The artwork titled “Study for a Portrait of P.L.” was created by Francis Bacon in 1962. It belongs to the Expressionism art movement and falls under the genres of sketch and study, with a specific focus on portraiture.
The artwork depicts a figure seated against a simplified, planar background. The subject is portrayed with a distorted and contorted facial expression, a hallmark of Bacon’s style, encapsulating intense emotional turmoil. The figure’s head is turned slightly to the left, while the body is twisted in an almost uncomfortable position, emphasizing a sense of tension. The use of contrasting colors, such as the muted yet strong hues of blue and gray set against a pale green upper background and a yellow lower background, adds to the dramatic and unsettling atmosphere. Bacon’s brushstrokes are bold yet meticulous, capturing the visceral essence of the subject’s psychological state.
