My Fascination with Nudies: Collecting Nude Art
06.10.08 By Val Ubell
This picture is the one that started it. I was at an auction with my dear friend Bonnie. We had purchased a little glassware, some photos and such, but then they brought “HER” onto the stage, ready to auction off. She must have been tucked away somewhere because we had done an early viewing as usual. In any case, she came up and the auctioneer just called it an ‘old print.’ But she is much more than that. To me, she has an innocence, almost the look of Betty Boop, with a sweet face, tousled blonde hair and, of course, sensuous body. But it leaves a lot to the imagination as well. You know she is without clothing, but there is still a mystery about it.
I had to have her! Bonnie had a huge smile on her face because she knows that when I want something, I rarely back down. But luckily, the other bidder did not know that and I won her at a very reasonable price. I would have gone much higher if need be.
I have often wondered about her. Was she a professional model? Perhaps a starlet? Or the girlfriend of the photographer? Was this her first ‘photo shoot?’ Or are there many more pictures of her out there? Whatever the circumstances, she is at home now. She hangs proudly in our ‘deco room’ for all to enjoy!
While checking out an antique mall in southeastern Wisconsin, I picked up a copy of the Antique Week Newspaper. The issue made mention of an auction in California, at Michaan’s Auctions by the Bay. One of the items they’ll be selling is the Star Maiden sculpture, created by Alexander Stirling Calder. It is fantastic! It was created for the 1915 Panama-Pacific-International Exposition, and there were originally 94 versions of this sculpture. I learned that Audrey Marie Munson was the model Calder used. In fact, she posed for three-quarters of the statues used at the Expo. Munson began posing for sculptors in New York when she was just 15 years old! In 1916.
This incredible bronze sculptor, “Star Maiden”, is 54 inches tall, and estimated at a value of between $12,000 and $18,000. The auction is June 21st. I doubt that hubby would allow Bonnie and I to head to California; he knows my paddle power too well.
She moved to California and appeared in four silent films. The first was “Inspiration”, the story of a sculptor’s model, and it featured the first time that a woman appeared fully nude on film. It turns out that the censors were reluctant to ban the film, fearing they would also have to ban Renaissance art. Her films were a success in the box office but the reviews were polarized. Only a single print of one of her films, “Purity”, has survived.
But her story continues on! She moved back to New York in 1919 and lived with her mother in a boarding house owned by Dr. Walter Wilkins. Wilkins fell in love with her, murdering his wife, Julia, so he could be available to marry. However, Munson and her mother had already moved to Canada. The negative publicity generated by the case ended Munson’s career as a model and actress. Wilkins was tried, found guilty and sentenced to the electric chair. He hanged himself in the prison cell before the sentence could be carried out. In 1932 Munson was ordered into a psychiatric facility after showing signs of mental illness. She remained until her death 65 years later at the age of 104! (Credit is given to Wikipedia for this information.)
I found it to be a fascinating story and understand there is a book called “American Venus” with more on her life. I’ll be searching for a copy and perhaps you will too.
Related items currently available for sale
|
|
|
|
|
|
---
Article Tags: 1915 Panama Pacific International Exposition, Alexander Calder, Audrey Marie Munson, Bronze Art, sculpture, Star Maiden================
Gotta Collect? Then You Gotta Connect - Join our Collectors’ Community!
June 11th, 2008 at 10:09 am
Too-too cool for school!
Well, the crazy murder and sad insanity aren’t cool… But the article is