'Francis Bacon Henry Moore: Flesh and Bone' has become the Ashmolean Museum's highest ever attended exhibition. 44,988 visitors attended the exhibition at the Oxford based Museum between September 12th 2013 and January 19th 2014. 'Flesh and Bone's' attendance figures pass the Ashmolean's previous highest figures: 2011's ‘Heracles to Alexander the Great’ achieved 43,464, and 2010's 'Pre-Raphaelites and Italy' 38,913. 'Flesh and Bone' displayed twenty works by Bacon, alongside twenty sculptures and twenty drawings by Moore. The Estate of Francis Bacon has enjoyed sharing the exhibition's news and events on it's social media channels, and equally reading the experiences shared by those who attended the Ashmolean. You can read what visitors said about the exhibition via Storify here. Praise for 'Francis Bacon Henry Moore: Flesh and Bone':
"This is a compact, persuasively argued, dramatically hung show that makes it's point with concise clarity. It pushes the visitor to reconsider these two artists in the light not just of each other but also of the century that moulded them." **** Rachel Campbell-Johnston, The Times
"By boldly displaying these two titans together, the curators deserve credit for trying to cast new light on the artists we think we know so well." Alastair Smart, The Sunday Telegraph
"It is a shock, in this succinct exhibition of two British colossi of the past century, Henry Moore (1898 - 1986) and Francis Bacon 1909 - 1992), to be reminded of just how colossal and original are their achievements." Marina Vaizey, The Arts Desk
It's an extremely intense exhibition, its startling juxtapositions pushing you to rethink these artists and the century that built them, and in this sense it works on its own terms, thought-provoking and sharp." Rachel Cooke, The Observer
"This exhibition reminds us that with artists such as these, and curators of insight, there is always scope for new discoveries and fascinating revelations." Simon Wilson, RA Magazine.
The Estate of Francis Bacon would like to extend thanks to Martin Harrison, Richard Calvocoressi and The Henry Moore Foundation, the Ashmolean Museum, Francis Warner, and everyone who contributed to the exhibition. Finally the Estate would like to say a special thank you to all those who attended the exhibition, viewed Francis Bacon and Henry Moore's works, and made 'Flesh and Bone' so successful, thank you. Word ref: Credited press, special thanks to Theresa Nicolson and Tom Jowett at the Ashmolean Museum.
