Bullfight I
Bullfight I
Signed Print
Francis Bacon
£35,000-£50,000 VALUE (EST.)
$70,000-$90,000 VALUE (EST.)
$60,000-$80,000 VALUE (EST.)
¥310,000-¥440,000 VALUE (EST.)
€40,000-€60,000 VALUE (EST.)
$340,000-$480,000 VALUE (EST.)
¥6,070,000-¥8,670,000 VALUE (EST.)
$45,000-$60,000 VALUE (EST.)
This estimate blends recent public auction records with our own private sale data and network demand.
Lithograph, 1971
Signed Print Edition of 150
H 160cm x W 120cm
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Auction Results
| Auction Date | Auction House | Artwork | Hammer Price | Return to Seller | Buyer Paid |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 2022 | Sotheby's Paris - France | Bullfight I - Signed Print | |||
| April 2022 | Phillips New York - United States | Bullfight I - Signed Print | |||
| November 2021 | Artcurial - France | Bullfight I - Signed Print | |||
| March 2021 | Sotheby's London - United Kingdom | Bullfight I - Signed Print | |||
| October 2020 | Christie's New York - United States | Bullfight I - Signed Print | |||
| June 2020 | Christie's Paris - France | Bullfight I - Signed Print | |||
| March 2020 | Christie's London - United Kingdom | Bullfight I - Signed Print |
Meaning & Analysis
Bullfight I was created in 1971 by Francis Bacon and uses two of the artist's most familiar motifs - the bull and the mirror. This image preceeds the three images in his Bull Fight series yet clear comparisons can be drawn between all. Within this print we see a bull and matador collide in an intense snapshot of action in the centre of the ring. The study continues Bacon’s fascination with animals and humans, particularly his concern with the animosity of humankind suppressed by civilisation.
The signed print is part of an edition size of 150. The action in the scene is contained within a fiery orange interior. The murky sand of the ring is depicted hues of orange, green and brown suggesting the disturbance of the surface by the ‘dance’ between man and beast. A segment placed to the left of the ring extends upwards offering a snapshot of the baying crowd looking onto the pomp and spectacle of the bullfight. The beast’s limbs frantically buck and clatter.
United in bruise-toned hues, the bull and man become one mass of action. A flash of red at the bull’s front right hoof suggests blood shed or maybe the matador’s cape reminding the audience of the danger but also the contrived exhibition of this public tradition.
