Francis Bacon’s 1969 triptych Three Studies of Lucian Freud has finally taken up a very public perch at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, where workers have installed it inside the museum’s new David Geffen Galleries. The three golden canvases, bought for $142.4 million in 2013 and later gifted to the museum from the estate of Elaine Wynn, now hang along a main thoroughfare, poised to loom over Wilshire Boulevard through floor‑to‑ceiling windows.
“She’s supposed to be here instead of the paintings,” LACMA director and chief executive Michael Govan said as installers positioned the panels, calling the moment “very powerful.” He also noted that both the frames and the protective glass were specified by the artist. This account was reported by the Los Angeles Times.
From Auction Block To The Galleries
Francis Bacon’s triptych set a record when it sold for $142.4 million at Christie’s in November 2013, a total that included the buyer’s premium and turned the work into one of the market’s marquee trophies. Christie’s recorded the sale in its post‑sale materials.
A Public Bequest
LACMA says the work was bequeathed to the museum by the estate of the late Elaine Wynn and that the triptych is the first Bacon to enter the museum’s collection and the only triptych by Bacon in a California public collection. The bequest was announced by the museum in September 2025, and the north wing of the David Geffen Galleries has been named in Wynn’s honor. LACMA reported the gift and details of the installation.
When To See It
LACMA plans member previews when the David Geffen Galleries open in April, with general public access beginning May 4, 2026. The triptych’s placement along the building’s bridge over Wilshire Boulevard means visitors will see the paintings in daylight, and drivers below may catch glimpses of the golden canvases. The opening timeline was reported by TimeOut.
Wynn was an early backer of the Peter Zumthor‑designed building, pledging $50 million in 2016 toward what became the David Geffen Galleries and serving as co‑chair of LACMA’s board. The arrival of Bacon’s triptych completes a public legacy she helped set in motion, museum leaders say. LACMA documented Wynn’s 2016 pledge.
