'Brazen' nude painting back on show after 60-year ban
- added July 23, 2008
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- JanaPokana
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An oil painting of a nude woman has gone on show more than 60 years after it was taken down for being "brazen".
The piece by Sir Gerald Kelly was brought by Newport's Museum and Art Gallery, south Wales in 1947 and 20,000 people queued up to view it. But after a churchman objected council chiefs decided the painting be taken down and locked in a vault.
Now back on display, one recent visitor commented the nude looked like a "Fag Ash Lil" - because she was smoking. Entitled D.D after the initials of the model in the painting, it was purchased by the gallery for £250 after it was exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1947. The artist had painted the royal family of the day and later became president of the Royal Academy. Today D.D is estimated to be worth around £30,000.
Robin Hawkins, the Newport gallery's curator of art and design, said: "World War II had just ended when the picture first went on display in Newport. "It caused quite a controversy and that increased the interest - thousands came to see it." Newspapers at the time reported that Dorian Herbert, who was the bishop of Caerleon for the small independent group, the Ancient British Church, went to see the picture after his sister had seen girls sniggering at it. He described it as "brazen, abandoned and vulgar" and added "it is an affront to the dignity of womanhood and is more suited to a public house than an art gallery".
Mr Hawkins added: "We would consider it none of those things these days but she does come across as a confident young woman of her time. Maybe it's because of the way she is staring - women in those days weren't allowed to be that brassy."
(Excerpts / BBC News)
The piece by Sir Gerald Kelly was brought by Newport's Museum and Art Gallery, south Wales in 1947 and 20,000 people queued up to view it. But after a churchman objected council chiefs decided the painting be taken down and locked in a vault.
Now back on display, one recent visitor commented the nude looked like a "Fag Ash Lil" - because she was smoking. Entitled D.D after the initials of the model in the painting, it was purchased by the gallery for £250 after it was exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1947. The artist had painted the royal family of the day and later became president of the Royal Academy. Today D.D is estimated to be worth around £30,000.
Robin Hawkins, the Newport gallery's curator of art and design, said: "World War II had just ended when the picture first went on display in Newport. "It caused quite a controversy and that increased the interest - thousands came to see it." Newspapers at the time reported that Dorian Herbert, who was the bishop of Caerleon for the small independent group, the Ancient British Church, went to see the picture after his sister had seen girls sniggering at it. He described it as "brazen, abandoned and vulgar" and added "it is an affront to the dignity of womanhood and is more suited to a public house than an art gallery".
Mr Hawkins added: "We would consider it none of those things these days but she does come across as a confident young woman of her time. Maybe it's because of the way she is staring - women in those days weren't allowed to be that brassy."
(Excerpts / BBC News)
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- JanaPokana
- 2 months ago
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Its art people Don't censor it! Otherwise there would need to be a towel draped over the statue of David by Michaelangelo in Rome. Fair is fair.
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- julsie6789
- 2 months ago
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