The Phantom Francis Bacon Exhibition in Capri

The Phantom Francis Bacon Exhibition in Capri

In 1971 the artist Francis Bacon accepted an invitation to stage a solo exhibition on Capri and began selecting previously unseen works from his London studio. Among the chosen pieces were distorted portraits inspired by John Deakin's photographs. The paintings were shipped by sea to the island.

For unknown reasons the artworks never arrived: some were lost in transit, others were withdrawn upon arrival and never displayed. The organizers cancelled the show without explanation, even though printed invitations bore the date 18 July 1971 and referred to a "single night of viewing" that did not take place.

• Selected works: distorted portraits influenced by John Deakin's images.
• Shipping outcome: some canvases lost, others withdrawn and not exhibited.
• Later recoveries: two canvases surfaced afterward in private Italian collections.

For scholars of Bacon, the cancelled exhibition is notable: it would have allowed his intense, transformed figures to engage with Mediterranean light. The episode remains part of Capri's local cultural memory.

Practical note: scheduled opening date 18 July 1971. There are no current exhibitions tied to this project on the island.