Naked Painting of Bea Arthur Could Fetch Millions at Auction
by Bronwyn Barnes
May 15 2013


A topless painting of Bea Arthur is expected to fetch between $1.8-$2.5 million when it hits the auction block at the Christie’s Post-War and Contemporary Art Sale in New York City tonight.

John Currin’s 1991 portrait, called 'Bea Arthur Naked', depicts Arthur around the time she starred as a middle-aged politically liberal suburban woman in the 1970s sitcom "Maude".





Derived from a photograph of a fully clothed Arthur, Currin — known for what art critic Peter Schjeldahl once called his “acrid fantasy portraits of menopausal women” – says he used artistic license to create the portrait of the actress in the flesh.

“I had a vision in my head of Bea Arthur, and I found a picture of her. I was going to put a scarf ensemble on her like that from her Maude days, and I drew the body just to drape it. It was then that I realized that the painting was fantastic as it was,” reads a quote from the artist in the Christie’s lot notes.

“I loved being repelled by those two black eyes and falling back into these wonderful, soft breasts, which draw you back in.”



* Click on the link to see the full portrait.

http://popstyle.ew.com/2013/05/15/naked-portrait-of-golden-girls-star-bea-arthur-could-fetch-millions-at-auction/

Bea Arthur Topless Painting Sells for Nearly $2M
by NATALIE O'NEILL
May 15, 2013


It’s Golden Girls... gone wild!

A topless painting of actress Bea Arthur — famous for her role as Dorothy on the TV show “Golden Girls” — sold for nearly $2 million at a Christie’s auction in Manhattan tonight.



Artist John Currin’s controversial “Bea Arthur Naked” — which depicts the elderly star with a blank expression and bare sagging breasts — was purchased by an anonymous bidder over the phone for $1.9 million.

Currin, a painter who lives in Brooklyn, is known for campy works featuring women in provocative positions.

Some his portraits feature scantily clad woman, others are more dignified such as Nobel Prize-winning author Nadine Gordimer.







But the bare-breasted Bea Arthur piece, which the former “Maude” actress never actually sat for, was derided as misogynist by critics when it came out.

Some writers even urged art lovers to boycott Currin’s shows in the early 90s. But his work is now widely acclaimed and hangs in museums such as the Whitney.



A Christie’s spokesman called the painting “visually lasting.”

“It’s historically significant — it’s radical to sexualize someone people think of as asexual,” spokesman Koji Inoue said.

He added, “The painting has a visual toughness to it — but it’s also fun.”







“Bea Arthur Naked” first stirred controversy in 1991, when critics blasted it for being sexist and misogynistic.

Others argued it was actually a feminist statement about confidence and age.

The New Yorker described the series that includes the portrait as “acrid fantasy portraits of menopausal women.”

Christie’s Post-War and Contemporary art sale also featured paintings by Jackson Pollock and Roy Lichtenstein at 20 Rockefeller Center in Midtown.

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/bea_arthur_topless_painting_sells_Ghk83TDzFBO8kHWW0oPdSK

This is actually quite surprising... Wow... I don't really know what to say!

Jimmy Kimmel Revealed as Buyer of $1.9 Million Bea Arthur Nude Painting
5/24/2013
by Sophie Schillaci


The anonymous bidder that last week splurged a whopping $1.9 million on a nude portrait of Bea Arthur has been revealed as none other than Jimmy Kimmel.

Kimmel’s identity was revealed Friday when comedian Jeffrey Ross tweeted a photo of himself holding up the portrait with a caption that read “Biggest surprise of my life. Thank you @JimmyKimmel – the most generous guy in the world!”

Kimmel responded in kind by joking, “@RealJeffreyRoss Bea is watching over us, but especially you.”





John Currin’s 1991 nude made headline’s last week as one of the hot-ticket items in a record-breaking Christie’s auction that brought in a whopping $495 million for 70 lots on the block.

The work, titled 'Bea Arthur Naked', was sold at Christie’s Post-War and Contemporary Art Sale in New York City on Wednesday, May 15.



Until now, the identity of the secret bidder had not been revealed.

Reps for Kimmel and Ross did not immediately return The Hollywood Reporter’s request for comment.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/jimmy-kimmel-revealed-as-buyer-558410

I'm sorry but that picture does not look like Jimmy Kimmel at all.

I'm sorry but that picture does not look like Jimmy Kimmel at all.

"Kimmel’s identity was revealed Friday when comedian JEFFREY ROSS tweeted a photo of HIMSELF holding up the portrait"

I'm sorry but that picture does not look like Jimmy Kimmel at all.
That's because it's Jeffrey Ross, the friend to whom Jimmy Kimmel gave the painting.

Update:

The late night host denies purchasing the painting for comic Jeffrey Ross, who earlier tweeted a photo of himself with a replica of the work.

"Contrary to "news" reports, I didn't buy the Bea Arthur painting - not even for @realjeffreyross - but I did buy the Mona Lisa Lampanelli"

A rep for the ABC late night host tells The Hollywood Reporter the painting was a prop from "Jimmy Kimmel Live!".


The buyer's identity has not been revealed.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/comedian-jokes-jimmy-kimmel-bought-558410