Francis Bacon's 'Three Studies of Lucian Freud' to be displayed at LACMA's new David Geffen Galleries

Francis Bacon's triptych 'Three Studies of Lucian Freud' will be featured in the Los Angeles County Museum of Art's upcoming series '50 Works 50 Weeks' as part of preparations for the 2026 opening of the David Geffen Galleries. The painting, acquired by collector Elaine Wynn at auction in 2013 for a world-record price, has not been publicly exhibited since its purchase. Wynn expressed strong emotional reaction to the work at the time of acquisition and indicated her intention to donate it after her death. Bacon described his approach to portraiture in 1973, noting he captured Freud's likeness through abstraction despite working from photographs rather than life. The life-size work depicts Freud seated in a white shirt on a wooden chair within a transparent, stage-like frame across three panels. Bacon insisted on gold frames and protective glass for the painting, recalling Old Master presentations while creating tension with his raw imagery. This marks the first Bacon painting in LACMA's collection and represents the only triptych by the artist in any California public institution. The David Geffen Galleries will house LACMA's permanent collection spanning multiple eras and cultures when it opens to the public in 2026.