I’ve been curious to know find out who did the make-up art for the new Batman film, especially for Joker. Because it is incredibly expressive and darker then the first film with Jack Nicholson. On Wikipedia, there is a note about the influence coming from: “We gave a Francis Bacon spin to [his face].” Wow! Specifically “Study of a Portrait” (1953) by Bacon, and I found this painting which I feel there is some similarity. And for those who are interested to learn more, here is an interview with the “The Dark Knight’s” make-up artist John Caglione, Jr. at Resource 411. Caglione states “The biggest challenge for me was to maintain and keep continuity of the Joker makeup all day in spite of heat and variable weather conditions. I had to match scenes shot in Chicago and the UK but I got to watch Heath Ledger’s completely off-the-hook and physically demanding performance. I had a ball!” -Adriana de Barros, from Scene 360

[Top Image: Heath Ledger as the Joker in “The Dark Knight” (2008). Bottom Image: Study after Velázquez’s Portrait of Pope Innocent X (1953) ©/by Francis Bacon]