Seated Figure 1977 © Francis Bacon 1992
Francis Bacon
58 works
Francis Bacon was a celebrated figurative painter whose haunting and visceral imagery redefined 20th-century art. As we navigate through 2025, major galleries and museums globally are hosting captivating exhibitions that delve into Bacon's intense exploration of the human condition. From distorted, emotionally charged figures to unsettling depictions of raw vulnerability, each exhibition invites a deeper understanding of the profound psychological depth that continues to resonate in his work.
Discovering Francis Bacon: A Guide to Exhibitions in 2025 & Beyond
Whether you're a devoted follower of Bacon’s work or encountering his powerful imagery for the first time, these exhibitions offer a compelling exploration of one of the 20th century's most provocative and influential artists. Experience Bacon’s distinctive vision, where every canvas captures the fragility, violence, and intensity that defined his groundbreaking career.
2026
No upcoming exhibitions.
2024 - 2025
Francis Bacon: Human Presence
Location: Fondation Pierre Gianadda, Switzerland
Dates: 14 February 2025 – 8 June 2025
Details: Presented in partnership with the National Portrait Gallery, this curation intertwines painting and photography to probe Bacon’s obsessions and the raw realities of human existence. Featuring around thirty works travelling from the London show alongside iconic photographs, it marks the foundation’s first exhibition dedicated to the artist.
Extreme Tension: Art Between Politics And Society 1945–1990
Location: Neue Nationalgalerie, Berlin, Germany
Dates: November, 2023 - September 28, 2025
Description: The exhibition Extreme Tension highlights the diverse artistic responses to the profound societal changes of the post-World War Two era. Spanning 14 thematic sections, it explores key issues like realism and abstraction, politics, feminism, identity, and ecology, reflecting the upheaval and transformation that shaped the second half of the 20th century. The collection features works from movements such as Pop art, Minimalism, and conceptual art, with pieces by renowned artists such as Francis Bacon, Marina Abramovich, Joseph Beuys, and Rebecca Horn.
Shortcuts
Location: MGKSiegen, Siegen, Germany
Dates: August, 2024 - March 23, 2025
Description: This exhibition draws interesting connections between the 14 Rubens Prize winners and other pieces, which highlight shared artistic concerns like composition and repetition. Titled Shortcuts, the exhibition bridges historical and contemporary art, with loans from the Siegerlandmuseum. Baroque portraits contrast with modern works by artists like Francis Bacon and Lucian Freud, inviting visitors to reflect on identity, portraiture, and landscape across eras. By juxtaposing different styles and periods, Shortcuts encourages fresh perspectives and deeper engagement with the art on display.
Francis Bacon: Human Presence
Location: National Portrait Gallery, London, UK
Dates: 10 October, 2024 - 19 January, 2025
Description: Francis Bacon: Human Presence will be the National Portrait Gallery's first exhibition in almost 20 years to focus on the artist's portraiture. Featuring over 50 paintings, the exhibition traces Bacon’s career from the late 1940s, with a particular emphasis on self-portraits and depictions of close friends and lovers, including Peter Lacy, George Dyer, and Lucian Freud. It also includes rarely-seen photographs of Bacon by renowned 20th-century photographers like Cecil Beaton and Bill Brandt. Organised both thematically and chronologically, the exhibition explores Bacon's evolving approach to portraiture, from early disquieting depictions of anonymous figures, to more intimate portraits of those closest to him.
Art Of The Selfie
Location: National Museum Cardiff, Cardiff, UK
Dates: March, 2024 - January 26, 2025
Description: The exhibition Art of the Selfie at Amgueddfa Cymru explores the idea of self-portraits as the original selfies, examining how artists throughout history have represented themselves. Featuring works by renowned artists like Francis Bacon, Rembrandt, and Van Gogh, alongside contemporary figures such as Bedwyr Williams and Anya Paintsil, the exhibition highlights diverse approaches to self-portrayal. While self-portraits and selfies differ, both capture personal identity and self-expression, showing how artists and individuals alike present themselves to the world.
Francis Bacon And The Golden Age of Design
Location: Espace de l’Art Concret, Mouans-Sartoux, France
Dates: June, 2024 - January 05, 2025
Description: In celebration of the 20th anniversary of the Albers-Honegger Donation building, this exhibition focuses on a lesser-known aspect of Francis Bacon’s career; his furniture design from the early 1930s. Heavily influenced by French design, post-Cubism, and the Bauhaus, Bacon’s work in interior design, praised as avant-garde in a 1930 British art magazine, drew from contemporaries like Pierre Chareau, Le Corbusier, and Eileen Gray. The exhibition showcases Bacon’s furniture, rugs, paintings, and archival documents alongside works by Roy De Maistre, Fernand Léger, and Pablo Picasso, offering insight into the design influences that shaped his artistic vision.
Passion, Determination, Vision
Location: St Albans Museum + Gallery, St Albans, UK
Dates: July, 2024 - November 03, 2024
Description: The Passion, Determination, Vision exhibition, organised by the Eastern Regional Textile Forum, showcases contemporary textile art to honour individuals who have significantly influenced St Albans, the eastern region, and beyond. Rather than traditional portraits, these artworks capture the broader impact of these figures’ lives, reflecting their influence across different times, places, and professions. Each piece offers a distinct and creative interpretation, highlighting the unique perspectives of the participating artists.