One of the most ambitious, enigmatic and important works of Francis Bacon’s oeuvre, ‘Triptych Inspired by the Oresteia of Aeschylus’ is a landmark of 20th century art. Inspired by Aeschylus’s trilogy of Greek tragedies from the 5th century B.C., this triptych from 1981 reveals the entire range of Bacon’s iconography and was recently on view in the Centre Pompidou’s celebrated exhibition ‘Bacon: Books and Painting’. It is only the sixth large-format triptych by Bacon to ever appear at auction, and the first to be offered since 2014. ‘Triptych Inspired by the Oresteia of Aeschylus’ will highlight our upcoming Contemporary Art Evening Auction (13 May | New York). Click here to watch more Sotheby’s videos.