Head I is the earliest of the six portrait-format works included in Bacon’s first exhibition at Erica Brausen’s Hanover Gallery, London, in 1949. The artist’s use of white lines to create a box or interior frame within the composition would characterize his work for the next forty years. Bacon here reduces the human form to a snarling mouth with fangs. The heavy impasto creates a texture that has been compared to rhinoceros skin—or, as critic Robert Melville wrote at the time, it has the "color of wet, black snakes lightly powdered with dust."
This image cannot be enlarged, viewed at full screen, or downloaded.
Open Access
As part of the Met's Open Access policy, you can freely copy, modify and distribute this image, even for commercial purposes.
API
Public domain data for this object can also be accessed using the Met's Open Access API.
[Redfern Gallery, London, 1948]; [Hanover Gallery, London, by 1949–at least 1951; to Redfern Gallery]; [Redfern Gallery, London, by 1953–58; sold in 1958 to Feigen]; [Richard Feigen Gallery, Chicago, 1958–61; sold on May 8, 1961 to Zeisler]; Richard S. Zeisler, New York (1961–d. 2007; his bequest to MMA)
London. Redfern Gallery. "Summer Exhibition," July 1–September 25, 1948, no. 161 (as "Head") [A note in the catalogue reads: "All the pictures and prints in this catalogue will be shown at different times during the months July, August, September. Any picture will be produced on request."].
London. Hanover Gallery. "Francis Bacon, Paintings. Robin Ironside, Coloured Drawings," November 8–December 10, 1949, no. 5.
London. Hanover Gallery. "Oeuvres choisies: Paintings by Vuillard, Courbet, Utrillo, Soutine, de Vlaminck, Dufy, Gris, Braque, Masson, Miro, Sutherland, Giacometti, Bacon, Freud, Adler, Richards and Bombois," July 4–August 11, 1950, no. 24.
City Art Gallery, Leeds. "Fifteen Contemporary British Painters," December 7, 1950–January 7, 1951, no. 9.
Vancouver Art Gallery. "21 Modern British Painters," April 3–22, 1951, no. 1 (as "Head," 1948, lent by the Hanover Gallery, London).
Seattle Art Museum. "21 Modern British Painters," May 1951, no. 1.
San Jose Museum of Art. "21 Modern British Painters," June 1951, no. 1.
San Francisco. M. H. de Young Memorial Museum. "21 Modern British Painters," July 1951, no. 1.
Salt Lake City. location unknown. "21 Modern British Painters," August 1951, no. 1.
Portland, Ore. Portland Art Museum. "21 Modern British Painters," September 1951, no. 1.
London. Redfern Gallery. "The Coronation Exhibition –Contemporary British Paintings–1953," May–July 1953, no. 48.
Chicago. Richard L. Feigen & Co. "Francis Bacon: 12 Paintings, 1947–1958," July 6–August 1, 1959, no. 1.
Art Galleries, University of California at Los Angeles. "Francis Bacon/ Hyman Bloom," October 30–December 11, 1960, brochure no. 1 (lent by the Richard Feigen Gallery, Chicago).
New York. Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum. "Francis Bacon," October 18, 1963–January 12, 1964, not in catalogue [addendum to checklist; lent by Richard S. Zeisler, New York].
Art Institute of Chicago. "Francis Bacon," January 24–February 23, 1964, not in catalogue.
Kunstverein in Hamburg. "Francis Bacon, Gemälde 1945–1964," January 23–February 21, 1965, no. 3 (as "Kopf 1," lent by Richard S. Zeisler, New York).
Moderna Museet, Stockholm. "Francis Bacon: Målningar 1945–1964," February 27–April 4, 1965, no. 3 (as "Huvud I," 1948, lent by Richard S. Zeisler, New York).
Dublin. Municipal Gallery of Modern Art. "Francis Bacon," April–May 1965, no. 3 (lent by Richard S. Zeisler, New York).
Caracas. Museo de Bellas Artes. "Cuatro maestros contemporáneos: Giacometti, Dubuffet, De Kooning, Bacon," April–May 1973, unnumbered cat. (lent by Richard S. Zeisler, New York).
Museo de Arte Moderno de Bogatá. "Cuatro maestros contemporáneos: Giacometti, Dubuffet, De Kooning, Bacon," May 30–June 28, 1973, unnumbered cat.
Museo de Arte Moderno, Mexico City. "Cuatro maestros contemporáneos del arte figurativo: Giacometti, Dubuffet, De Kooning, Bacon," July 19–August 24, 1973, unnumbered cat.
