 The panels of "Three Studies for Figures at the Base of a Crucifixion" are painted on light Sundeala boards, a material Bacon was using at the time as an inexpensive alternative to canvas.Each bears a single taut sculptural form pitched against a harsh orange background.The orange hue displays inconsistently across the canvasses, due in part to the low level of oil in the paint, which resulted in varying rates of absorption into the board.