The decoration is based on the various paintings of Adam and Eve succumbing to the Forbidden Fruit in the Garden of Eden, as depicted by the 16th century painter, Lucas Cranach the Elder.
The most remarkable thing about Cranach's paintings involving nudes is the extraordinarily convenient way in which foliage grew at the time: puting forth leaf and bud at just the right moment and in just the right position to prevent unnecessary embarrassment...
A recent exhibition of Cranach's paintings at London's Royal Academy caused a bit a furore on the tubes when Transport for London took exception to a poster based on Cranach's Venus: a foxy lass 'dressed' in a piece of whispy gauze (I was reminded of Pete and Dud's famous conversation in the art gallery) and a string of pearls...
A TFL spokesperson said: "Millions of people travel on the London Underground each day and they have no choice but to view whatever adverts are posted there. We have to take account of the full range of travellers and endeavour not to cause offence in the advertising we display."
That's pretty astonishing when you think about it: a 500 year old woman managing to shock and offend our liberal 21st century !
London Underground advertising is currently vetted by a firm called CBS Outdoor and the hapless Venus fell foul of the guideline that advertising should not "depict men, women or children in a sexual manner, or display nude or semi-nude figures in an overtly sexual context".
Hmmmm...
So what's this chap doing, hanging around Bond Street Station?
Obviously - if the warning sign is to be believed - he's a slippery customer...
Images: Cranach exhibition pictures from Daylife; Dolce-and-Gabbana-man by Brian Sibley.
8 comments:
Did the slippery floor notice go up after the poster had been their awhile ? Why can't people control themselves ? He's not that good looking....unless of course, (as Esther used to say) you know different...
Craftier & craftier! What other convoluted roads will you lead us down in order to present us with a scantily clad man! Keep it up!
He can slip on my floor anytime!
BOLL - Don't be so naive - I moved the 'Slippery Floor' warning into that position just for the photograph! ;-)
SUZANNE and LISAH - Hussies!!
The unemployed philosopher's guild has an even cheekier take on fig leaf placement with this mug:
http://www.philosophersguild.com/index.lasso?page_mode=Product_Detail&cat=mugs&skip=0&item=0965
PHIL - Now that is shocking!! ;-)
Here's a clickable link to Phil's discovery!
I was given a mug similar to that from the office 'Santa Sack' one Christmas (can't think why).
In this case it was a rather excited young man, wearing mesh briefs. Eventually it didn't need hot water and the model was in a permanent state of animation. I had to throw the mug out - in case my mother caught sight of it and had an attack of the vapours.
But she wouldn't have had the vapours if you'd just given her a mug of her own! ;-)
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