NOT DEAD ~ A Semi-nude painting of British PM Tony Blair's wife, Cherie Blair, surfaces after 25 years
The Kentucky Wizard
to smile so much after all. :-)~
Wiz....
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2-2498054,00.html
£5 an hour in a freezing cold studio
Nude painter of PM's wife surfaces
Artist called it an unfinished work
The Prime Minister's wife posed naked for the artist Euan Uglow when she was
an unknown trainee barrister in her mid-twenties. For more than a year
Cherie Booth earned £5 an hour modelling for the 5ft painting Striding Nude,
Blue Dress, wearing a sleeveless dress open at the front. She was required
to stand still for up to an hour at a time in Uglow's freezing studios in
Clapham, South London. The artist later painted a second version with
another model.
Will Darby, of the Browse and Darby gallery in Mayfair, who was Uglow's
close friend and dealer for 25 years, told The Times: "He wasn't pleased
with the painting because it wasn't finished. We exhibited it in 1983
alongside the finished one but after that he just didn't want to show it.
"He was friends with the Blairs and it was his wish that it would never be
shown after they entered public life." Mrs Blair was introduced to Uglow by
Derry Irvine, the future Lord Chancellor.
She remained friends with the artist and is thought to have named her eldest
son after him. As the Blairs' eminence in political circles grew, Uglow
became ever-more reluctant even to acknowledge the painting. The portrait
was stored at Browse and Darby until Uglow's death in 2000 at the age of 68.
It was transferred to the care of the artist's estate, the executors of
which include Lord Irvine, and is now held by the Marlborough Fine Art
Trust. Mr Darby said that it was difficult to put a value on the work: "I
don't think anybody would want it because there is not enough of it there.
Perhaps someone with an interest in politics might." He confirmed that
neither version of Striding Nude, Blue Dress would feature in a
retrospective of Uglow's work in May at Browse and Darby.
No 10 declined to comment yesterday.
ANOTHER REPORT
London: It's been lurking in a storeroom for nearly quarter of a century,
but a nude painting of British PM Tony Blair's wife Cherie will soon get to
see the light of day - despite all her husband's efforts to the contrary.
Titled Striding Nude, Blue Dress, the portrait was created by late artist
Euan Uglow two years before Cherie Booth became Mrs Blair. The painting, of
which Blair is said to be as embarrassed about as his wife is proud,
portrays a 24-year old Cherie striding forward, naked but for a skimpy blue
minidress.
Striding Nude, Blue Dress found itself on a gallery's walls only once before
Tony Blair reportedly asked mutual pal Derry Irvine, the future lord
chancellor, to coax Uglow to keep it out of public eye till the time Blair
was Prime Minister, the artist's friend and former dealer Will Darby
revealed. "The embarrassment came from Tony Blair who was very worried after
he took office that this picture would come out. As a favour to his close
friend Derry Irvine, Euan agreed not to display it while he was Prime
Minister," the Daily Mail quoted him, as saying. "The portrait of Miss Booth
hasn't been shown for nearly a quarter of a century because it was Euan's
wish that it would never be shown after the Blairs entered public life,"
Darby said.
However, rather than abandon his idea for the painting, Uglow painted
another one using a different model. Both works were shown side by side at
Will Darby's gallery Browse and Darby in 1983, the year Blair entered
parliament, after which it was never seen again. After Uglow's death in
2000, his works were transferred into the care of the Marlborough Fine Art
Trust which displays his works on its website - including the picture of
Cherie Blair though she is not identified. The Marlborough Fine Art Trust
will display Uglow's work as part of retrospective exhibition in central
London in May - the same month as Tony Blair is due to step down as PM, thus
making sure that the artist's promise is honoured. As for Cherie Blair, well
Darby predicts that she will all too happy to see the piece adorning a
gallery wall. "Cherie remained a great friend of Euan's until he died. She
will be laughing her head off now that it's come out. She won't be ashamed
at all," he said.
"Never argue with an idiot; they'll drag you down to their level and beat
you with experience." ~ Anonymous
© The Wiz ®
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tr...@iwvisp.com
The Kentucky Wizard wrote:
> It appears that our right honourable friend does indeed have a valid reason
> to smile so much after all. :-)~
>
> Wiz....
>
> http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2-2498054,00.html
>
> £5 an hour in a freezing cold studio
> Nude painter of PM's wife surfaces
> Artist called it an unfinished work
>
I don't know if she was underpaid but she was clearly freezing!
Ray Arthur
Brad Ferguson
<tr...@iwvisp.com> wrote:
There's a joke about Laura Bush somewhere in all this, but I'm not
going there.
Well, maybe one about how they're wearing the same thing.
JustWinBaby
thir...@frXOXed.net wrote on 12/12/06 9:49 AM:
Look close at the painting and you'll see Bush ... that guy gets around!
JustWinBaby
Raid...@gmail.com wrote on 12/12/06 10:38 AM:
bush is in more panties than Clinton ever was.