30 April - 11 May
Francis Bacon
The Popes
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Francis Bacon: The Popes
HENI is delighted to present The Popes, two limited-edition prints celebrating Francis Bacon’s most visceral and enduring subject: his iconic Pope paintings. The editions are published by HENI in collaboration with The Estate of Francis Bacon.
The release features Study after Velázquez’s Portrait of Pope Innocent X, widely regarded as the definitive expression of the Pope series, and Head VI, which marks one of Bacon's earliest iterations of the figure.
The editions are Giclée direct prints on aluminium composite panel. Study after Velázquez’s Portrait of Pope Innocent X measures 145 x 112 cm and is priced at $5,000 (plus applicable taxes). Head VI measures 91.4 x 75.2 cm and is priced at $3,000 (plus applicable taxes). The edition size for each print is limited to 100. All works are hand-numbered and labelled on the verso.
The artworks are available by application until 17:00 BST on 11 May 2026.
About The Popes
The Popes explores the artistic dialogue between Bacon and Diego Velázquez, whose celebrated Old Master portrait of Pope Innocent X became a central obsession for Bacon after he chanced upon a black-and-white reproduction of it in a book. For over 25 years, Bacon revisited this motif, using Velázquez’s formal composition as a foundation to explore themes of isolation and existential dread. The resulting works approach the papal figure through the grotesque distortions synonymous with Bacon’s practice.
In Study after Velázquez’s Portrait of Pope Innocent X and Head VI, Bacon's figures are shown in purple and white vestments, their mouths open in a silent scream. While the compositions echo the architectural structure of Velázquez’s throne, Bacon dissolves the sitters' features, using vertical streaks to create the effect of a veil or curtain. These distortions make the figures appear to be both materialising and disintegrating on the canvas.
Speaking on the resonance of the image, Bacon said:
“I buy book after book with this illustration in it of the Velázquez Pope, because it just haunts me, and it opens up all sorts of feelings and areas of – I was going to say – imagination, even, in me.”
About Francis Bacon
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.
HENI Talks on the Pope paintings
For years, Francis Bacon was haunted by a single image: Velázquez’s 17th-century masterpiece, ‘Portrait of Pope Innocent X’. But Bacon didn’t want to admire it; he wanted to dismantle it.
In this new HENI Talks film, join art critic Alastair Sooke to explore how one of the 20th century’s most provocative artists took a symbol of absolute divine power and dragged it through the carnage and mass communication of the post-war world.
Visit HENI Gallery
The editions are on display at the HENI Gallery for the duration of the release. Admission to the gallery is free.
HENI Gallery
6–10 Lexington St, London W1F 0LB,
United Kingdom
Open Monday to Friday, 10am–6pm
The editions are also on display in the windows at 29–35 Lexington Street.
Francis Bacon publications
Visit the HENI shop to explore our publications about Francis Bacon. The Catalogue Raisonné contains, for the first time, the entire oeuvre of Francis Bacon's paintings and includes many previously unpublished works. Francis Bacon: Paintings is a compact collection of the complete paintings of Bacon, accompanied by a curated selection of compelling quotes from figures such as Lucian Freud, Roald Dahl and Damien Hirst. France and Monaco, a bilingual publication in English and French, explores Bacon's long relationship with France, Monaco and French culture.
Timeline
To ensure a fair and broad distribution, the limited-edition artworks are being sold on an application basis for a limited time only. Click on the ‘Apply to Buy’ button to get started.
1
APPLICATION
The application window for this drop is open from 30 April until 11 May 2026.
2
ALLOCATION
HENI will carefully review each application and aims to start notifying successful applicants over the coming weeks after the application period has closed.
3
DELIVERY OR STORAGE
HENI estimates all artworks will ship within three months of the application window closing.
FAQ
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
If you want to get in touch, please contact customer care or ask a moderator on Discord).
HENI is delighted to present The Popes, two limited-edition prints celebrating Francis Bacon’s most visceral and enduring subject: his iconic Pope paintings. The editions are published by HENI in collaboration with The Estate of Francis Bacon.
