A couple things I just found written in my moleskin from London:

While looking at “The Snail” by Matisse

Thinking this is the favorite painter of a good friend – Haven’t seen him in a while, maybe years. He probably likes the idea of this painting as much as he likes the idea of me. In reality I don’t think he cares much for either.

On Francis Bacon paintings

“as if a human being has passed between them, like a snail, leaving a trail of the human presence and the memory trace of past events.”