Tate acquires Bacon archive

The Tate has acquired the controversial Barry Joule collection of material related to Francis Bacon. This comprises 1,200 items, including photographs and documents, which were given to neighbour Mr Joule a few days before the artist’s death. Initially the Bacon Estate questioned its authenticity and even its ownership. Valued at around £20 million, it is probably the Tate Archive’s most important acquisition.