17th September 2007
If you are an artist and you have no money, what is the first thing you offer as rent? A painting of course. ‘Turning on the light’ by Francis Bacon is exactly that. At a stage in his life before his art was recognised and when he had little more than pennies in his pocket, he offered the painting as rent to the Royal College of Art, London and they took him in.
The painting has recently been valued at £9m and represents a great reward for the Royal College of Art’s charitable efforts when taking in Francis Bacon.
The painting is held at auction next month at Christies.
