signed in felt-tip pen and numbered 153/180 in the lower margin, published by Galerie Claude Bernard, Paris
33.25 × 24.75 in (84.5 × 62.9 cm) (image)
Estate of Robert Noakes
Bruno Sabatier, Francis Bacon: The Graphic Work, 2012, catalogue no. 13
Recognized as one of the most uncompromising and powerful figurative painters of the twentieth century, Francis Bacon explored the raw anxieties of human existence through distorted anatomy, visceral brushwork, and claustrophobic interior spaces. Throughout his prolific career, mirrors and reflective surfaces served as a crucial motif, acting as psychological barriers that simultaneously isolate the subject and expose their inner turmoil. Bacon's compositions frequently confront the viewer with an unsparing vision of isolation, framing the human form within cages or geometric frameworks that emphasize vulnerability.
Here, Bacon captures a lone, contorted figure seated at a table, bent over writing. The composition is rendered in a sombre, atmospheric palette dominated by deep, muted tones and sharp, destabilizing graphic lines across the surface. Reflected against the dark, ambiguous depths of a mirror, the subject's features are dramatically dissolved and rebuilt through gestural distortion, evoking a powerful sense of psychological urgency. The stark geometry of the room frames the twisting anatomy, reinforcing the haunting atmosphere that defines Bacon's mature graphic oeuvre.
Bridging his monumental canvas paintings and his printmaking practice, this work demonstrates Bacon's mastery of mark-making on paper, where dense areas of colour play against scraped and linear elements. By freezing a fleeting, intimate moment of solitary labour within a reflective boundary, Bacon strips away superficial narratives and presents an unforgettable meditation on memory, identity, and existential dread.
This work comes from the collection of Robert Noakes, a renowned professional designer whose career spanned over fifty years. In 1970, he founded Robert Noakes Design in a small coach house in Toronto, later establishing Robert Noakes International Limited as his firm and stature grew. Robert had a deep passion for art, which inspired him to build a collection of over 250 works by Canadian and international artists.
