The Naked Ladies
Encyclopedia
The Naked Ladies are a statue complex on a rockery
and water cascade in the gardens of York House, Twickenham
, Middlesex
, England. The larger than human size statues depict eight Oceanids and a pair of aquatic horses. They were carved in the fin de siècle
style from white Carrara marble and probably came from Italy in the late nineteenth century or very early twentieth century. Originally they were part of a larger set of statues that was subdivided after the suicide of the original purchaser.
After a somewhat unpromising start, they were installed in their current location without the benefit of the original design for their display. The Ladies then spent several years as the backdrop for some of London's grandest garden parties. They subsequently passed by default into public ownership, and suffered various indignities but have been restored and remain to this day on view in the corner of a municipal garden.
. They are of a monumental scale with several of the individual blocks weighing over 5 long tons (5.1 t).
The sculptures were acquired during the disposal of the property of the original owner after his death. Due to the unusual circumstances of their acquisition they had become separated from any instructions as to their intended layout, and also from at least one other group of statues in what was originally intended to be a larger statue complex or complexes.
The rockery was designed and the whole complex installed by the British company of J Cheal & Sons who had to make their own interpretation as to the intended layout of the statues. Though they were able to incorporate all the statues into one tableaux, their interpretation of the sculptors intended design has led to comments about the unusual poses of some of the statues, especially when viewed from the side.
Originally some of the ladies were holding pearls, but much of this detail has now been lost. There have been various theories as to the intended subject matter, with Pearl Fishers, Pegasus
, Naiads and the birth of Venus
all having been suggested in addition to the usual attribution as Oceanides. For want of anything more official, they have become known as The Naked Ladies.
The complex is in the gardens of York House by the banks of the River Thames
. The gardens have been laid out in an Italian style, to give unrestricted frontal views of the statue complex from the entire width of the gardens. The statues are set in a rockery behind a pond, with trees and security fencing restricting side and rear views.
, who committed suicide by ingestion of a cyanide capsule upon being convicted of fraud. It is not certain where he acquired the statues, or who carved them. After his death much of his collection was sold from Witley Park
, including the Naked Ladies and also some mounted nymphs of a similar style, which went to Beale Park
; one of the latter bore the mark "O SPALMACH, STUDIO O ANDREONI, ROMA." identifying the studio of the Roman sculptor Orazio Andreoni, so it is possible that they were all sculpted there by O. Spalmach.
Sir Ratan was for several years a noted host for London High Society, with King George V
among the guests at his garden parties.
in 1924 when they purchased York House for their new town hall. The statues had been left behind by the previous owners, as they had been unable to find a buyer despite putting them up for auction.
during the Second World War, there was concern that moonlight reflecting on the statues would give a navigation mark to the Luftwaffe
. So as part of London's Blackout
measures the statues were covered with a "grey sludge".
, but the town hall remains at York House and the gardens continue to be open to the public. The statues have gone through at least one major restoration to remove graffiti and the wartime grey cement, and reverse the effects of vandalism by replacing lost fingers, pearls and even a hoof.
Rock Garden
The Rock Garden or Rock Garden of Chandigarh is a Sculpture garden in Chandigarh, India, also known as Nek Chand's Rock Garden after its founder Nek Chand, a government official who started the garden secretly in his spare time in 1957. Today it is spread over an area of forty-acres , it is...
and water cascade in the gardens of York House, Twickenham
York House, Twickenham
York House is an historic stately home in Twickenham, England, and currently serves as the Town Hall of the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames...
, Middlesex
Middlesex
Middlesex is one of the historic counties of England and the second smallest by area. The low-lying county contained the wealthy and politically independent City of London on its southern boundary and was dominated by it from a very early time...
, England. The larger than human size statues depict eight Oceanids and a pair of aquatic horses. They were carved in the fin de siècle
Fin de siècle
Fin de siècle is French for "end of the century". The term sometimes encompasses both the closing and onset of an era, as it was felt to be a period of degeneration, but at the same time a period of hope for a new beginning...
style from white Carrara marble and probably came from Italy in the late nineteenth century or very early twentieth century. Originally they were part of a larger set of statues that was subdivided after the suicide of the original purchaser.
After a somewhat unpromising start, they were installed in their current location without the benefit of the original design for their display. The Ladies then spent several years as the backdrop for some of London's grandest garden parties. They subsequently passed by default into public ownership, and suffered various indignities but have been restored and remain to this day on view in the corner of a municipal garden.
Design
The statues are of Italian design, and come from CarraraCarrara
Carrara is a city and comune in the province of Massa-Carrara , notable for the white or blue-grey marble quarried there. It is on the Carrione River, some west-northwest of Florence....
. They are of a monumental scale with several of the individual blocks weighing over 5 long tons (5.1 t).
The sculptures were acquired during the disposal of the property of the original owner after his death. Due to the unusual circumstances of their acquisition they had become separated from any instructions as to their intended layout, and also from at least one other group of statues in what was originally intended to be a larger statue complex or complexes.
