Francis Bacon's First 'Pope' Painting Unveiled at Gagosian London

On March 15, 2022, Gagosian's Davies Street gallery in London opens 'The First Pope', a show presenting Francis Bacon's earliest version of his famous Pope series. The painting, 'Landscape with Pope/Dictator' (c. 1946), was created in Monte Carlo, where Bacon lived from 1946 to 1950. It is one of the few works where papal vestments blend with political attire, and the subject's face blurs human and animal features, with pink flowers possibly evoking a crowd. The piece belongs to a private collection and was rediscovered in 2016 during the publication of Bacon's catalogue raisonné by Martin Harrison. Richard Calvocoressi, Gagosian director, noted the excitement of this early work resurfacing while three other Pope reinterpretations (1949, 1951, 1965) are on view at the Royal Academy of Arts' 'Francis Bacon: Man and Beast' retrospective. The exhibition runs until April 23, 2022.