Okay, so his artistic temperament took things rather a long way outside the realm of “Safe, Sane, and Consensual”, but still… Here are two very interesting articles from The Guardian by Charlotte Higgins, chief arts writer, about how the genius of Francis Bacon was inextricably linked to his sadomasochistic relationships:

“Demons and Beefcake – the other side of Francis Bacon”

“Sado-masochism and stolen shoe polish: Bacon’s legacy revisited”