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This Is... #5
Ça, c’est Bacon
Cette collection revisite l'histoire de l'art afin de la rendre plus visuelle et vivante. Les livres combinent des textes accessibles, rédigés par des experts du domaine, des reproductions d'oeuvres, des photographies d'archives et des illustrations spécialement réalisées pour les ouvrages. Précises sur le plan historique et fondées sur des recherches méticuleuses, ces illustrations font entrer le lecteur dans la vie de chaque créateur, expliquent le contexte de ses oeuvres et détaillent ses influences. Par cette approche unique, la collection apporte aux amateurs d'art un nouveau regard sur la vie et l'oeuvre des plus grands artistes du XXe siècle.
La vie de Francis Bacon (1909-1992) se confond presque avec le XXe siècle. Son oeuvre sombre et torturée en accompagne la modernité. De son enfance irlandaise à sa vie dans le Soho nocturne, l'auteur nous entraîne à la découverte d'un artiste génial, énigmatique et portraitiste de talent. S'inspirant des images les plus violentes de son siècle, Bacon met en lumière, et en ombres, la condition humaine et sa violence.
Des reproductions de ses plus grandes oeuvres, des photographies de l'artiste et de ses inspirations, des illustrations des moments clés de sa vie et des lieux phares de son parcours illustrent à la perfection cette biographie pas comme les autres !
Kitty Hauser a écrit pour Burlington Magazine, pour le New Left Review et la London Review of Books. Après l'obtention d'une bourse de recherche doctorale à la Cambridge University, elle a enseigné à la Ruskin School of Drawing & Fine Art et au London College of Fashion. Elle vit désormais à Sidney, où elle signe une rubrique régulière pour le quotidien The Australian.
Christina Christoforou est une illustratrice et artiste basée à Londres. Elle a commencé sa carrière en tant que directrice artistique en Grèce. Diplômée du Camberwell College of Arts, elle a réalisé une affiche de coiffures de stars du rock avant de dessiner pour le New York Times le portraits « en cheveux » des Présidents et First Ladies des États-Unis. Ceci est son premier livre.
L'incroyable destin de Francis Bacon
-> Une collection originale, inédite et visuelle qui rend l'histoire de l'art accessible à tous
-> Une mine d'anecdotes, de photographies et de reproductions d'oeuvres en font une biographie haute en couleurs
-> Bacon : un artiste emblématique et mystérieux qui attise la curiosité
La vie de Francis Bacon (1909-1992) se confond presque avec le XXe siècle. Son oeuvre sombre et torturée en accompagne la modernité. De son enfance irlandaise à sa vie dans le Soho nocturne, l'auteur nous entraîne à la découverte d'un artiste génial, énigmatique et portraitiste de talent. S'inspirant des images les plus violentes de son siècle, Bacon met en lumière, et en ombres, la condition humaine et sa violence.
Des reproductions de ses plus grandes oeuvres, des photographies de l'artiste et de ses inspirations, des illustrations des moments clés de sa vie et des lieux phares de son parcours illustrent à la perfection cette biographie pas comme les autres !
Kitty Hauser a écrit pour Burlington Magazine, pour le New Left Review et la London Review of Books. Après l'obtention d'une bourse de recherche doctorale à la Cambridge University, elle a enseigné à la Ruskin School of Drawing & Fine Art et au London College of Fashion. Elle vit désormais à Sidney, où elle signe une rubrique régulière pour le quotidien The Australian.
Christina Christoforou est une illustratrice et artiste basée à Londres. Elle a commencé sa carrière en tant que directrice artistique en Grèce. Diplômée du Camberwell College of Arts, elle a réalisé une affiche de coiffures de stars du rock avant de dessiner pour le New York Times le portraits « en cheveux » des Présidents et First Ladies des États-Unis. Ceci est son premier livre.
L'incroyable destin de Francis Bacon
-> Une collection originale, inédite et visuelle qui rend l'histoire de l'art accessible à tous
-> Une mine d'anecdotes, de photographies et de reproductions d'oeuvres en font une biographie haute en couleurs
-> Bacon : un artiste emblématique et mystérieux qui attise la curiosité
80 pages, Hardcover
First published September 30, 2014
3 people are currently reading
120 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
March 19, 2024
I happened upon this book in one of the Little Free Libraries in my neighborhood. Being a big fan of Bacon's work, I was delighted.
