HENI is delighted to present ‘Three Studies for Figures at the Base of a Crucifixion’, a limited edition release of Francis Bacon’s 1944 masterpiece. The editions are published by HENI in collaboration with The Estate of Francis Bacon.
The editions are Diasec-mounted Giclée prints on aluminium composite panels. Each single edition is composed of three 94 x 74 cm panels, matching the scale of the original triptych. Priced at $8,000 (plus applicable taxes), the edition size is limited to 100. Every edition is numbered and labelled on the verso of each panel.
The artworks are available by application until 17:00 GMT on 10 March.
Francis Bacon transformed modern art with his disturbing portrayals of human suffering and bodily distortion. Born in Ireland in 1909 to English parents, Bacon felt alienated from his traditional middle-class family, prompting him to move to London. With minimal support and no formal art training, he immersed himself in the avant-garde scenes of London and Berlin, finding inspiration in Picasso’s work and Sergei Eisenstein’s film ‘Battleship Potëmkin’, which instilled in him a fascination with the expressive malleability of the human body. This early exposure would shape his signature style, where raw, grotesque figures serve as metaphors for human frailty and existential dread. Bacon died in 1992. His haunting images of contorted bodies and emotional extremes endure, marking him as one of Britain’s most significant 20th-century painters.
"There was painting in England before the Three Studies, and painting in England after them, and … no one can confuse the two."
- John Russell, art critic
Francis Bacon's ‘Three Studies for Figures at the Base of a Crucifixion’ (1944) is a triptych that redefined post-war art through its raw depiction of human suffering and alienation. The work, created using oil paint and pastel on fibreboard, depicts three monstrous, biomorphic entities set against a burnt orange background. Tormented and contorted, these ambiguously humanoid figures evoke the harrowing trauma of war. The artwork’s title references a traditional composition in which mourners sit under a crucified Christ. Yet Bacon diverged radically from traditional religious art, turning the Christian narrative of the Crucifixion towards existential horror rather than salvation.
For ‘Three Studies,’ Bacon drew inspiration from Greek mythology, the imagery of Grünewald's Isenheim Altarpiece and the writings of existentialist authors. Through the work, Bacon introduced a uniquely modern, unsettling aesthetic that captured the collective disillusionment of a postwar society. ‘Three Studies’ marked a decisive break from earlier British figurative art, steering it into something much darker and more psychologically complex.
Upon its first unveiling in 1945 (at a joint exhibition at the Lefevre Gallery, London), ‘Three Studies’ caused seismic waves. Both critics and gallery-goers were shocked and disturbed by the repulsive, anguished forms positioned as symbolic witnesses to – or perhaps harbingers of – a crucifixion that is hinted at but remains unseen. The painting firmly established Bacon as a crucial figure in British and international art.
The editions are on display at the HENI Gallery from 26 February until 10 March. Admission to the gallery is free.
HENI Gallery
6-10 Lexington St, London W1F 0LB, United Kingdom
Open Monday - Sunday, from 10am - 6pm
The editions are also on display in the windows at 29-35 Lexington Street.
Visit HENI Publishing to explore two publications about Francis Bacon. The Catalogue Raisonné contains the entire oeuvre of Francis Bacon’s paintings for the first time and includes many previously unpublished works. France and Monaco, a bilingual publication in English and French explores Bacon's long relationship with France, Monaco and French culture.
Pulitzer Prize-winning authors Mark Stevens and Annalyn Swan chart the life and art of the formidable Francis Bacon. The conversation is expanded by art critic, curator, and artist Robert Storr, bringing together three luminaries of contemporary art writing.