The Influence of Roy de Maistre on Francis Bacon

Abstract

Very little is said about the Australian artist Roy de Maistre in scholarship on Francis Bacon, apart from the fact that he provided guidance about painting processes and other technical issues. There are a number of reasons for this and this article seeks to look at the relationship between de Maistre and Bacon. Although their period of overlap was short-lived, lasting less than a decade, de Maistre was an important figure in Bacon’s early career and significant in his transition from design to painting. Since De Maistre aided Bacon both in his development as a painter and also in his career by introducing him to useful contacts and involving him in exhibitions, perhaps the focus should now be placed on points of stylistic and thematic influence.