The release features Study after Velázquez’s Portrait of Pope Innocent X, widely regarded as the definitive expression of the Pope series, and Head VI, which marks one of Bacon's earliest iterations of the figure.
The editions are Giclée direct prints on aluminium composite panel. Study after Velázquez’s Portrait of Pope Innocent X measures 145 x 112 cm and is priced at $5,000 (plus applicable taxes). Head VI measures 91.4 x 75.2 cm and is priced at $3,000 (plus applicable taxes). The edition size for each print is limited to 100. All works are hand-numbered and labelled on the verso.
The artworks are available by application until 17:00 BST on 11 May 2026.
You can complete your application for The Popes on a computer or mobile device, after which you will receive a confirmation email detailing each of the editions you applied for. After the allocation period, if your application is successful, you will be sent an order confirmation once payment has been successfully taken.
If you want to get in touch, please contact Customer Care or ask a moderator on Discord.
As The Popes is a limited-edition release, HENI tries to ensure that the prints are sold broadly and fairly (rather than on a ‘first come, first served’ basis). You can apply for multiple artworks from The Popes, however, HENI cannot guarantee that you will be offered the opportunity to buy every print you apply for.
During the application process you are provided with the options to “Accept partial fulfilment” or “Only accept full fulfilment”
If you select the “Only accept full fulfilment” option during the application process, HENI will only satisfy your application if we are able to fulfil your entire application.
If you select the “Accept partial fulfilment” option, HENI may offer you the opportunity to purchase some of the editions you applied for, but not all. Choosing “Accept partial fulfilment” may increase your chances of being successfully allocated.
HENI will carefully review each application and aims to start notifying successful applicant in the coming weeks after the application period has closed.
The Popes is priced in US Dollars and can be purchased using credit or debit card. Please ensure when submitting your payment details that you enter the correct billing post/zip code information for the payment card you are using.
When applying for The Popes you will be asked to provide details of a credit or debit card. HENI will carefully review each application and aims to start notifying successful applicants in the coming weeks after the application period has closed. Only after you have been notified of your successful application will HENI arrange to take payment. HENI will automatically attempt to take payment using the payment method supplied at the time of the application. If this payment method fails, you will be notified by email with a custom payment link that you can use to complete payment. You have 48 hours from the time of the email to complete your payment, otherwise your allocation will be revoked.
The Popes does not come with a Certificate of Authenticity. The edition numbers for each of the works are randomly allocated and cannot be chosen.
The Popes is on display at HENI Gallery for the duration of the drop. Admission to the gallery is free, with no appointment required.
HENI Gallery
6–10 Lexington St, London W1F 0LB,
United Kingdom
Opening hours: 30th April – 11th May: Monday - Friday, from 10am - 6pm
HENI aims to dispatch all the artworks within 3 months of the close of the application window. Please note that the exact timing is subject to demand, production capacities and potential shipping delays. As soon as your order is ready to dispatch, you will receive an email confirmation with the tracking information.
To ensure efficient delivery of our editions HENI ships exclusively through our trusted courier partners. Therefore, we are unable to facilitate in-person collection or organise independent shipping.
The Popes will be shipped from the UK and can be shipped internationally. The prices indicated are exclusive of VAT, delivery charges, insurance or any customs or import duties or local taxes that may be payable. For orders shipping to the UK, Standard Rate VAT will be applied and collected at the time of payment.
If your shipping address is outside of the UK, you will be responsible for any customs or import duties and local taxes that may be payable. Where such duties or taxes are payable in respect to any works ordered, HENI does not collect and pay them on your behalf. You are responsible for paying any amounts due directly to the applicable customs authority. HENI is not able to offer any guidance on customs or import duties or local taxes, and we recommend that you contact your local customs office for details.
Should the need arise to change your delivery address, it is possible; however, if you choose to deliver to a different country than initially requested, this could impact the total value of your original order. Please contact Customer Care here.
There are certain countries that HENI cannot ship to. If you would like more information or should you encounter an error during the checkout, please contact Customer Care here.