It feels almost like a children's book due to its heavy cardboard stock covers and reliance on illustration (Christina Christoforou's charming and disturbing drawings are sprinkled throughout the book to add detail and emotion to biographical details, accentuate descriptive points, and, perhaps, to add a bit of levity/pause to Bacon's work).
It's really a brief overview of his work touching on his abusive upbringing, self-destructive and hedonistic tendencies, and the progression of his art career. But the book strikes the perfect balance between text/explanation, photography, illustration, and letting the actual artwork take center stage for the reader (these aren't the largest of representations, but they're relatively high quality).
His work was often violent and visceral with human faces frequently distorted and the body twisted and blended with animal forms. Truly haunting but mesmerizing in its impact. He felt painting should not be reducible to words (otherwise, there would be no point in painting):
Hauser cites "Painting" (1946) as one of Bacon's favorites.
A brief Museum of Modern Art video further detailing this piece
Bacon felt “... it was a good example of how a painting could come about by chance. He began painting an ape in grass; the image morphed into a bird alighting in a field, until ‘a series of accidents mounting on top of each other’ resulted in the work we see now.”
I believe the first of his works I encountered (see below) was "Study after Velázquez's Portrait of Pope Innocent X" (1953). It has remained a favorite and inspired a similar approach with a drawing I did using Pinocchio as subject matter.
A wonderful book that I enjoyed cover to cover.
It feels almost like a children's book due to its heavy cardboard stock covers and reliance on illustration (Christina Christoforou's charming and disturbing drawings are sprinkled throughout the book to add detail and emotion to biographical details, accentuate descriptive points, and, perhaps, to add a bit of levity/pause to Bacon's work).
It's really a brief overview of his work touching on his abusive upbringing, self-destructive and hedonistic tendencies, and the progression of his art career. But the book strikes the perfect balance between text/explanation, photography, illustration, and letting the actual artwork take center stage for the reader (these aren't the largest of representations, but they're relatively high quality).
His work was often violent and visceral with human faces frequently distorted and the body twisted and blended with animal forms. Truly haunting but mesmerizing in its impact. He felt painting should not be reducible to words (otherwise, there would be no point in painting):
"Painting is a struggle, he said, much concerned with chance. Sometimes it works, but often it doesn’t. Successful paintings are those which ‘open up the valves of sensation,’ the ones that bypass the intellect and go straight to ‘the nervous system.’ Bacon wanted his paintings, like Greek tragedy, to ‘return the onlooker to life more violently.’ And he wanted this to happen through the operation and effects of the painted image, not through any kind of narrative, symbolism or interpreted meaning."
Hauser cites "Painting" (1946) as one of Bacon's favorites.
A brief Museum of Modern Art video further detailing this piece
Bacon felt “... it was a good example of how a painting could come about by chance. He began painting an ape in grass; the image morphed into a bird alighting in a field, until ‘a series of accidents mounting on top of each other’ resulted in the work we see now.”
I believe the first of his works I encountered (see below) was "Study after Velázquez's Portrait of Pope Innocent X" (1953). It has remained a favorite and inspired a similar approach with a drawing I did using Pinocchio as subject matter.
A wonderful book that I enjoyed cover to cover.
December 3, 2019
Very concise introduction into the mind and work of this master of post-human cruelty, great illustrations in colored pencil and awesome binding. Got this for a present after seeing the archeological recreation of his studio in Dublin. Also changed the way I look at the films of David Lynch and body horror. A book about a painter who got beat up by his century and refused to close his bloodshot eyes.
March 4, 2021
A great illustrated biography of Irish/English painter Francis Bacon's life and works.
It's a quick read, but doesn't spare some of the abusive upbringing that Bacon had, and so it wouldn't be one I'd give to children to read.
I read it to help me understand Max Porter's new booklet and I'm almost as intrigued now by Bacon as an artist. Bacon's art is not to my taste but it's really interesting looking at it, as an expression of his influences, a way of confronting his experiences and reflecting his inner thoughts.
