Customer Reviews
The great Francis Bacon - By: reader, 16 Jul 2006 
A fascinating study of the great man & his work. Peppiatt knew Bacon from the 60's onwards, thus the biography feels intimate & true to life & is successfulin depicting the flamboyance, complexity & sheer charisma of this important British artist.
Bacon's father is depicted as a key figure, as well as a leitmotif of brutal masculinityin Bacon's paintings. A tyrannical, martial man, (according to Peppiatt, he has his teenage son horsewhipped by his groomsin order to `make him more of a man') he is the very antithesis of the highly intelligent, young, unconventional Bacon. This early encounter with such brutality goes some way to explaining the power & masculine energy so apparentin Bacon's paintings, as well as the sado-masochistic & destructive nature of his sexual relationships.
Peppiatt describes Bacon's influences - Picasso's biomorhic figures as well as his 'Crucifixion', the photographic images of Edweard Muybridge, Velasquez's 'Pope Innocent X', which inspired the 'Screaming Pope' series.
Bacon's days spent as `bon viveur', drinking vast quantities of alcohol at the Colonyin Soho, with the cliquey, languorous dry wit of camp proprietress, Muriel Belcher is captured wonderfully ("Champagne for my real friends, real pain for my sham friends!", as Bacon once declared), as well as his slightly alarming brush with the Kray twins (who fascinated him), & his doomed relationship with his tragic muse, George Dyer.
Allin all this is an immensely enjoyable read as well as providing a real insight into the artist & his work.
highly entertaining and informative - By: dasabra@aol.com, 17 May 2000 Peppiatt's indepth knowledge & presentation made this book an absolute joy to read. Going farther & deeper than Farson with complete excavation of & endearment for Bacon.A great character, the book a sheer delight.
