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The great Francis Bacon

Customer Rating:

A fascinating study of the great man and his work. Peppiatt knew Bacon from the 60's onwards, thus the biography feels intimate and true to life and is successful in depicting the flamboyance, complexity and sheer charisma of this important British artist. Bacon's father is depicted as a key figure, as well as a leitmotif of brutal masculinity in Bacon's paintings. A tyrannical, martial man, (according to Peppiatt, he has his teenage son horsewhipped by his grooms in order to `make him more of a man') he is the very antithesis of the highly intelligent, young, unconventional Bacon. This early encounter with such brutality goes some way to explaining the power and masculine energy so apparent in Bacon's paintings, as well as the sado-masochistic and destructive nature of his sexual relationships. Peppiatt describes Bacon's influences - Picasso's biomorhic figures as well as his 'Crucifixion', the photographic images of Edweard Muybridge, Velasquez's 'Pope Innocent X', which inspired the 'Screaming Pope' series. Bacon's days spent as `bon viveur', drinking vast quantities of alcohol at the Colony in Soho, with the cliquey, languorous dry wit of camp proprietress, Muriel Belcher is captured wonderfully ("Champagne for my real friends, real pain for my sham friends!", as Bacon once declared), as well as his slightly alarming brush with the Kray twins (who fascinated him), and his doomed relationship with his tragic muse, George Dyer. All in all this is an immensely enjoyable read as well as providing a real insight into the artist and his work.

highly entertaining and informative	Customer Rating:
Peppiatt's indepth knowledge and presentation made this book an absolute joy to read. Going farther and deeper than Farson with complete excavation of and endearment for Bacon.A great character, the book a sheer delight.