The rockery was designed and the whole complex installed by the British company of J Cheal & Sons who had to make their own interpretation as to the intended layout of the statues. Though they were able to incorporate all the statues into one tableaux, their interpretation of the sculptors intended design has led to comments about the unusual poses of some of the statues, especially when viewed from the side.
Originally some of the ladies were holding pearls, but much of this detail has now been lost. There have been various theories as to the intended subject matter, with Pearl Fishers, Pegasus
Pegasus
Pegasus is one of the best known fantastical as well as mythological creatures in Greek mythology. He is a winged divine horse, usually white in color. He was sired by Poseidon, in his role as horse-god, and foaled by the Gorgon Medusa. He was the brother of Chrysaor, born at a single birthing...
, Naiads and the birth of Venus
The Birth of Venus (Botticelli)
The Birth of Venus is a painting by Sandro Botticelli. It depicts the goddess Venus, having emerged from the sea as a fully grown woman, arriving at the sea-shore...
all having been suggested in addition to the usual attribution as Oceanides. For want of anything more official, they have become known as The Naked Ladies.
Setting
River Thames
The River Thames flows through southern England. It is the longest river entirely in England and the second longest in the United Kingdom. While it is best known because its lower reaches flow through central London, the river flows alongside several other towns and cities, including Oxford,...
. The gardens have been laid out in an Italian style, to give unrestricted frontal views of the statue complex from the entire width of the gardens. The statues are set in a rockery behind a pond, with trees and security fencing restricting side and rear views.
Whitaker Wright
The statues were amongst the property of the celebrated fraudster Whitaker WrightWhitaker Wright
James Whitaker Wright was an exceptionally wealthy English mining company owner. He became infamous when he committed suicide at the Royal Courts of Justice in London immediately following his conviction for fraud....
, who committed suicide by ingestion of a cyanide capsule upon being convicted of fraud. It is not certain where he acquired the statues, or who carved them. After his death much of his collection was sold from Witley Park
Witley Park
Witley Park was a 19th-century house and estate in Surrey, near Haslemere.The estate was developed in 1890 by the fabulously wealthy J. Whitaker Wright, as part of extensive land – approximately – he purchased in the Haslemere and Hindhead area....
, including the Naked Ladies and also some mounted nymphs of a similar style, which went to Beale Park
Beale Park
Beale Wildlife Park and Gardens is situated by the River Thames, between the villages of Pangbourne and Lower Basildon in Berkshire, England. It has three main areas of attraction: collections of small exotic animals, farm animals and birds; landscaped gardens and woodlands; and children's play...
; one of the latter bore the mark "O SPALMACH, STUDIO O ANDREONI, ROMA." identifying the studio of the Roman sculptor Orazio Andreoni, so it is possible that they were all sculpted there by O. Spalmach.
Sir Ratan Tata
The statues were acquired from Witley Park and brought to their current location by Sir Ratanji Dadabhoy Tata. Sir Ratan had bought York House from the duc d'Orléans in 1906, and by the end of 1909 he had had the Riverside gardens redesigned in the Italian style and the statues installed.Sir Ratan was for several years a noted host for London High Society, with King George V
George V of the United Kingdom
George V was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 through the First World War until his death in 1936....
among the guests at his garden parties.
Twickenham Council
The Statues came into the de facto possession of Twickenham CouncilMunicipal Borough of Twickenham
Twickenham was a local government district in Middlesex, England from 1868 to 1965.Twickenham Local Government District was formed in 1868, when the civil parish of Twickenham adopted the Local Government Act 1858. The district was governed by a local board of 27 members.The Local Government Act...
in 1924 when they purchased York House for their new town hall. The statues had been left behind by the previous owners, as they had been unable to find a buyer despite putting them up for auction.
Hiding the statues in the Blitz
In the BlitzThe Blitz
The Blitz was the sustained strategic bombing of Britain by Nazi Germany between 7 September 1940 and 10 May 1941, during the Second World War. The city of London was bombed by the Luftwaffe for 76 consecutive nights and many towns and cities across the country followed...
during the Second World War, there was concern that moonlight reflecting on the statues would give a navigation mark to the Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956....
. So as part of London's Blackout
Blackout (wartime)
A blackout during war, or apprehended war, is the practice of collectively minimizing outdoor light, including upwardly directed light. This was done in the 20th century to prevent crews of enemy aircraft from being able to navigate to their targets simply by sight, for example during the London...
measures the statues were covered with a "grey sludge".
Modern times
As a result of local government reorganisation in the 1960s Twickenham became part of the London Borough of Richmond upon ThamesLondon Borough of Richmond upon Thames
The London Borough of Richmond upon Thames is a London borough in South West London, UK, which forms part of Outer London. It is unique because it is the only London borough situated both north and south of the River Thames.-Settlement:...
, but the town hall remains at York House and the gardens continue to be open to the public. The statues have gone through at least one major restoration to remove graffiti and the wartime grey cement, and reverse the effects of vandalism by replacing lost fingers, pearls and even a hoof.