The Naked Truth

One of the great ailments of Ireland is that 67% of the population have never been completely naked  JP Donleavy.

Up to the big city today for a bit of culture. We wanted to see the exhibition The Naked Truth  at the Crawford Art Gallery which explores the nude in Irish art - something most people didn't think existed. It does and it's alive and very well. We were treated to examples from the Medieval (sile na gig) to the 18C ( a lady flashing her bottom) to 21C photography ( I really liked a subversive take on Susanna and the Elders, Susanna doing the looking sitting Christine Keeler style on a chair) and paintings (including a very fetching nude chap in front of a giraffe). 

What I really wanted to see though was the huge and intriguing painting by William Orpen called the Holy Well. It is extraordinary - everyone is nude  or taking their clothes off, a complicated image reflecting what was happening in Ireland in 1916 apparently. What is even more exciting about this painting is it was painted by the grandfather of Arachne's partner, see another compelling example here.  

And what was even more extraordinary - Himself was in the exhibition!! 10 years ago he answered the call by the artist Spencer Tunick to go to Blarney Castle and strip off all in the name of art! 1000 people turned up at around 4am on a fresh June morning - each was given two roses and posed - see here  The men were then gathered and asked to go in the river. Himself lurked at the back and to his horror he was summoned forward! By this time everyone was freezing and they had to rush back to find their clothes before the castle opened to visitors at 9am! A memorable experience. Sadly I was teaching on that day. The chap in my image is looking intently at the end result! Fortunately Himself's modesty is intact due to the person in front of him. 

You're going to ask me about the nude woman and I can't remember who it was by but that is the artist herself.

And I suspect the quote by JP Donleavy is no longer true.