In the 1930s, Francis Bacon began to concentrate seriously on painting, a period when his works were heavily influenced by Picasso and Surrealism. His color schemes and subject matter during this era were significantly shaped by his early mentor, Roy de Maistre, whom he met in 1930. As a self-taught painter, Bacon benefited greatly from de Maistre's guidance, adopting and integrating elements of Picasso's style and the Surrealist movement into his own emerging aesthetic​ (Francis Bacon)​. This decade was foundational for Bacon, marking the beginning of his journey into the art world with a distinct style characterized by a combination of Surrealism and his own unique vision. His work from this period channeled the influences around him into something that was distinctly his own, laying the groundwork for the themes and methods he would explore throughout his career. Despite the promising start, Bacon's early career was not without its challenges. In 1933, he exhibited "Crucifixion," a skeletal black and white composition that already carried the overtones of pain and fear that would become hallmarks of his later work. The painting was published in Herbert Read's book Art Now and was quickly purchased, suggesting early recognition of his talent. However, Bacon faced setbacks as well, including an unsuccessful solo show and the rejection of his paintings from the International Surrealist Exhibition for not being "surrealist enough." This period of his life was characterized by a sense of searching, both personally and artistically, as he drifted through various jobs and explored his sexual identity, particularly during his time in Berlin, which he later described as a time of emotional awakening​ (The Art Story)​. The 1930s were, therefore, a crucial period in Bacon's development as an artist. They were years of experimentation, discovery, and, occasionally, frustration. However, these experiences contributed to the formation of Bacon's artistic identity, laying the foundation for his later successes. His work during this decade, influenced by the prevailing artistic movements and his personal experiences, began to reflect the intense, emotive, and often disturbing themes that would define his oeuvre. Bacon's engagement with the human form, explored through a lens of existential anxiety and raw emotion, started to emerge during this time, setting the stage for his later fame as one of the twentieth century's most compelling painters.