Edited with text by Rosie Broadley. Text by Richard Calvocoressi, James Hall, Martin Harrison, Carol Jacobi, John Maybury, Sophie Pretorius, Gregory Salter, Georgia Atienza, Tanya Bentley.
The paperback edition of the landmark volume dedicated to Bacon's psychologically trenchant portraiture
Featuring works from the 1950s onward, this book explores the genre-defying portraiture of Irish British artist Francis Bacon (1909–92). Now available in an accessible paperback format, Human Presence is the first volume in over 20 years dedicated to this facet of Bacon's practice. From his responses to portraiture by earlier artists to large-scale paintings memorializing lost lovers, these selected works showcase Bacon's life story. In addition to the artist's self-portraits, sitters include Lucian Freud, Isabel Rawsthorne and his lovers Peter Lacy and George Dyer. From his renowned triptychs and paintings of ghostly figures to tender and psychologically revealing individual portraits, the figurative works displayed in this publication chart the development of a groundbreaking artist, highlighting the influence of his peers and other artists. Francis Bacon: Human Presence also features illustrated biographies of Bacon and his circle, bringing lesser-told stories to the fore.
STATUS: Forthcoming | 4/7/2026
This title is not yet published in the U.S. To pre-order or receive notice when the book is available, please email orders @ artbook.com
FORMAT: Pbk, 9 x 11.5 in. / 224 pgs / 124 color / 27 b&w. LIST PRICE: U.S. $40.00 LIST PRICE: CANADA $62 ISBN: 9781855145641 PUBLISHER: National Portrait Gallery AVAILABLE: 4/7/2026 DISTRIBUTION: D.A.P. RETAILER DISC: TRADE PUBLISHING STATUS: Forthcoming AVAILABILITY: Awaiting stock TERRITORY: NA ONLY
Published by National Portrait Gallery. Edited with text by Rosie Broadley. Text by Richard Calvocoressi, James Hall, Martin Harrison, Carol Jacobi, John Maybury, Sophie Pretorius, Gregory Salter, Georgia Atienza, Tanya Bentley.
The paperback edition of the landmark volume dedicated to Bacon's psychologically trenchant portraiture
Featuring works from the 1950s onward, this book explores the genre-defying portraiture of Irish British artist Francis Bacon (1909–92). Now available in an accessible paperback format, Human Presence is the first volume in over 20 years dedicated to this facet of Bacon's practice. From his responses to portraiture by earlier artists to large-scale paintings memorializing lost lovers, these selected works showcase Bacon's life story. In addition to the artist's self-portraits, sitters include Lucian Freud, Isabel Rawsthorne and his lovers Peter Lacy and George Dyer.
From his renowned triptychs and paintings of ghostly figures to tender and psychologically revealing individual portraits, the figurative works displayed in this publication chart the development of a groundbreaking artist, highlighting the influence of his peers and other artists. Francis Bacon: Human Presence also features illustrated biographies of Bacon and his circle, bringing lesser-told stories to the fore.
