[3][4] The paintings are widely regarded as highly successful modern re-interpretations of a classic of the Western canon of visual art.

Equally, Bacon rarely worked from commission and could portray the pope in an even less flattering light; according to art critic Arim Zweite, "in a sinister manner, in cavernous dungeons, afflicted by an emotional outburst and devoid of any authority".

[8] Although Bacon avoided seeing the original, the painting remains the single greatest influence on him; its presence can be seen in many of his best works from the late 1940s to the early 1960s.

In Bacon's version of the 17th-century masterpiece, the Pope is shown screaming, yet his voice is "silenced" by the enclosing drapes and dark, rich colours.

[9] Although a noted bon vivant, Bacon closely guarded his private life, working habits, and thought processes.

[13] Although his earlier works were dominated by harsh orange pigments,[14] were hardly cheerful; it has been suggested a reason his palette became darker is that he was scarred by the ending of his tumultuous and sometimes violent relationship with Peter Lacy, whom he later described as the love of his life.

[15] This partly explains why Bacon began to focus on representations of father figures such as popes - Lacy was a much older and accomplished man and had been the dominant partner.

Veils, curtains, and similar structures appear in Bacon's earliest works, notably the 1949 Study from the Human Body, always in front of, rather than behind, the figure.

[24] At the time Bacon was coming to terms with the death of a cold, disciplinarian father, his early, illicit sexual encounters, and a very destructive sadomasochistic approach to sex.