The artwork titled “Sphinx,” created by the esteemed artist Francis Bacon in 1954, is a mythological painting executed in oil on canvas. Belonging to the Expressionist movement, this significant piece measures 198 x 137 cm. It currently resides in the Toyota Municipal Museum of Art located in Toyota City, Japan.
The artwork embodies a haunting, almost spectral presence, characteristic of Bacon’s dark and intense style. The figure within the piece appears to be obscured or barred by vertical lines, creating a sense of confinement or entrapment, thus evoking a profound sense of unease and mystique. Amidst a stark, predominantly dark background, the figure’s form emerges in shades of purple, gray, and black, suggesting both the corporeal and the ethereal. The enigmatic and abstract nature of the “Sphinx” stimulates a myriad of interpretations, remaining true to the expressionistic essence by conveying raw emotion and psychological depth.