Technique
Lithograph on Arches paper
Year of Creation
1989
Limited Edition
Limited to 60 copies
Additionally, 20 Artist's Proofs (A.P.) and non-commercial prints (H.C.: Hors Commerce) were produced.
Signature
Hand-signed in pencil by the artist
Edition
H.C. 19/20 (19th print out of 20 non-commercial prints)
Publisher
Librairie Séguier
IRCAM (French National Institute for Research in Music and Acoustics)
Centre Pompidou (Paris)
Paper Size
116.0 × 77.0 cm
Image Size
95.0 × 69.0 cm
Included in Catalogue Raisonné
- Bruno Sabatier, "Francis Bacon: The Graphic Work" No. 14
- Alexandre Tacou, "Francis Bacon: Estampes" No. 9
Condition
The colors are vibrant and deep, with no defects such as stains, creases, or fading.
This work is held by our affiliated gallery in France. According to local (French) standards, the condition is good, but the criteria for evaluating the condition of aged items may differ between France and Japan. Please consider your purchase with the understanding that it is a vintage item with signs of age (stains, discoloration, creases, wrinkles, tanning, etc.). Please note that we have not personally inspected the physical item. **More detailed condition photos are available upon request before purchase.** The work is currently stored in France, and delivery will take more than two weeks after an order is placed. Due to the nature of the work, returns after purchase are not accepted.
About the Artwork
**"Study for Portrait of Pope Innocent X after Velázquez"** is a representative lithograph from Francis Bacon's iconic "Pope Series." While taking Diego Velázquez's 17th-century masterpiece "Portrait of Pope Innocent X" as a starting point, Bacon transformed it into a completely new contemporary painting.
Interestingly, Bacon, who held deep respect for Velázquez's original painting throughout his life, confessed that he "feared seeing the actual work would destroy his image of it," and deliberately avoided seeing the original in Rome. Based on photographs and reproductions, he developed his own interpretations, portraying the Pope, a symbol of authority, as a representation of human anxiety, loneliness, and the fragility of existence.
In this work, the Pope, seated on his throne, appears to be screaming, enclosed by sharp vertical strokes and lines that resemble a transparent cage. This representation does not deny religious authority but rather expresses Bacon's profound view of humanity: that even those in power, as humans, cannot escape fear and loneliness.
Bacon believed that "by distorting figures, one can get closer to a truth that cannot be expressed in photographs." Therefore, the deformed figures in this work are not merely abstract representations but forms intended to convey human spirit and emotion more directly. The deep purple and black of the background, along with the vivid colors that make the figure stand out, create an overwhelming tension and silence simultaneously, leaving a strong impression on the viewer.
Published in 1989, this work was produced in connection with IRCAM (French National Institute for Research in Music and Acoustics) and the Centre Pompidou, making it a particularly important work among Bacon's prints. This is an **H.C. (Hors Commerce / non-commercial)** edition, produced separately from the regular edition of 60 copies, and this particular print is the 19th of only 20 existing H.C. editions. Such special editions rarely appear on the market and are highly valued internationally.
The "Pope Series" holds an extremely important position in art history as a collection of works that represent the pinnacle of Francis Bacon's art. This work is a rare piece that reproduces a representative image from that series with excellent lithographic technique, making it a collector's item that combines artistic merit, historical significance, and rarity.
This work, which symbolizes the thought and expression of Francis Bacon, a master representative of 20th-century art, possesses a value worthy of a museum-quality collection and can be considered an important print with promising long-term asset value.
