British Nudity Concealed
Striding Nude, Blue Dress, by Euan Uglow
If there is one thing the British tabloids love, it is sordid little stories of nudity and sex. The need to create a scandal is something that the journalism industry thrives on. This is probably the key reason this painting and it’s participant were carefully concealed.
While it has been known that Cherie posed for Uglow, only now, six years after the artist’s death, has it been revealed that Striding Nude, Blue Dress is Mrs Blair.
Her distinctive facial profile is clearly recognisable, but the work was never completed because she decided to cut short the sittings to visit the US.
She married Tony Blair, then a trainee barrister colleague, shortly afterwards in 1980. As the pair moved into public life, so Uglow, who exhibited the picture briefly in 1983, decided it was best kept out of view.
I was life model for Cherie artist too – Britain – Times Online:
I think many of us have been in the position where we need a few extra bucks, and several of us have probably done similar things. There is probably going to be a substantial uproar over this piece and it’s famous model but I find myself wondering if this piece and it’s artist would have been given so much attention if it wasn’t for Cherie Blair. I am sure there will be many people will say it is wrong for a multitude of reasons but I look at this painting and I find myself thinking it will all be a big deal over nothing.
Tags: art news, controversy, Nude
Uglow is actually pretty famous in the UK, and he would have been one of the top painters in the country at the time. His paintings are actually really worthwhile; I don’t think you’d be saying these things if you’d seen them.
December 14, 2006 at 9:14 am
being a model is a respectable art form…. lets not make any personal judgments about the persons… esp when it does not effect Tony’s performance as the Prime Minister.
December 14, 2006 at 2:25 pm
To be honest, I don’t find us Brits to be particularly outraged by this kind of thing. I don’t remember any other scandal involving our political figures posing nude, but sex scandals here certainly don’t cause the kind of outrage that they can in the US. Sure, the tabloids will be all over this, but even their readers can appreciate that art is art, it’s not as if she appeared in a porno film.
An interesting story – It’ll be fascinating to see how this all unfolds!
December 14, 2006 at 10:28 pm
I’d hardly call The Times a tabloid in either sense, size or content quality. It’s also no longer British – it’s owned by an Australian with a US passport.
December 14, 2006 at 11:15 pm
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support!
December 15, 2006 at 8:17 pm
I don’t find anything wrong with the painting, it’s just people always wanting to start controversy.
December 16, 2006 at 2:28 am
Controversy creates cash : )
December 16, 2006 at 10:09 am
Why do people have to be so hypocritical and resort to such words as “scandal”. I fail to see what is so scandalous or sinful, for a young attractive (at the time) woman to be a life model. Nudity is nothing to be ashamed of and the beauty of the human body should be celebrated.
December 30, 2006 at 6:03 am