The artwork titled “Portrait of Jacques Dupin” was created by the artist Francis Bacon in 1990. This expressionist piece, rendered in oil on canvas, measures 35.5 x 30.5 cm and can be classified within the portrait genre. It is part of the collection housed at the Fonds National d’Art Contemporain (FNAC) in Paris, France.
The artwork presents a haunting visage that emerges from a notably dark background, typical of Francis Bacon’s style. The figure in the portrait, presumably Jacques Dupin, appears to be centrally positioned, with the face occupying the majority of the composition. The brushwork is gestural and dynamic, with visible strokes that give the portrait a sense of movement and raw emotion. The color palette is rather restrained but effective, with flesh tones punctuated by hints of pink, white, and blue, which not only enhance the three-dimensionality of the figure but also contribute to the overall emotional impact of the portrait. The features of the face are distorted and abstracted, aligning with the tenets of Expressionism, a movement that seeks to express emotional experience rather than physical reality. Bacon’s approach to portraiture here is less concerned with a mimetic likeness and more invested in capturing the essence or inner turmoil of the subject. The eyes of the figure, which are uneven and intense, seem to engage the viewer directly, creating a confrontational and psychologically charged atmosphere.