Museu de Arte de São Paulo Assis Chateaubriand. "4 mestres contemporâneos: Jean Dubuffet, Alberto Giacometti, Willem de Kooning, Francis Bacon," September 13–October 7, 1973, no. b/1 (lent by Richard S. Zeisler, New York).
Rio de Janeiro. Museu de Arte Moderna. "4 mestres contemporâneos: Giacometti, Dubuffet, De Kooning, Bacon," October 15–November 4, 1973, no. b/1.
Des Moines Art Center. "Art in Western Europe: The Postwar Years 1945–1955," September 19–October 29, 1978, no. 1 (dated 1948; lent by Richard S. Zeisler, New York).
London. Tate Gallery. "Francis Bacon," May 22–August 18, 1985, no. 6 (dated 1948; lent by Richard S. Zeisler Collection, New York).
Nationalgalerie Berlin. "Francis Bacon," February 7–March 31, 1986, no. 6.
Basel. Galerie Beyeler. "Francis Bacon: Retrospektive," June 12–September 12, 1987, no. 1 (dated 1948; lent by a private collection).
Washington, D. C. Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Smithsonian Institution. "Francis Bacon," October 12, 1989–January 7, 1990, no. 4 (dated 1948; lent by Richard S. Zeisler Collection, New York).
Los Angeles County Museum of Art. "Francis Bacon," February 11–April 29, 1990, no. 4.
Museum of Modern Art, New York. "Francis Bacon," May 31–August 28, 1990, no. 4.
Venice. Museo Correr. "Venice Biennale. 45th International Exhibition of Art. Figurabile: Francis Bacon," June 13–October 10, 1993, no. 2 (dated 1948; lent by Richard S. Zeisler Collection).
Paris. Centre Georges Pompidou. "Francis Bacon," June 27–October 14, 1996, no. 8 (dated 1948; lent by Richard S. Zeisler Collection, New York).
Haus der Kunst, Munich. "Francis Bacon," November 4, 1996–January 31, 1997, no. 8.
Humlebaek. Louisiana Museum for Moderne Kunst. "Francis Bacon," January 23–April 26, 1998, no. 1 (as "Head 1 [Hoved 1]," lent by Richard S. Zeisler Collection, New York).
New Haven. Yale Center for British Art. "Francis Bacon: A Retrospective Exhibition," January 25–March 21, 1999, no. 4 (lent by Richard S. Zeisler Collection, New York).
Minneapolis Institute of Arts. "Francis Bacon: A Retrospective Exhibition," April 8–May 27, 1999, no. 4.
Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, California Palace of the Legion of Honor. "Francis Bacon: A Retrospective Exhibition," June 13–August 2, 1999, no. 4.
Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth. "Francis Bacon: A Retrospective Exhibition," August 20–October 15, 1999, no. 4.
Dublin. Hugh Lane Municipal Gallery of Modern Art. "Francis Bacon in Dublin," June 1–August 31, 2000, no. 6.
Edinburgh. Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art. "Francis Bacon: Portraits and Heads," June 4–September 4, 2005, no. 2 (dated 1948; lent by Richard S. Zeisler Collection, New York).
Hamburger Kunsthalle. "Francis Bacon: Die Portraits," October 13, 2005–January 15, 2006, no. 1 (dated 1948, lent by Richard S. Zeisler, New York).
Madrid. Museo Nacional del Prado. "Francis Bacon," February 3–April 19, 2009, unnumbered cat. (as "Cabeza I").
New York. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. "Francis Bacon: A Centenary Retrospective," May 18–August 16, 2009, unnumbered cat.
London. Tate Britain. "Picasso and Modern British Art," February 15–July 15, 2012, no. 99.
Sydney. Art Gallery of New South Wales. "Francis Bacon: Five Decades," November 17, 2012–February 24, 2013, unnumbered cat. (p. 96).
London. Royal Academy of Arts. "Francis Bacon: Man and Beast," January 29–April 17, 2022, no. 21.
Museu de Arte de São Paulo Assis Chateaubriand. "Francis Bacon: The Beauty of Meat," March 22–July 28, 2024, unnumbered cat. (pl. 106).
New York. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. "Iba Ndiaye: Between Latitude and Longitude," May 27, 2025–May 31, 2026.
D.L.A. Farr. "Current and Forthcoming Exhibitions: London." Burlington Magazine 100 (August 1958), p. 295.
Ronald Alley. Francis Bacon. London, 1964, pp. 40–42, appendix A notes under A5, A6, no. 20, ill.
