Double Portrait of Lucian Freud and Frank Auerbach 1964

Francis Bacon's "Double Portrait of Lucian Freud and Frank Auerbach" conjures this question: what do we make of a painting that is split into two panels, each depicting a slightly different view of its subject, smeared and smudged with paint? I can imagine Bacon working on this, attacking the canvas, smearing and distorting the faces, pushing and pulling at the paint until the figures seem to emerge from the chaos, capturing not just their likeness, but the very essence of their being. It feels like a conversation between Bacon and his subjects, Freud and Auerbach, two titans of the art world, captured in a moment of quiet contemplation, or perhaps even a tense standoff. The gestures are forceful and expressive, particularly around the faces, where Bacon's brushwork seems to peel back layers of skin and reveal the raw emotion beneath. The juxtaposition of these two panels creates a tension, a sense of unease that challenges our perception of reality. Bacon, Freud, Auerbach... they were all in dialogue, influencing and challenging one another. I see this painting as a site where meaning emerges through process, embracing ambiguity and uncertainty.