetic Negativity: This section interprets Bacon's "Study" as a portrayal of death and the denial of individual human life. The painting's vagueness and insubstantiality, combined with the scream, are seen as representing "nothingness." The section connects this negativity to a shift from religious dogmatism to nihilism or radical skepticism, linking Bacon's work to the concept of "aesthetic negativity" in 20th-century philosophical aesthetics.
Bacon's Later Reflections: The final substantive section discusses Bacon's later regret over his reinterpretation of Velázquez's portrait. However, this regret is contrasted with the enduring significance of Bacon's "Study" as a powerful example of art evoking an aesthetically negative experience. The section ends by considering the potential implications of Bacon's seemingly contradictory position – accepting the supremacy of the original while simultaneously undermining traditional aesthetics with his own work.
Keywords
Francis Bacon, Velázquez, Pope Innocent X, aesthetic negativity, reinterpretation, formal analysis, theological implications, nihilism, Spanish Baroque, portraiture, human condition.
Francis Bacon's "Study after Velázquez's Portrait of Pope Innocent X": Frequently Asked Questions
What is the main focus of this essay?
This essay analyzes Francis Bacon's 1953 painting, "Study after Velázquez's Portrait of Pope Innocent X," examining its unsettling effect and its importance within Bacon's body of work. It compares Bacon's interpretation to Velázquez's original portrait, exploring how Bacon transforms both the formal and thematic aspects.
What is the relationship between Bacon's work and Velázquez's "Portrait of Pope Innocent X"?
The essay explores Bacon's deep admiration for Velázquez and his repeated reinterpretations of Velázquez's "Portrait of Pope Innocent X" over a decade. It contrasts Velázquez's depiction of Pope Innocent X as a powerful figure affirming human existence with Bacon's radical reinterpretation, which conveys futility and negativity.
How does Bacon reinterpret Velázquez's painting formally?
Bacon maintains the basic composition but introduces significant changes: clenched fists, blood splatters, and a veiling curtain obscuring the Pope's head. The resulting instability contrasts sharply with Velázquez's stable composition. The Pope's expression is transformed into a horrifying scream, suggesting vulnerability and the transience of life.
What are the thematic shifts between Velázquez's and Bacon's paintings?
Velázquez's painting affirms the human being, while Bacon's conveys a sense of futility and the denial of individual human life. Bacon's work shifts from a portrayal of power and authority to one of nothingness and radical skepticism.
What are the theological implications of Bacon's "Study"?
The essay interprets Bacon's "Study" as representing death and the denial of individual human life. The painting's vagueness and the scream are seen as representing "nothingness," reflecting a move from religious dogmatism towards nihilism or radical skepticism, connecting to the concept of "aesthetic negativity."
What is "aesthetic negativity," and how does it relate to Bacon's work?
The essay links Bacon's work to the concept of "aesthetic negativity" in 20th-century philosophical aesthetics. This concept refers to the capacity of art to evoke unsettling or negative emotional responses, challenging traditional notions of beauty and aesthetic pleasure.
What are Bacon's later reflections on his reinterpretation?
The essay notes Bacon's later regret over his reinterpretation of Velázquez's portrait. However, this regret is contrasted with the enduring power of his "Study" as an example of art evoking a powerfully negative aesthetic experience.
What are the key themes explored in the essay?
Key themes include Bacon's relationship with Velázquez, a formal and thematic comparison of the two paintings, the theological implications of Bacon's work, the concept of "aesthetic negativity," and Bacon's later reflections on his artistic choices.
What are the key words associated with this analysis?
Key words include Francis Bacon, Velázquez, Pope Innocent X, aesthetic negativity, reinterpretation, formal analysis, theological implications, nihilism, Spanish Baroque, portraiture, and human condition.
What does the essay's table of contents include?
The table of contents covers an introduction, Bacon's relationship with Velázquez, an analysis of Velázquez's original portrait, a detailed examination of Bacon's "Study," a discussion of its formal aspects, its theological dimensions and aesthetic negativity, and finally, Bacon's later reflections.
- Quote paper
- M.A. Björn David Herzig (Author), 2002, Francis Bacon's "Study after Velázquez's Portrait of Pope Innocent X.", Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/141822
