Francis Bacon Value: Top Prices Paid at Auction

Bacon and Freud met in 1945 and formed a close friendship for nearly three decades, influencing each other's artistic development. They spent much time drinking, gambling, and socialising while pushing their art to new heights. During this period, Bacon created three triptychs featuring Freud, with the last being Three Studies of Lucian Freud (1969). Although the three panels were initially sold to separate collectors, they were eventually reunited and sold at Christie’s in New York in 2013 achieving just over £89 million, making it Bacon’s most expensive auction sale to date.

Triptychs were one of Bacon’s favourite painting formats. He once remarked, “I often feel perhaps it is the triptychs that have the most quality.” Triptych Inspired By The Oresteia of Aeschylus (1981) references the Greek tragedy Oresteia–a tale of murder, revenge, and justice that resonated deeply with Bacon. The artist credited Aeschylus’s writings with opening “the valves of sensation” for him. Originally estimated at £48 million, the triptych soared to £68.8 million when it was sold at Sotheby’s Contemporary Art Evening Auction in New York in June 2020.

Bacon met John Edwards, a bartender from East London, in the early 1970s when Edwards was 22 and Bacon was in his sixties. Despite initial skepticism from Bacon’s other friends, the two developed a deep companionship that lasted 16 years. Bacon affectionately called Edwards “Eggs” to his “Bacon” and even referred to him as his “only true friend.” Upon Bacon’s death, he left his £11 million estate to Edwards. Studies for a Portrait of John Edwards, depicting Bacon's companion, sold for $80.8 million at Christie’s in New York in May 2014.

When Triptych, 1976 (1976) sold at Sotheby’s Contemporary Art Evening Auction in New York on 14 May 2008, it set a new auction record for Bacon and became the most expensive work by a contemporary artist at that time. Estimated to achieve around $70 million (USD), it exceeded expectations by over 20%, largely due to its provenance. The painting had been owned by the prestigious Moueix family, known for Château Pétrus of Saint-Émilion vineyards. Coupled with it's prestigious exhibition history including showings at the Tate Gallery and the Pompidou Centre the work sold for £44.2 million. Tobias Meyer, then head of Sotheby's Contemporary Art department, remarked, “The world has been waiting for a great triptych, and this is it,” emphasising the significance of the piece.

Between 1964 and 1971, Bacon painted Lucian Freud, his friend, rival, and colleague, 14 times. Study for a Portrait of Lucian Freud (1964) captures the intricate, dynamic relationship between these two towering figures of 20th-century art. Inspired by a photograph of Freud taken by John Deakin, Bacon's assistant, this work was originally part of a triptych. After disappearing from the public eye following a 1965 exhibition, it resurfaced in June, selling for over £43 million. With two Freud portraits among Bacon's top sellers, their artistic legacy remains powerful.

Figure in Movement (1976) is often interpreted as an extraordinary meditation on emotion and the transient nature of the human body and condition. This large-scale canvas captivates viewers, enveloping them in Bacon’s portrayal of his greatest lover and muse, George Dyer, whose tragic death in 1971 is reflected in the work. With its contorted limbs, blurred face, and mythic figure, the painting is tumultuous and deeply passionate, possibly a mirror of Bacon’s own grief. The piece sold at Christie’s in November 2023 for £42.5 million, solidifying its status among Bacon’s top-selling works.

As the story (though untrue) goes, in 1963, Bacon allegedly caught George Dyer, a petty criminal from East London, attempting to burgle his South Kensington home. Despite this, the two became lovers until Dyer's death in 1971. Portrait of George Dyer Talking (1966), painted three years after they met, is one of over 40 works featuring Dyer. The painting sold for £4 million at Christie’s in New York in 2000. When it returned to auction at Christie’s in London in 2014, it achieved an impressive £42 million.

Three Studies For A Portrait Of George Dyer (1963) was Bacon's first portrait of Dyer, created just three months into their ten-year relationship. It was initially purchased by British author Roald Dahl, a passionate collector of Bacon's work, using royalties from James and the Giant Peach, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and the James Bond film You Only Live Twice. By the time it appeared at Christie’s Post-War & Contemporary Evening Sale in New York in May 2017, the triptych had changed hands, but its provenance and significance drove its sale price to just over £40 million.

Estimated at £15-23 million, Study For A Head (1952) nearly doubled its high estimate, selling for £39.3 million at Sotheby’s Contemporary Art Evening Auction in May 2019. Bidding began below the low presale estimate, quickly escalating during a four-minute battle between bidders in the room and on the phone. The painting, one of Bacon’s earliest works to enter a private American collection, had only been exhibited once before in its history, adding to its rarity and appeal.

Employing his iconic triptych format, this work exemplifies Bacon’s haunting and emotionally charged style. Triptych 1986-87, sold for £38.4 million at Christie's in March 2022, and features a blend of historical and personal imagery. The left panel shows President Woodrow Wilson leaving the 1919 Treaty of Versailles, while the right depicts Leon Trotsky’s study after his assassination. In the centre is a portrait of Bacon’s partner, John Edwards. The triptych serves as a meditation on time, using key events of the 20th century as a framework for Bacon to reflect on the tumultuous personal experiences that shaped him.