With their searing colors and dramatically contorted figures, the paintings of Francis Bacon compel attention. Unlike most painters of his generation, who preferred to investigate the rigors of abstraction, the 75-year-old Bacon has devoted his skills to portraying the human body.

The power and magnitude of his life’s work are vividly conveyed by this thorough evaluation written by Hugh Davies, director of the La Jolla Museum of Contemporary Art, and art historian Sally Yard. Born in Dublin, as a teenager Bacon moved to London, where he worked as an interior designer and taught himself to paint. Responding to influences as diverse as Michelangelo and the photographer Muybridge, he has created a motion-filled style uniquely his own. Fascinated by the challenge of capturing what he calls the mysteries of appearance, Bacon confronts us with emotional images that demand an emotional response. About the Modern Masters series: With informative, enjoyable texts and over 100 illustrations–approximately 48 in full color–this innovative series offers a fresh look at the most creative and influential artists of the postwar era. The authors are highly respected art historians and critics chosen for their ability to think clearly and write well. Each handsomely designed volume presents a thorough survey of the artist’s life and work, as well as statements by the artist, an illustrated chapter on technique, a chronology, lists of exhibitions and public collections, an annotated bibliography, and an index. Every art lover, from the casual museumgoer to the serious student, teacher, critic, or curator, will be eager to collect these Modern Masters. And with such a low price, they can afford to collect them all. 115 illustrations