Please note that it is a condition of the terms of use of these images that they cannot be duplicated or shared. They are licensed exclusively to the Francis Bacon Society for the cultural and educational benefit of its patrons.
Collectively, the fourteen images in this gallery of portraits constitute the most accurate impression available of how Sir Francis Bacon appeared to his contemporaries. All except one were reputedly executed during his lifetime, between babyhood and advanced old age.
It is extraordinary that so little is known regarding the portraits of such a central figure in the history of Western civilisation. This deficiency of art historical research has led to some confusion over the dates and identities of the artists of several of the portraits, and controversy still remains as to whether or not Francis is depicted in at least one of the images included in this collection. Even so, these art works passed down to us over four and a half centuries provide an essential, tangible link with the transformative heart and mind of Sir Francis Bacon, Baron Verulam, Viscount St Alban.
