Painting of Madonna nude flops at auction

Published on Saturday 30 May 2009 19:48

A PETER Howson nude portrait of the pop superstar Madonna and her former husband failed to sell at auction yesterday.

Howson painted the picture in 2005, five years after the marriage of the pop superstar and filmmaker Guy Ritchie in the north of Scotland. But following the acrimonious split between the couple earlier this year, the artwork was put on the market by its current owner.

Despite a packed house of art collectors at McTear's auction rooms in Glasgow and a series of bids, the portrait failed to reach its lower guide price of 15,000.

Another 17 Howson works, from prints to canvases, all sold. His Brothers Of Mercy was purchased for just over 14,000.

A McTear's spokesman said: "The auction was very successful. However, surprisingly, Peter Howson's controversial painting of Madonna and Guy Ritchie did not sell on the day. The painting is still for sale and we would be delighted to hear from anyone who is interested in this much-talked about piece of Scottish art history."

The controversial oil depicts the couple in a state of undress with a musclebound Madonna, now 50, reclining on a green throw. A chiselled Ritchie is standing behind her with his hand on her upper thigh.

The couple's recent split was expected to have stimulated interest in collecting the portrait. "It created a huge amount of controversy when it was unveiled a few years ago and I think it's safe to say it is one of a kind," McTear said.