Why was a Velazquez portrait such an enduring source of inspiration for Francis Bacon?
Although Bacon never actually saw the painting of Pope Innocent X, the many images he collected of it formed the basis for his series of ‘screaming popes’ paintings. The Velazquez original engendered a number of images that Bacon could use, reuse and combine with other elements to convey a powerful sense of rage and impotence at the human condition.
