The Fallen Madonna
Encyclopedia
The Fallen Madonna
, usually referred to as The Fallen Madonna with the Big Boobies
by the fictional painter Van Klomp ("Klomp" is Dutch
for clogs
) was a portrait of a bare breasted woman which provided a recurring theme
of the long-running BBC One
television comedy
series 'Allo 'Allo!
(1982–92), written by David Croft and Jeremy Lloyd
. The first episode of the first series
of 'Allo 'Allo! (1984) was entitled The Fallen Madonna. In an earlier pilot the painting was referred to as the "reclining" Madonna.
. Its focus was a café in the town square run by René Artois
(played by Gorden Kaye
). There were sustained attempts by the occupiers to appropriate the Fallen Madonna, a local treasure, to provide a "nest egg" after the war. Among those who coveted it were the local German commandant Colonel Kurt Von Strohm (Richard Marner
) and the Führer
Adolf Hitler
himself on whose behalf Herr Otto Flick
(Richard Gibson
) of the Gestapo
was instructed to secure it (but, of course, also wanted it for himself).
The painting was seen and hidden in various guises; it was often secreted, with suggestive possibilities, in a long knackwurst
sausage. Forgeries were also in evidence.
and Monsieur LeClerc
, which were naturally hidden in knockwurst sausages in René's kitchen. The forgeries were subsequently destroyed in various ways (burned, blown up, minced, eaten by a dog, etc.).
Following his assistance with an event connected with the programme, the BBC presented the 6th Marquess of Bath
with a specially commissioned copy of the Fallen Madonna which was hung alongside Old Master
s in Bath's ancestral home, Longleat
, although her boobies have been reported to be significantly smaller than those of "The Fallen Madonna with the Big Boobies" by Van Klomp.
Madonna (art)
Images of the Madonna and the Madonna and Child or Virgin and Child are pictorial or sculptured representations of Mary, Mother of Jesus, either alone, or more frequently, with the infant Jesus. These images are central icons of Roman Catholicism and Eastern Orthodox Christianity where Mary remains...
, usually referred to as The Fallen Madonna with the Big Boobies
Breast
The breast is the upper ventral region of the torso of a primate, in left and right sides, which in a female contains the mammary gland that secretes milk used to feed infants.Both men and women develop breasts from the same embryological tissues...
by the fictional painter Van Klomp ("Klomp" is Dutch
Dutch language
Dutch is a West Germanic language and the native language of the majority of the population of the Netherlands, Belgium, and Suriname, the three member states of the Dutch Language Union. Most speakers live in the European Union, where it is a first language for about 23 million and a second...
for clogs
Clog (shoe)
A clog is a type of footwear made in part or completely from wood.The Oxford English Dictionary defines a clog as a "thick piece of wood", and later as a "wooden soled overshoe" and a "shoe with a thick wooden sole"....
) was a portrait of a bare breasted woman which provided a recurring theme
Plot device
A plot device is an object or character in a story whose sole purpose is to advance the plot of the story, or alternatively to overcome some difficulty in the plot....
of the long-running BBC One
BBC One
BBC One is the flagship television channel of the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It was launched on 2 November 1936 as the BBC Television Service, and was the world's first regular television service with a high level of image resolution...
television comedy
Situation comedy
A situation comedy, often shortened to sitcom, is a genre of comedy that features characters sharing the same common environment, such as a home or workplace, accompanied with jokes as part of the dialogue...
series 'Allo 'Allo!
'Allo 'Allo!
'Allo 'Allo! is a British sitcom broadcast on BBC One from 1982 to 1992 comprising eighty-five episodes. It is a parody of another BBC programme, the wartime drama Secret Army, and was created by David Croft, who also wrote the theme music, and Jeremy Lloyd. Lloyd and Croft wrote the first 6...
(1982–92), written by David Croft and Jeremy Lloyd
Jeremy Lloyd
Jeremy Lloyd is an English writer, screenwriter, author and actor, best known as co-author and writer of several successful British sitcoms.-Career:...
. The first episode of the first series
'Allo 'Allo! (series 1)
This article contains episode summaries for the pilot and first series of the British Sitcom series 'Allo 'Allo!The pilot originally aired on 30 December 1982...
of 'Allo 'Allo! (1984) was entitled The Fallen Madonna. In an earlier pilot the painting was referred to as the "reclining" Madonna.
