Francis Bacon: Post War Success (Part 2) episode artwork

EPISODE · May 11, 2026 · 54 MIN

Francis Bacon: Post War Success (Part 2)

from Stories of Art · host HENI Talks

Which portrait by the 17th century Spanish master Velázquez inspired one of Bacon's most celebrated works? And why is his painting Two Figures considered a groundbreaking image? Join Alastair and James as they chart Bacon's life and work in the decades after the Second World War. If you want to see the artworks referenced in this episode - check the images out by switching to video on your podcast app. Artworks in this episode include: Francis Bacon, Head VI, 1949, Arts Council Collection, London Francis Bacon, Painting 1946, 1946, Museum of Modern Art, New York Francis Bacon, Portrait of Lucian Freud, 1951, Whitworth Art Gallery, Manchester Lucian Freud, Portrait of Francis Bacon, 1952 Francis Bacon, Head I, 1949, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York Francis Bacon, Head II, 1949, Ulster Museum, Belfast Francis Bacon, Head III, 1949, Private Collection Diego Velázquez, Las Meninas, 1656, Museo Nacional del Prado, Madrid Diego Velázquez, Portrait of Innocent X, 1650, Galleria Doria Pamphilj, Rome Francis Bacon, Man in Blue I, 1954, Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen, Rotterdam Francis Bacon, Two Figures, 1953, Private Collection For more great art content visit www.heni.com or visit the Heni Talks YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/@HENITalks Hosts: Alastair Sooke and Dr James Fox Additional Research: Catherine Ingram Producer and Editor: Ben Harding Executive Producer: Emma Cahusac Chapters 00:00:00 Introduction: Head VI 00:02:43 Painting 1946: Consolidating Success 00:09:13 Meaning in Bacon's Art 00:11:47 Graham Sutherland and Erica Brausen 00:13:44 Monte Carlo: Gambling and Drift 00:19:04 Lucian Freud: An Intense Friendship 00:26:00 The 1949 Hanover Gallery Show 00:30:59 Velázquez's Pope Innocent X 00:35:25 Head VI 00:42:02 Peter Lacy: The Love of His Life 00:51:54 The Tate Retrospective and Tragedy

Episode metadata supplied by the publisher feed · Published May 11, 2026

Embed this episode

Ready to play

Francis Bacon: Post War Success (Part 2)

0:00 54:36

No transcript for this episode yet

We transcribe on demand. Request one and we'll notify you when it's ready — usually under 10 minutes.

No similar episodes found.

No similar podcasts found.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is this episode of Stories of Art?

This episode is 54 minutes long.

When was this Stories of Art episode published?

This episode was published on May 11, 2026.

Can I download this Stories of Art episode?

Yes. Use the download control on the episode player to save the publisher-provided media file.
URL copied to clipboard!