Scene
A distorted, screaming pope is seated in an enclosed, cage-like space. The figure is flanked by two massive sides of hanging beef that frame him.
Figure with Meat
Francis Bacon
1954
Figures
The painting features a screaming pope based on a portrait by Velázquez. He is visually surrounded by two hanging sides of beef.
Symbolism
The meat and the scream suggest themes of mortality, violence, and existential anguish. The work implies a connection between human beings and butchered animals.
Craft
The artist uses distortion and blurring to suggest movement and psychological turmoil. This technique disintegrates a solid likeness and emphasizes instability.
Impact
The painting is considered a canonical image of postwar existential art. It gained broader recognition after appearing in Tim Burton's 1989 film *Batman*.
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