God save the Queen

[Gob]

A painting of the Queen by Australian artist Ralph Heimans has been defaced in Westminster Abbey.



The stunning portrait titled The Coronation Theatre, Westminster Abbey: A Portrait of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II was completed last year and presented as part of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee celebrations.

The BBC reported late Thursday night that a spokesman for the abbey said the portrait was defaced with spray paint about lunchtime at Chapter House.



''Until work can be done to remedy the damage it will, very regrettably, not be possible to have the painting on public view,'' the spokesman said.

A 41-year-old man had been reportedly arrested on suspicion of criminal damage.

The painting was shown publicly for the first time in September last year by Governor-General Quentin Bryce at the National Portrait Gallery in Canberra.

It was moved to London and put on display in the abbey last month.

While at the National Portrait Gallery, the painting proved a hit, rapidly becoming the most viewed piece. About 100,000 people saw the portrait before it was shipped off to England and it also became the most asked after portrait at the gallery and the most commented upon work, gallery spokesman Tim Langford said in February.

When the portrait was unveiled, Heimans said that he had wanted to depart from other royal portraits by creating a clear sense of emotion in the work.

''I was the only artist granted a sitting in the diamond jubilee year, which I think must say something about the Queen's fondness for Australia,'' the Sydney-born artist said.

''I think the fact it was a submission from Australia had a lot to do with the acceptance of the proposal.

''We [the Queen and I] spoke about Australia and how the painting would be on display here in the National Portrait Gallery.

''I spoke about my concept for the painting and I explained to her where she would be standing and the reason and she was well aware of the significance of it.''

Read more: http://www.canberratimes.com.au/act-new ... z2W99N67Kh

We went to see this at the National Portrait Gallery, it is magnificent.

If I ever meet the guy who spray painted it I'll fucking spray paint him.

[MajGenl.Meade]

If I ever meet the guy who spray painted it I'll f***ing spray paint him

Just make sure you get that round the right way.

[Gob]

another one of these wankers...

A protester has been arrested after gluing a photograph to a John Constable masterpiece in the National Gallery.

The man, thought to be linked to Fathers4Justice, stuck a photograph of a young boy to the 1821 painting The Hay Wain at the gallery in Trafalgar Square.

He was arrested in the gallery and is now in custody, Scotland Yard said.

The attack did no lasting damage to the work of art, a gallery spokeswoman said. The painting is back on display.

She added: "Conservation staff were on the scene very rapidly and the painting was removed for treatment.

"No damage to Constable's original paint occurred and there is no lasting damage to the painting."

The spokeswoman praised "the prompt action and quick thinking" of staff who intervened before any more lasting damage could be done.

Constable's world-famous oil painting shows an idyllic rural scene with a cart in the River Stour in Suffolk.

It comes as Fathers4Justice said it was abandoning its five-year "attempted engagement with the political establishment".

The protest group said on Friday it was refusing to engage with the government, police, courts, the judiciary or any other organisations involved in family law.

It also says it is refusing to deal with the national media because of its "deliberately inaccurate and misleading reporting of the campaign".

The National Gallery incident coincided with a Fathers4Justice campaigner appearing in court accused of vandalising a portrait of the Queen in Westminster Abbey.

Tim Haries, 41, from Doncaster in South Yorkshire, appeared at Southwark Crown Court in London charged with criminal damage to the Ralph Heimans canvas, which was daubed with spray paint on 13 June.

Just e-mailed them; (NSFW)

Supporting your cause:

You'll get none from me you bunch of self-centered art wrecking cunts!!

The Haywain? You fuckwitted cretins!!!

Fuck you and all you stand for.

Sincerely,

[Lord Jim]

Being unfamiliar with "Fathers4Justice" I checked out their website:

http://www.fathers-4-justice.org/

It seems as though, unlike many groups, they have a very legitimate gripe and worthy cause...

How on earth they managed to work out that defacing important pieces of art would gain public support or help to advance the cause of fathers seeking equal parental rights in divorce situations is utterly beyond me....

[Crackpot]

I think it is because like so many reasonably worthy causes they have extremist assholes leading them.

[Sean]

They were better off climbing Tower Bridge dressed as Batman...

[Gob]

Only cos you that gave you plenty of time to pick them off with a rifle.