Francis Bacon: Man and Beast, Exhibition, Royal Academy of Arts, London: 29 January-17 April 2022

This powerful exhibition focuses on Francis Bacon's fascination with animals. An Irish-born artist and the son of a horse breeder, his experience with animals began at an early age and remained the common thread in his work throughout his 50-year career.

He was particularly fascinated by the movement of animals, believing that the study of animals was the best way to understand the nature of humanity. Much of his inspiration came from his observations of animals in the wild during his travels in South Africa. One of the highlights of the exhibition is a trio of bullfighting paintings, which will be shown together for the first time, as well as some of his earliest and most recent works.

An openly gay man at a time when homosexuality was illegal, Bacon was banished from his family by his conservative father when he was just 16. His life and the works he produced during his formative years have often been seen as parallels to some of the most shocking events of the 20th century.

Having become one of the most important painters of the 20th century, known for the evocative and raw nature of his paintings, this exhibition demonstrates the poignancy of Francis Bacon’s work in the modern era, celebrating the vast career of this hugely influential artist.