Francis Bacon. Exh. cat., Galeries nationales du Grand Palais. Paris, 1971, p. 17.
Lorenza Trucchi. Francis Bacon. New York, 1975, p. 14, pl. 6.
Hugh M. Davies. Francis Bacon: The Early and Middle Years, 1928-1958. PhD diss., Princeton University. New York, 1978, pp. 56, 77–78, 81–82, 84, 87–88, 97, 102, 128, 182, 185, pl. 45.
Michel Leiris. Francis Bacon: Full Face and in Profile. New York, 1983, no. 5, as in the collection of Richard S. Zeisler, New York.
Edward B. Henning. "A Painting by Francis Bacon." Bulletin of the Cleveland Museum of Art 70 (November 1983), p. 355, fig. 2.
Dawn Ades and Andrew Forge. Francis Bacon. Exh. cat., Tate Gallery. New York, 1985, p. 14, ill. and colorpl. 6.
Christopher Neve. "Trapped Nervous System: Francis Bacon." Country Life 177 (June 1985), ill. p. 1664.
Hugh Davies and Sally Yard. Francis Bacon. New York, 1986, pp. 17–19, 117, pl. 12.
Sandra Alvarez de Toledo inPeinture, Cinéma, Peinture. Exh. cat., Centre de la Vieille Charité, Marseille. Paris, 1989, ill. p. 115.
Michael Kimmelman. "The Master of the Macabre, Francis Bacon." New York Times (October 26, 1989), p. C21.
Andrew Sinclair. Francis Bacon: His Life and Violent Times. London, 1993, pp. 110–12.
John Russell. Francis Bacon. New York, 1993, pp. 38, 75, no. 9, ill. p. 34.
David Sylvester. "Bacon's Course." Modern Painters 6 (Summer 1993), p. 16.
Wieland Schmied. Francis Bacon: Commitment and Conflict. New York, 1996, p. 161.
Richard Shone. "Francis Bacon. Paris and Munich." Burlington Magazine 138 (December 1996), p. 842.
Christophe Domino. Francis Bacon: "Taking Reality by Surprise". London, 1997, pp. 61–62, 69, 86, 122–23, 125, ill.
David Sylvester. Looking Back at Francis Bacon. London, 2000, ill. pp. 33–35, 37, 77, no. 21, ill. pp. 34, 227–30 (detail).
Andrew Brighton. Francis Bacon. London, 2001, pp. 30, 34, no. 18, ill. p. 35.
Martin Harrison inFrancis Bacon: Caged, Uncaged. Exh. cat., Fundacao de Serralves. Porto, 2003, pp. 43–44, ill.
Margarita Cappock. Francis Bacon's Studio. London, 2005, pp. 206, 255.
Martin Hammer. Bacon and Sutherland. New Haven, 2005, pp. 40–42, 50, 52, 127, 144, 147, 215, 217, 223, 226, 261, pl. 14.
Martin Harrison. In Camera. Francis Bacon: Photography, Film and the Practice of Painting. New York, 2005, pp. 44, 226, 241.
Roberta Smith. "Just When You Thought It Was Safe." New York Times (October 16, 2007), pp. E1, E8, ill.
Gary Tinterow in "Recent Acquisitions. A Selection: 2007–2008." Metropolitan Museum of Art Bulletin 66 (Fall 2008), p. 49, ill. (color).
Michael Peppiatt. Francis Bacon: Studies for a Portrait. Essays and Interviews. New Haven, 2008, pp. 106, 122, 134, 143–44, 147, 153–58, 160.
Rebecca Daniels. "Francis Bacon and Walter Sickert: 'Images Which Unlock Other Images'." Francis Bacon—New Studies: Centenary Essays. Ed. Martin Harrison. Göttingen, 2009, pp. 75–76, fig. 57.
Joanna Russell. "The Mystery of the Paint: Francis Bacon's Materials." Francis Bacon—New Studies: Centenary Essays. Ed. Martin Harrison. Göttingen, 2009, p. 240.
Luigi Ficacci inCaravaggio Bacon. Ed. Michael Peppiatt. Exh. cat., Galleria Borghese, Rome. Milan, 2009, pp. 86, 90, ill. p. 95.
Logan Sisley inFrancis Bacon: A Terrible Beauty. Ed. Logan Sisley. Exh. cat., Dublin City Gallery The Hugh Lane. Göttingen, 2009, p. 16.