Pretty fascinating really.
I'll be returning this one to the library but one I might get out again sometime in the future.
It's a quick read, but doesn't spare some of the abusive upbringing that Bacon had, and so it wouldn't be one I'd give to children to read.
I read it to help me understand Max Porter's new booklet and I'm almost as intrigued now by Bacon as an artist. Bacon's art is not to my taste but it's really interesting looking at it, as an expression of his influences, a way of confronting his experiences and reflecting his inner thoughts.
Pretty fascinating really.
I'll be returning this one to the library but one I might get out again sometime in the future.
April 6, 2022
Het boek schetst vrij thematisch een overzicht van het leven en het werk van Francis Bacon, met telkens één schilderij als illustratie. Daardoor werkt het wel verhelderend.
Jammer genoeg zijn de andere illustraties in het boek vaak heel druk (zeker op de dubbele pagina's waar als een stripverhaal tekst doorheen de illustratie staat, véél tekst) en het is een goede inleiding, maar ook niet meer dan dat. Wie zich echt wil verdiepen in Bacon en zijn oeuvre, zoekt best toch nog even verder
Jammer genoeg zijn de andere illustraties in het boek vaak heel druk (zeker op de dubbele pagina's waar als een stripverhaal tekst doorheen de illustratie staat, véél tekst) en het is een goede inleiding, maar ook niet meer dan dat. Wie zich echt wil verdiepen in Bacon en zijn oeuvre, zoekt best toch nog even verder
March 23, 2023
This read was equally fascinating as it was horrifying. I got a pretty solid feel of Francis Bacon, his life, and his work in 78 pages with inclusions of his paintings and illustrated details. Not for the faint of heart though, that’s for sure.
December 20, 2016
A short book where i can get a glimpes of Bacon's life and work. Beautiful illustration, interesting information (although i am sure there's still a lot more that can be explained from his life). I always love "This is" book series.
September 29, 2015
Curtinho, deu pra sacar um pouco qual era a do cara. E pra ter certeza de que ele era um dos retratados em "Seu corpo figurado", de Douglas A. Martin.
June 16, 2018
Another great book from the series.
Gives a basic glimpse into Bacon's work. Excellent to acquaint yourself with his life and works.
Gives a basic glimpse into Bacon's work. Excellent to acquaint yourself with his life and works.
December 25, 2021
Hep Kitap'ın "İşte Sanat" serisindeki 17 kitaptan biridir, bu kitap. Ressam Francis Bacon'ın eserlerini, hayatını anlatan bir kitap. Kendisi, sanatçı olarak ve eserleri olarak sevdiğim ve hayranlık duyduğum biri değil. Eserleri aksine beni rahatsız eden türden. Bacon'ın sıradışı yaşantısı, hayatında yer alan insanlar, Hitler'in fotoğrafları ve birçok şeyi eserlerine yansıttığını ve dahasını anlatan akıcı anlatımı ile biyografi tarzında. Bu değerli seri, herkesin kütüphanesinde olması gereken özel bir seri. Bu kitabın son sayfasında Adrian Searle'nin şu sözü, kitabı bitirdikten sonra eserlerine karşı duygularımın da tercümanı oldu: "Hayranlıkla reddediş arasında gidip geliyorum."
July 14, 2021
Another good overview of art and artist. The writing and illustration in this series is consistently well done. This bio raises questions about how much an artist's childhood determines their subject matter: did his abuse as a child lead to his dark, dysmorphic art? I was not surprised that David Lynch is inspired by him, but his art does not appeal to me.
January 3, 2020
Kitty Hauser, Bacon’un sanatını ve görüşlerini geniş resme yerleştiriyor. Bu kadar kısa bir şekilde, böylesine derin bir “daha fazlasını isteme hissi” uyandırması büyük bir başarı.
June 7, 2022
Een korte, heldere introductie om Bacon’s werk te begrijpen. Ik begrijp het nu beter, maar ben nog steeds geen fan.
April 28, 2023
This is a fantastic art series. Great color reproductions of art work and a pretty good crash course on Francis Bacon. Lot of fun!
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews