This finalist entry in the Archibald Prize competition this year has my vote. But I am not quite sure whether Bishop Elliott is qualified to canonise his cat, even if he believes her qualified for the recognition! Yi Wang, the artist, is, I understand, one of the Bishop’s parishioners.
Bishop Elliott and Lady Jacqueline, by Yi Wang Archibald Prize 2010 Courtesy of The Art Gallery of New South Wales
Maybe this painting was the inspiration? HT to a Dominican reader.
I propose that
1) We replace the absentee monarch of Australia (who is also the Monarch of Great Britain) with an elected Australian monarchy.
2) The elected monarch exactly replaces the current monarch in the current constition.
3) The elected monarch has exactly the same powers, duties and responsibilities as those of the current absentee monarch. All the monarch's functions are carried out by his/her personal representatives (as is currently the case): federally by the Governor General, and in the states by the State Governors.
4) The Governor General and the Governors continue to be selected and appointed as they currently are, that is, by the premier with the approval of the monarch.
5) The monarch is elected to sovereignty over Australia for life, but his/her sovereignty is strictly non-hereditary.
6) The elective body is the "college of electors" comprised of the state governors and federal governor general.
7) The election of the monarch must be a unanimous decision on the part of the college of electors.
Great painting!
The painting was the basis of great album cover art on the Muddy Waters classic “Fathers and Sons”.
Some back story:
Jacqueline belonged first to another priest, let’s call him Fr X, who named “him” Jack – the cat’s true gender wasn’t identified till she was given to then-Mgr Elliott when Fr X moved from a parish to working at the seminary, and had to give up having a pet cat; as the housekeeper testily observed, Only a priest wouldn’t know the sex of a cat!
According to Elliott, Jacqueline (one suspects the implied surname is Kennedy) is very much the boss: he may be a prelate, indeed Most Reverend, but she’s the cat and therefore to be revered!
Isn’t it a bit cruel to depict Elliott giving Jacqueline an electric shock?!
Joshua whatever do you mean an electric shock? dont you know what halo looks like?
Goodness me not only Priest doesnt know cat gender, poster Joshua doesnt know what cat haloes look like (lol)
Anne
Ah, so person haloes go over the head, but cat haloes go over, um, the other end. Right, got it!
Iconography – doncha just love it?
Pere I am surprised that you didnt know that cat haloes on the opposite end.
Here was I thinking you are so brainy..tut tut tut my lovely friend.
Remember cat holoes…butt
Anne
I think Josh was joking, Anne!
so was I David
Anne
Yes, I quite like the painting, it is a good character portrait, not surprising that the artists knows the subject well, but the halo only makes it look a bit gimmicky, imo.
David, btw, you have a typo in your post title: “Archbibald”; and yes, “artists” should be singular in my comment.
Another Catholic artist is in the running too! Should be interesting.
Well, I can’t say I think much of the winner. It looks like something a gifted high-school student might paint, and achieves a good likeness, but it hardly looks like a prize winner. The treatment of the subject’s jeans and top, for e.g., doesn’t have the subtlety and mastery of chiaroscuro that Yang’s portrait displays.
I wonder if the Archibald is judged these days on artistic merit or topicality, given that the subject of the winning portrait, Tim Minchin, is a well-known rationalist sceptic who originally suggested to the artist that he be painted as Christ on a perspex cross? Does anyone know if the judges publish a rationale for their decision?