The artwork, titled “After Muybridge – Study of the Human Figure in Motion – Woman Emptying a Bowl of Water and Paralytic Child on all Fours,” was crafted by Francis Bacon in 1965. This piece, rendered in oil on canvas, belongs to the Expressionism art movement and measures 198 x 147 cm. It falls within the figurative genre of art.
In the artwork, Bacon presents a surreal and dynamic composition that explores human motion and form through abstract and distorted figures. The painting is divided into two distinct sections: on one side, a paralyzed child is depicted crawling on all fours, while on the other, a woman is shown in the act of emptying a bowl of water. Both figures appear confined within a circular, almost stage-like structure, surrounded by an intense palette of reds, purples, and oranges. The distorted forms and dramatic brushstrokes invoke a sense of movement and emotion, characteristic of Bacon’s expressive style. The choice of subject matter is influenced by the photographic studies of motion by Eadweard Muybridge, further underscoring the theme of physicality and movement.
