Painters [*/ )

The mouth | Paintings by Francis Bacon, 1943-1975

Francis Bacon, Head VI, 1949

Francis Bacon, Study for a Head, 1952

Francis Bacon, Study for a Portrait, 1952

“You know how the mouth changes shape. I’ve always been very moved by the movements of the mouth and the shape of the mouth and the teeth. People say that these have all sorts of sexual implications, and I was always very obsessed by the actual appearance of the mouth and teeth, and perhaps I have lost that obsession now, but it was a very strong thing at one time. I like, you may say, the glitter and colour that comes from the mouth, and I’ve always hoped in a sense to be able to paint the mouth like Monet painted a sunset.”

Francis Bacon, 1975