Francis Bacon: 1909-1992 (Taschen Basic Art) [Paperback]

Luigi Ficacci (Author)

Book Description

Series: Taschen Basic Art | Publication Date: November 1, 2003

FRANCIS BACON (1909-1992) POSSESSED THE RARE ABILITY TO TRANSFORM UNCONSCIOUS COMPULSIONS INTO FIGURATIVE, HUMAN-LIKE FORMS THAT SEEM TO EVOKE THE RAW EMOTIONS THAT BORE THEM. MIXING REALISM AND ABSTRACTION, BACON DELVES DEEP BENEATH THE SURFACES OF THINGS, OPENING UP THE HUMAN BODY TO REVEAL THE CHAOS THAT LIES WITHIN AND STRUGGLING WITH ALL THAT IS INEXPLICABLE. EROTIC AND GROTESQUELY BEAUTIFUL IS THE WORK OF THIS LEGENDARY PAINTER WHOSE HAUNTING, DISTORTED FIGURES HAVE INSPIRED ENTIRE GENERATIONS OF PAINTERS WHO SEEK TO EMULATE HIS HIGHLY ORIGINAL STYLE.

Product Details

• Paperback: 96 pages
• Publisher: Taschen (November 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 3822821985
• ISBN-13: 978-3822821985
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 7.8 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #815,482 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #50 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Arts & Photography > Graphic Design > Commercial > General

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Succinct yet Inclusive Biography of Francis Bacon through his Art, December 12, 2005

By 

Grady Harp (Los Angeles, CA United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Francis Bacon: 1909-1992 (Taschen Basic Art) (Paperback)

Luigi Ficacci in his Taschen book FRANCIS BACON: 1909 - 1992 has managed to give us a short survey in words about the particular genius of Francis Bacon, but at the same time presents a solid framework in which to study the primary contributions of Bacon's output by focusing on eleven of the most important works. And while the bookstore shelves have many fine expensive surveys of all of Bacon's works, this little book is a gift to the student whose pocketbook would be stretched as much as the shelf weight by those greater volumes!

Ficacci's writing style is a bit dry, but his points are well made and even better related to the paintings he emphasizes. His work divides Bacon's obsessions into chapters on 'The Poetics of Bacon', 'The Expression of Horror', 'The Human Body', 'The Scene of Tragedy', 'The Portraits', and 'Sources of Inspiration'. Ficacci crowns his book with one of the finest capsulated biographies in print: each phase of Bacon's amazing career is played out in terse paragraphs as a timeline.

Though Ficacci dwells on eleven paintings, this book includes fine reproductions of most of Bacon's works from the earliest to the last, with many little inclusions of works rarely seen in other books. For a superb introduction to one of the 20th century's most influential artists in a readable and affordable scale, this book is among the top choices. Grady Harp, December 05

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The horror, July 11, 2009

By 

W. Jamison "William S. Jamison" (Eagle River, Ak United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Francis Bacon: 1909-1992 (Taschen Basic Art) (Paperback)

What else could a genius that lived through the time he did create that would offer to the world a piece of his soul? Not abstract, not Picasso, not anything but a mix of all in a way that describes what man can do to man. Nothing to live for but the moment and the moment is full of horror - most of the time.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Great collection, but poorly written, April 30, 2008

By 

M. Nikic (South Australia) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Francis Bacon: 1909-1992 (Taschen Basic Art) (Paperback)

This book contains a superb range of beautifully printed Bacon pieces in full colour, and at a very modest price. However, the drawback of this book is the writings of Luigi Ficacci. His essays on Bacon are excruciating to read and immensely difficult to follow. It's like being at an art gallery and overhearing pretentious art-wannabes trying to outdo each other with big words and obscure psychoanalytical references.

So if you're looking for a book containing a comprehensive collection of artwork by Francis Bacon, this is an excellent and affordable collection. However, if you're looking for insight into this fascinating artist, try "Interviews with Francis Bacon" by David Sylvester, or "Bacon" by Ediciones Poligrafa.