Joanna Shepard inFrancis Bacon: A Terrible Beauty. Ed. Logan Sisley. Exh. cat., Dublin City Gallery The Hugh Lane. Göttingen, 2009, p. 158, fig. 170.
Nicholas Chare. "Upon the Scents of Paint: Bacon and Synaesthesia." Visual Culture in Britain 10 (November 2009), pp. 257, 262–64, fig. 2 (color).
Donald Kuspit. "Bodies: Bizarre Objects, Freaks of Art." Art New England 30 (October/November 2009), ill. p. 15.
Chris Stephens inPicasso and Modern British Art. Ed. James Beechey and Chris Stephens. Exh. cat., Tate Britain. London, 2012, pp. 160–61, 231, no. 99, ill. (color).
Peter Jones. "Bacon and Bataille." Francis Bacon: Critical and Theoretical Perspectives. Ed. Rina Arya. New York, 2012, pp. 66–67.
Rina Arya. "The Existential Dimension of Bacon's Art." Francis Bacon: Critical and Theoretical Perspectives. Ed. Rina Arya. New York, 2012, p. 88.
Martin Hammer. "Contradiction and Continuity in the Art of Francis Bacon." Francis Bacon: Critical and Theoretical Perspectives. Ed. Rina Arya. New York, 2012, p. 160.
Nicholas Chare. After Francis Bacon: Synaesthesia and Sex in Paint. Farnham, Surrey, 2012, pp. 117, 121, 123.
Martin Hammer. Francis Bacon and Nazi Propaganda. London, 2012, pp. 141–43, 158, fig. 80.
Rina Arya. Francis Bacon: Painting in a Godless World. Farnham, Surrey, 2012, pp. 79, 85, 135, no. 40, ill. p. 78.
Martin Hammer. Francis Bacon. London, 2013, pp. 10, 143, no. 32, ill. p. 42.
Kathryn Calley Galitz. The Metropolitan Museum of Art Masterpiece Paintings. New York, 2016, p. 528, ill. (color), colorpl. 459.
Martin Harrison and Rebecca Daniels, ed. Francis Bacon: Catalogue Raisonné. Vol. 2, 1929–57. London, 2016, pp. 152, 178–80, 190, 196, 608, no. 48-01, ill. (color) pp. 179, 181 (detail).
James Wishart inFrancis Bacon: La France et Monaco / Francis Bacon: France and Monaco. Ed. Martin Harrison. Exh. cat., Grimaldi Forum, Monaco. Paris, 2016, pp. 176–77, no. 37, ill.
Steven Jaron. "Francis Bacon's Nervous System." Bacon and the Mind: Art, Neuroscience and Psychology. Ed. Martin Harrison. London, 2019, p. 58, ill. frontispiece.
Michael Peppiatt inFrancis Bacon: Man and Beast. Exh. cat., Royal Academy of Arts. London, 2021, pp. 20–21.
Stephen F. Eisenman inFrancis Bacon: Man and Beast. Exh. cat., Royal Academy of Arts. London, 2021, pp. 38, 44.
Anna Testar inFrancis Bacon: Man and Beast. Exh. cat., Royal Academy of Arts. London, 2021, p. 93, no. 21, ill. (color) pp. 8 (detail), 95 (overall).
Isabella Boorman inFrancis Bacon: Man and Beast. Exh. cat., Royal Academy of Arts. London, 2021, p. 140.
Laura Cosendey inFrancis Bacon: The Beauty of Meat. Ed. Adriano Pedrosa, and Laura Cosendey, with Isabela Ferreira Loures. Exh. cat., Museu de Arte de São Paulo Assis Chateaubriand. São Paulo, 2024, pp. 21, 26, 266, colorpl. 106.
Richard Hornsey inFrancis Bacon: The Beauty of Meat. Ed. Adriano Pedrosa, and Laura Cosendey, with Isabela Ferreira Loures. Exh. cat., Museu de Arte de São Paulo Assis Chateaubriand. São Paulo, 2024, pp. 106, 118, 120–21, fig. 58 (color), generally discusses Heads series.
Peter Doig (British, born Edinburgh, Scotland, 1959)
2017
Resources for Research
The Met's Libraries and Research Centers provide unparalleled resources for research and welcome an international community of students and scholars.
The Met Collection API is where all makers, creators, researchers, and dreamers can connect to the most up-to-date data and public domain images for The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.
Feedback
We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please complete and submit this form. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.
The Met's engagement with art from 1890 to today includes the acquisition and exhibition of works in a range of media, spanning movements in modernism to contemporary practices from across the globe.
