Lot 29

The Artist
Private collection, Sydney

Lewis Morley, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, 6 July - 10 September 2006 (another impression)
Lewis Morley: A Corridor of Keelers, Maitland Regional Art Gallery, 9 December 2011 - 22 January 2012 (another impression)

Morley, L.,I to Eye, T & G Publishing, Sydney, 2011, pp. 14, 20, 28 (illustrated p. 14, another impression)
Affinities, Macquarie University Art Gallery, Sydney, 2014, pp. 38, 39 (illustrated p. 39, another impression)

The photograph of model Christine Keeler posing naked astride an Arne Jacobson chair is one of the most iconic images of the 1960s. Taken at the height of her public attention surrounding the teenage affair of Keeler and John Profumo, the then Secretary of State for War. Shortly after 'The Profumo Affair' had been exposed to the papers, Christine Keeler went to Lewis Morley's studio with a production company wanting to turn the scandal into a film and required some publicity photographs.
During the session, three rolls of 120 film were shot. The first two rolls had Christine sitting in various positions on the chair, wearing a small leather jacket. At this point the film producers were in attendance and were persistent on the model being photographed nude, Christine was distressed and reluctant to do so. Sensing the tension in the room, Lewis Morley suggested that everyone, including his assistant, leave the studio. To make her feel at ease, the photographer turned away for Keeler to disrobe and sitting back to front on the studio chair so that she was not left completely exposed. The last 120 film roll was shot in 5 minutes and it was this that became of the most famous shoots for both Morley and Keeler.

Hannah Ryan
Art Specialist

RELATED WORK:
Lewis Morley, Christine Keeler 1963 (printed later), contact sheet, gelatin silver photograph, 20 x 29cm, The Collection of the Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney.