Bacon's 'Chucked Art' For Sale

When Mac Robertson saw Francis Bacon dumping rubbish into a skip, he persuaded the artist to let him keep some of the junk. The electrician was working at Bacon's studio when the painter started to throw out the unwanted clutter. Mr Robertson packed the items into his car boot and put them safely away when he got home. Almost 30 years on, the artist's one-time scrap could earn him as much as £500,000 when it is auctioned next month. The art collection includes mutilated paintings, diaries, letters, cheques and photographs. Four journals, including a brown leather pocket diary with a gold Playboy motif, chart Bacon's activities between 1966 and 1971. Art aficionados will be fascinated by entries detailing when Bacon planned to start or finish paintings. Another entry dated October 24, 1971, refers to the suicide of Bacon's lover, George Dyer, and simply says: "George died in Paris". Of the paintings up for sale, there are three oil portraits, one of which is believed to be of fellow artist Lucian Freud. There are three paintings of dogs, a paint-spattered canvas bearing notes in Bacon's hand, and four mutilated portraits with their faces crudely cut out. Bacon, who died in 1992, was famous for his volatile temper and self-editing, and he destroyed a large part of his work. The art auction will be held at Ewbank in Send, Surrey, on 24 April at 7pm. (For full source and article click the Headline). Irish Art