Francis Bacon (1909-1992) is often said to have "put the pain in painting." His subversion of artistic conventions and religious symbols created a sensation during his lifetime. Even after his death, his paintings of distorted figures and fractured spaces continue to ignite controversy. To some, Bacon's imagery is a profound interpretation of the tragic human condition; others declare it violent and disgusting. This book examines the way Bacon's paintings were made, with reference to his life and words, revealing the strong influence of literary modernism. In particular, Bacon's rhetoric draws from the despair and guilt expressed by Charles Baudelaire, T. S. Eliot, and Ezra Pound.

Andrew Brighton introduces Bacon as an ideologue who elaborated his view of the world--a view with origins in his homosexuality and his rejection of and by his colonial background--through his art. Brighton elucidates the values and meanings that can be ascribed to Bacon's sometimes shocking works, including his "screaming Pope" triptych. He also critically discusses previous interpretations of this provocative, self-taught artist.