 The "Three Studies" are generally considered Bacon's first mature piece; he regarded his works before the triptych as irrelevant, and throughout his life tried to suppress their appearance on the art market.When the painting was first exhibited in 1945 it caused a sensation and established him as one of the foremost post-war painters.Remarking on the cultural significance of "Three Studies", the critic John Russell observed in 1971 that "there was painting in England before the Three Studies, and painting after them, and no one ... can confuse the two".