For our fourth exhibition, we went to see Francis Bacon’s ‘Human Presence’ at the National Portrait Gallery.

It focused on his intense and often unsettling portrayals of the human figure, emphasising elements of vulnerability and isolation. Bacon frequently experimented with the deconstruction of the human form and depicts it in fragmented ways that comment on the vulnerability of life. Our Year 12 class were able to see the studies of his close friends, not just physically but also emotionally.

My personal favourite piece is a “study for a portrait” where Francis Bacon strikingly captures a haunting portraiture of a male figure in a dark room. The shadowy and blurred features of the figure make it appear ghostly, which is also emphasised by Bacon’s use of distortion that suggest movement.

Our Year 12 class are currently focusing on portraiture and figure in context; therefore Francis Bacon’s exhibition helped us understand the impact of how the figure is represented and what message it conveys.

Allegra Treggiari, Lower Sixth