“Study of a Baboon”, created by Francis Bacon in 1953, is an oil on canvas painting. The piece belongs to the Expressionism movement, depicting animal life through the artist’s distinctive style. The dimensions of the artwork are 198 x 137 cm. This painting is displayed at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York City.
The artwork features a baboon as its central subject, with a dark and intense background. The use of heavy, expressive brush strokes composed of dark hues underscores Bacon’s unique Expressionist style. The baboon appears to be shown in a somewhat ambiguous space, potentially a cage as suggested by the vertical lines, invoking a sense of confinement. The somber color palette and intense emotional charge make this painting a profound study of animal life, imbued with the angst and existential tension characteristic of Bacon’s work.