The Spirit of Brighton

[klwilliams]

Here, for your viewing pleasure, is "H.R.H. The Prince Regent Awakening the Spirit of Brighton" (painted by Rex Whistler in 1944 whilst the artist was billeted in the town). Note his eye. It may haunt you for a while.

Comments

[maryosmanski.livejournal.com]

Two thoughts:

1. I wonder if he posed for this?

2. What an unfortunate thing to contemplate less than a week from the current Prince of Wales getting remarried.

[cvirtue.livejournal.com]

Oh. My. How, um, memorable.

I don't know about you, but if I'm being awakened, I'd rather someone hold my hand than unclothe me.

[christymarx.livejournal.com]

Ewwwwww. Seriously ewwwwww.

Posed?

[metageek.livejournal.com]

No, he didn't pose for it--the Prince Regent who made Brighton popular was George IV. In 1944, he would have been even less attractive than it this picture.

[galeni.livejournal.com]

How cool! (Did I mention I'm a history major?) The order of the garter and the slippers and the sash making it clear it's Prinny, some avoirdupois to make him look better than usual (typical for allegories) yet still recognizable, and a perfect woman, probably I'd guess the artist's favorite. (Mrs. FitzHerbert didn't look like that, and people would have recognized her.)

Thank you!

[windrose.livejournal.com]

Oh my. o.O

Re: Posed?

[maryosmanski.livejournal.com]

Oops. I saw the subject line and went straight to the picture without reading the post itself, so I didn't see the date it was painted.

I'm really not an ignoramus about British history. Really.

Re: Posed?

[metageek.livejournal.com]

Heh. Meanwhile, I forgot that there's been only one Prince Regent (as opposed to Prince of Wales), so the way I phrased it indicated ignorance on my part. (Knowing that George IV made Brighton popular doesn't count; that's trivia.)

[klwilliams.livejournal.com]

If this makes him look better than usual, I'd hate to see what he really looked like (especially unclothed as he is).

[mevennen.livejournal.com]

Ah, you found it!

I always think she looks as though she's sayinG to herself: "Must not open eyes! MUST NOT OPEN EYES!!!"