Picasso and Bacon exhibit highlights shared influences
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The Albertina museum in Vienna, Austria, is displaying 71 works by Pablo Picasso and Francis Bacon to celebrate its 250th anniversary.
British art historian Michael Peppiatt organized the exhibition, titled “What It Feels Like to Be Human,” after recognizing common threads in the artists’ work. The museum spent a substantial sum on transport and insurance for the valuable pieces, some worth millions of euros, and likely won’t host a show of this scale again soon due to upcoming budget cuts.
The exhibit explores how both artists drew inspiration from earlier masters like Diego Velázquez and Édouard Manet, using them as points of comparison to develop new ideas. Picasso’s surrealist period greatly influenced the young Francis Bacon, who was ostracized from his family for his homosexuality. Bacon even saw similarities between Picasso’s elongated figures and insects. However, the exhibition also demonstrates that Bacon eventually diverged from Picasso, developing a unique style.
While both artists deconstructed the human face, Bacon’s work became more focused on personal turmoil and grief, reflected in portraits of his lover, George Dyer, who died in 1971. The show culminates with a series of Bacon’s vibrant orange paintings, where Picasso’s work offers only superficial comparisons. The exhibit will remain open until January 31, 2027.
