The Irish painter Francis Bacon is one of the most remarkable artists of the twentieth century, whose career as a painter spanned over six decades. As Bacon assembled a striking and powerful body of work, he became known primarily for his distinctive way of portraying human figures. Especially in his male portraits and nudes, the physicality of the body—skin, flesh, muscles—is translated into thick, oily textures, giving the figures almost abstract shapes. Bacon’s paintings also bring together a wide variety of sources, revisiting canonical themes and combining references to the great masters of painting with his own perceptions of the male body. These portraits are further illuminated when we explore how the artist’s biography and oeuvre are permeated by the presence of his lovers, with whom he established intense and often turbulent relationships. This catalog accompanies the 2024 exhibition of his work held at MASP which explores the queer aspects of both the artist’s work and his private life. Francis Bacon: The Beauty of Meat highlights how the artist, with his innovative and impactful painting, paved the way for a queer presence in visual culture.