Recurring theme in 'Allo 'Allo!
Allo 'Allo! was set in the fictional French town of Nouvion during the German occupation of the Second World WarWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Its focus was a café in the town square run by René Artois
René François Artois
René François Artois is a fictional character, the main character in the BBC sitcom Allo 'Allo!, which ran from 1982 to 1992. The character was played by the actor Gorden Kaye...
(played by Gorden Kaye
Gorden Kaye
Gorden Kaye is a BAFTA-nominated English comic actor, best known for playing René Artois in the British TV comedy Allo 'Allo!.-Early life:...
). There were sustained attempts by the occupiers to appropriate the Fallen Madonna, a local treasure, to provide a "nest egg" after the war. Among those who coveted it were the local German commandant Colonel Kurt Von Strohm (Richard Marner
Richard Marner
Richard Marner, born Alexander Molchanoff was a Russian-born British actor. He was probably best known for his role as Colonel Kurt Von Strohm in the British sitcom Allo 'Allo!.-Early life:...
) and the Führer
Führer
Führer , alternatively spelled Fuehrer in both English and German when the umlaut is not available, is a German title meaning leader or guide now most associated with Adolf Hitler, who modelled it on Benito Mussolini's title il Duce, as well as with Georg von Schönerer, whose followers also...
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
himself on whose behalf Herr Otto Flick
Herr Otto Flick
Herr Otto Flick is a fictional character in the BBC sitcom Allo 'Allo!, which ran from 1982 to 1992. He was played by the actors Richard Gibson and David Janson...
(Richard Gibson
Richard Gibson
Richard Gibson is an English actor, probably best known for his role as the archetypal Gestapo Officer Herr Otto Flick in the BBC hit sitcom series, Allo 'Allo!.-Career:...
) of the Gestapo
Gestapo
The Gestapo was the official secret police of Nazi Germany. Beginning on 20 April 1934, it was under the administration of the SS leader Heinrich Himmler in his position as Chief of German Police...
was instructed to secure it (but, of course, also wanted it for himself).
The painting was seen and hidden in various guises; it was often secreted, with suggestive possibilities, in a long knackwurst
Knackwurst
Knackwurst may refer to a variety of different sausage types, depending on the geographical region.In America, Knackwurst may refer to a short, plump sausage originating from the Holstein region in Germany. They contain ground veal, ground pork, and fresh garlic stuffed into hog casings. The...
sausage. Forgeries were also in evidence.
Forgeries and destructions
An incredible number of forgeries of the Fallen Madonna were made, mostly by Lieutenant GruberLieutenant Hubert Gruber
Lieutenant Hubert Gruber, generally known only as Lieutenant Gruber, is a fictional character from the British sitcom series Allo 'Allo! and is portrayed by Guy Siner.Gruber is the aide-de-camp to General Von Klinkerhoffen, and lives in the local château...
and Monsieur LeClerc
Monsieur Ernest LeClerc
Monsieur Ernest "Dipstick" LeClerc is a fictional character in the BBC sitcom Allo 'Allo!, which ran from 1982 to 1992.LeClerc arrived in Nouvion after his twin brother Roger visited him in prison and they decided to swap places, because Roger claimed that the food there was better than that of...
, which were naturally hidden in knockwurst sausages in René's kitchen. The forgeries were subsequently destroyed in various ways (burned, blown up, minced, eaten by a dog, etc.).
Lord Bath
Henry Thynne, 6th Marquess of Bath
Henry Frederick Thynne, 6th Marquess of Bath JP , styled Lord Henry Thynne until 1916 and Viscount Weymouth between 1916 and 1946, was a British politician, aristocrat and landowner.-Background and education:...
with a specially commissioned copy of the Fallen Madonna which was hung alongside Old Master
Old Master
"Old Master" is a term for a European painter of skill who worked before about 1800, or a painting by such an artist. An "old master print" is an original print made by an artist in the same period...
s in Bath's ancestral home, Longleat
Longleat
Longleat is an English stately home, currently the seat of the Marquesses of Bath, adjacent to the village of Horningsham and near the towns of Warminster in Wiltshire and Frome in Somerset. It is noted for its Elizabethan country house, maze, landscaped parkland and safari park. The house is set...
, although her boobies have been reported to be significantly smaller than those of "The Fallen Madonna with the Big Boobies" by Van Klomp.