Francis Bacon

Yesterday I visited the Portland Art Museum, going through the samurai armor show, and the permanent collection.  The samurai collection is enthralling, with crazy stuff such as a half-face mask based on a Noh drama character, gold-antlered headpieces, and Buddhist iconography. The singular ornamentation contrasts with the austerity of European armor from similar periods. I also examined Francis Bacon's celebrated painting, paying attention to the details of Lucian Freud's painted snouts and the geometry of his enclosures:  Triptych .   Add some Magritte and Joseph Cornell, and others, in, and it was a good day.