When people think of art they tend to picture a pretty landscape or a renaissance painting, but the world of fine art is far from pleasing. Leave an artist alone with a paintbrush or a lump of clay and who knows what horrors could emerge from their subconsciousness. In the spirit of Halloween, The University Times has listed five of the scariest artworks to emerge from Irish history, each more bone-chilling than the last.
Study After Velázquez’s Portrait of Innocent X, Francis Bacon
Francis Bacon had a rare gift for making creepy paintings and this haunting portrait of a shrieking pope is no exception. Bacon was drawn to “Portrait of Pope Innocent X” by Diego Velázquez throughout his career, and in this recreation his obsession takes a dark turn. Critics speculate that the piece was an expression of Bacon’s atheism as the Pope appears to be transported to another realm and his body has melted amidst harsh vertical lines as his ghoulish face is gaping at the viewer.
The Ferryman’s End, Victor’s Way, Co Wicklow
An Irish-Indian sculpture park, Victor’s Way boasts some of the creepiest sculptures in Ireland. “The Ferryman’s End” is twice the size of a human. The gaunt human figure emerges from a murky pond, extending one bony hand towards something it cannot reach. The sculpture is a metaphor for someone who is losing touch with reality. Without a sense of purpose the figure becomes stuck, unable to reach the opposite end of the shore. Unmoving, the sculpture sinks into the water and drowns.
Midnight Mickey, Gottfried Helwein
The violent betrayal of childhood innocence is the cheerful focus of Austrian-Irish artist Gottfried Helwein’s artwork. When Helwein was a young boy, Disney characters distracted him from the dreariness of post-war Austria. Now he transforms the endearing cuteness of these cartoon characters into something monstrous. His painting of Mickey Mouse depicts the character with a broad, creepy smile, a row of gleaming white teeth on full display as he leans towards the viewers. Mickey’s menacing smile hints that there is a darker side to this beloved cartoon character.
Pink Couch, Genieve Figgis
The family depicted is the picture of happy, upper-class domesticity. Two wealthy women and a child lounge on a pink couch with their numerous puppies. Pretty pastel colours ooze off the canvas. Dark red paint pools at the bottom of the couch. The face of one wealthy lady melts into a ghoulish grey skeleton. Genieve Figgis’s eerie masterpiece makes a haunting spectacle of the wealthy upper class.
Three Studies for Figures at the Base of a Crucifixion, Francis Bacon
Another Francis Bacon piece has reared its horrifying head on this list. This one is difficult to explain. A triptych of distorted human creatures, with gaping mouths, eyeless heads and twisted limbs. The painting is speculated to be a response to World War II. The tortured figures are reminiscent of the anguish and terror experienced in concentration camps. Released in 1944, this nightmare-fueled masterpiece still hits a nerve decades later.
