Lucian Freud and Francis Bacon Paintings: The eight most scandalous
The explosive synergy between Francis Bacon and Lucian Freud has made their unconventional 'bromance' one of the most critiqued of all twentieth-century relationships.
Innovative talents working in Post-War London, Bacon and Freud spearheaded a movement championing figurative representation when abstraction was the pervading fashion.
While their painterly style differs dramatically, their obsession with visceral, raw image-making that distorted the human form unites them as one in the popular imagination.
Ahead of the Freud and Bacon exhibition at Tate Britain, we round up the eight most controversial Lucian Freud and Francis Bacon paintings.
Friends, rivals, and finally enemies: it's Bacon vs Freud. Who wins?
Taking centre stage is Leigh Bowry's hairless groin. His flacid penis at the heart of it all.
Despite the fleshy bulk of his physique, the maverick gay performer and night-club owner appears reduced both in size and form.
With legs splayed, reclining on an old pile of washing, Bowry is at the mercy of his painter. While unashamed of his nakedness, his vulnerability shines through, making this one of Freud's most ground-breaking works.
