The artwork titled “Two Studies for a Portrait of Richard Chopping,” created by Francis Bacon in 1978, belongs to the Expressionism movement and falls under the genre of sketch and study.
The artwork consists of two juxtaposed portraits, rendered in Bacon’s distinctive, evocative style. The left portrait presents a frontal view of the subject with distorted yet hauntingly expressive features, highlighted in a palette of purples and dark tones. The strokes are vigorous, creating a sense of motion and emotional depth. The right portrait offers a contrasting side profile, emphasizing the structural contours of the face with a similar color scheme and dynamic brushwork. This dual presentation invites a contemplation of the subject from multiple perspectives, showcasing Bacon’s mastery in conveying psychological complexity through painterly abstraction.
