Seated Figure 1983
Seated Figure 1983
Signed Print
Francis Bacon
£8,500-£13,000Value Indicator
$17,000-$27,000 Value Indicator
$16,000-$24,000 Value Indicator
¥80,000-¥130,000 Value Indicator
€10,000-€15,000 Value Indicator
$90,000-$140,000 Value Indicator
¥1,690,000-¥2,580,000 Value Indicator
$11,500-$18,000 Value Indicator
There aren't enough data points on this work for a comprehensive result. Please speak to a specialist by making an enquiry.
72 x 54cm, Edition of 99, Intaglio
AAGR (5 years) This estimate blends recent public auction records with our own private sale data and network demand.
TradingFloor
Auction Results
Track auction value trend
Meaning & Analysis
Seated Figure 1983 is a work by Francis Bacon that exemplifies his fascination with the human form and the frailty of the body. Created in 1983, this piece depicts a naked figure sitting, cross legged, on a chair in a small, discomfiting room. The signed intaglio print is part of an edition size of 99.
Like in many of Bacon’s works, the figure in this piece is isolated in the suffocating interior. Black walls encase the scene with the right hand wall depicting a second, more abstracted figure that mirrors the murky hues and uneasy movements of the central body. The suggestion of reflection between the two figures evokes Bacon’s notably expressionist style which has human vulnerability and internal anxiety within the world as a central theme.
The body is rendered in shades of off-white and fleshy hues of light pink and orange. The face is smudged with bruised tones of red and blue detailing distress in the facial features. The disconcertingly plain palette in contrast to the facial tones draws the viewer's eye towards the face and creates a dramatic scene of pain and suffering. Muscles bulge from the contorted legs and the arms appear wrapped around and fused to the figure’s torso adding to the discomfort of the scene.
Irish-born artist, Francis Bacon, has produced some of the most famous paintings in the British Contemporary canon. The 20th century maverick's visceral and emotionally charged canvases redefined figurative art. Exploring harrowing themes of trauma, sexuality, religion and violence, Bacon forces the viewer to confront the human psyche and the dark realities of human emotion. Often working from memory or his own imagination, there is a clear morphing of influences on Bacon’s work. An unusual combination of imagery is the result of his exposure to canonical artists such as Velazquez, Picasso and Rembrandt alongside his exploration of medical textbooks and photographic stills.