After
Second Version Of The Triptych

In After Second Version Of The Triptych, Bacon revisits his famous earlier work, Three Studies for Figures at the Base of a Crucifixion. Originally created in the aftermath of World War II, the original triptych shocked audiences with its grotesque, semi-human figures and its reflection on the devastation of war. In 1988, Bacon reimagined the piece with new compositional elements, while maintaining its nightmarish essence.

Both versions of the triptych reference the Eumenides, or Furies, from Aeschylus’s Greek tragedy Oresteia. These mythological creatures, symbolic of vengeance and retribution, take the place of Christ’s mourners in Bacon’s reworking of the crucifixion scene, combining Christian iconography with ancient Greek mythology in a uniquely disturbing exploration of human suffering.

Bacon’s Second Version of the Triptych 1944 is nearly twice the size of the original, amplifying the terrifying presence of the twisted creatures. This monumental scale evokes a greater sense of dread and isolation, making the viewer feel overwhelmed by the strange, spherical beings that dominate the panels.

While the original 1944 painting was dominated by an intense burnt orange background, the 1988 version introduces a deep crimson backdrop. This shift in colour intensifies the painting's dark atmosphere and reinforces its themes of violence and suffering.

By replacing Christ and his grieving disciples with monstrous anthropomorphic figures, Bacon uses these symbols of vengeance to represent humanity’s darker instincts. Bacon's version removes the element of redemption, offering instead a brutal vision of suffering and anguish, which reimagines the crucifixion as a symbol of torment and punishment, rather than salvation.

Although the content of Bacon's work is far from typical religious art, the triptych format itself recalls the structure of Christian altarpieces, traditionally used to depict the Holy Trinity or the Crucifixion. By using this three-panel arrangement, Bacon invokes the sacred format but replaces the divine figures with grotesque, bestial forms, suggesting a world abandoned by grace and consumed by violence. This contrast underscores the idea that in the aftermath of war and personal suffering, even religious iconography can be transformed into a reflection of horror and despair.

Some scholars have suggested that Bacon’s original 1944 painting, as well as its reworked 1988 version, may have been inspired by his experiences as an air raid warden during the London Blitz. The chaotic, violent imagery in these works reflects the trauma of a world devastated by war, a theme that permeates much of Bacon’s art.

The 1988 reworking, Second Version of the Triptych 1944, was also turned into lithographic prints. These were produced in limited editions, with one set created as a tribute to French composer Pierre Boulez. The lithographs, almost life-size versions of the original, maintain the haunting presence of Bacon's creatures.

While the creatures in the original 1944 triptych are tightly packed into a claustrophobic space, the 1988 version isolates them within a vast red void. This shift heightens the sense of their loneliness and torment, as the figures appear to sink into the desolate, oppressive atmosphere of the painting.

Bacon’s skill in blending familiar human features with monstrous forms creates a disturbing ‘familiar unfamiliarity’ throughout the triptych. In the right panel, the creature's gaping mouth, jagged ribs, and eerily human teeth evoke a sense of both recognition and horror, making the viewer confront unsettling reflections of their own form and existence.