‘Portrait of Lord Leverhulme’, by Augustus John
There are several portraits of William Hesketh Lever (1851-1925) in the Lady Lever Art Gallery. This one by Augustus John is the most unusual and intriguing of them all. Although Lever commissioned John to paint the picture and must have been familiar with the artist’s style he was dissatisfied with the end result.
In fact, Lever was so unhappy with the finished work that he hid ‘the face’ from public view. His treatment of the picture and John’s response set-up a heated conversation in the press about the rights of the artist in contrast to the rights of the owner. The whole episode reveals much about the artist and patron relationship.
Read the full story on the website
Free Gallery Talks Tuesday 6 and Tuesday 20 September, 1pm, Main Hall