People are often struck by the imagery in Francis Bacon’s paintings. What could make someone paint such horrible things, I often see people ask.

The answer to their question is simple and can be found here at this page on the website for the Hugh Lane Gallery:

During the Second World War he volunteered to serve in the Civil Defence Corps, where his work involved black-out enforcement as well as assisting with first-aid and rescue at bomb sites. Responding to some people’s reaction to his work being disturbing, Bacon remarked that his work was no more disturbing than life itself.

No doubt being a first responder to victims of bomb blasts would have left Bacon with terrible images searing his brain. No wonder he painted the way he did.

P.S. I thought of this reading some of the posts that the web site Open Culture has on Bacon, here and here and here.