Study For Bullfight No. 1 (S. 10)
Study For Bullfight No. 1 (S. 10)
Signed Print
Francis Bacon
£18,000-£26,000Value Indicator
$40,000-$50,000 Value Indicator
$35,000-$50,000 Value Indicator
¥180,000-¥250,000 Value Indicator
€21,000-€30,000 Value Indicator
$190,000-$270,000 Value Indicator
¥3,390,000-¥4,900,000 Value Indicator
$24,000-$35,000 Value Indicator
AAGR (5 years) This estimate blends recent public auction records with our own private sale data and network demand.
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Medium: Lithograph
Edition size: 150
Year: 1971
Size: H 160cm x W 120cm
Signed: Yes
Format: Signed Print
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Auction Results
| Auction Date | Auction House | Location | Hammer Price | Return to Seller | Buyer Paid |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 2024 | Abell | United States | |||
| March 2024 | Sotheby's New York | United States | |||
| November 2023 | Artcurial | France | |||
| April 2023 | Sotheby's New York | United States | |||
| March 2023 | Sotheby's Paris | France | |||
| April 2022 | Sotheby's Paris | France | |||
| April 2022 | Phillips New York | United States |
Meaning & Analysis
Bullfight I was created in 1971 by Francis Bacon and uses two of the artist's most familiar motifs - the bull and the mirror. This image preceeds the three images in his Bull Fight series yet clear comparisons can be drawn between all. Within this print we see a bull and matador collide in an intense snapshot of action in the centre of the ring. The study continues Bacon’s fascination with animals and humans, particularly his concern with the animosity of humankind suppressed by civilisation.
The signed print is part of an edition size of 150. The action in the scene is contained within a fiery orange interior. The murky sand of the ring is depicted hues of orange, green and brown suggesting the disturbance of the surface by the ‘dance’ between man and beast. A segment placed to the left of the ring extends upwards offering a snapshot of the baying crowd looking onto the pomp and spectacle of the bullfight. The beast’s limbs frantically buck and clatter.
United in bruise-toned hues, the bull and man become one mass of action. A flash of red at the bull’s front right hoof suggests blood shed or maybe the matador’s cape reminding the audience of the danger but also the contrived exhibition of this public tradition.
Irish-born artist, Francis Bacon, has produced some of the most famous paintings in the British Contemporary canon. The 20th century maverick's visceral and emotionally charged canvases redefined figurative art. Exploring harrowing themes of trauma, sexuality, religion and violence, Bacon forces the viewer to confront the human psyche and the dark realities of human emotion. Often working from memory or his own imagination, there is a clear morphing of influences on Bacon’s work. An unusual combination of imagery is the result of his exposure to canonical artists such as Velazquez, Picasso and Rembrandt alongside his exploration of medical textbooks and photographic stills.