Francis Bacon was one of the most secretive and mysterious creative figures of the twentieth century. Despite his apparent goal of simplifying both himself and his art, he remained a deeply complex personality. Bacon was very aware of this underlying contradiction and whether he was speaking or painting, he consciously strove for absolute clarity and simplicity, calling himself "simply complex." Until now, this complexity has rarely been highlighted in the large number of studies on Bacon's life and work. Francis Bacon: Studies for a Portrait shows a variety of the many facets of Bacon, and questions the accepted views of an artist who was capable of defying categorization. The essays and interviews gathered here span over half a century. Opening with an interview of the author in 1963, the year he met Bacon, it also includes essays written for exhibitions, memoirs, and reflections on Bacon's later work, some of which are published here for the first time. Recorded conversations with Bacon in Paris lasting late into the night are included, along with an overall description of the artist's sources and techniques in his remarkable studio in London. This is an updated edition of Francis Bacon: Studies for a Portrait (2008), published for the first time in paperback. It brings this captivating artist closer to view, revealing the core of his talent: his skill in combining exceptional contradictions and translating them into instantly recognizable images, whose characteristic intensity stems from a life lived constantly on the edge. With 14 illustrations, 7 in color.