Description

Bacon’s Phantom Desire Original Painting – SOLD

This painting by Lincoln Townley is a haunting and visceral portrait rendered in his signature impasto style, where thick layers of oil paint create a raw, textured surface. The figure wears a black suit with a bright yellow tie and pocket square, suggesting formality or status, but the face is a distorted, swirling mass of flesh tones with deep shadows and hints of green and red. There are no distinguishable facial features—just a turbulent vortex of paint where a face should be.

Taken from his Banker series, Townley’s work often explores the darker aspects of the human psyche—greed, fame, ego, and madness—and this painting is no exception. The facelessness can symbolize the loss of identity in pursuit of power or the internal disintegration that accompanies excess. The use of thick, almost violent brushwork further amplifies the emotional intensity, making the image both captivating and unsettling.

Signed by the artist and professionally framed.