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''Images of a Woman'' was painted over three nights in July 1966 in a [[Tokyo]] [[Hilton Hotel|Hilton]] suite where all four of the Beatles ([[John Lennon]], [[Paul McCartney]], [[George Harrison]] and [[Ringo Starr]]) were staying as part of their [[The Beatles' 1966 tour of Germany, Japan and the Philippines|tour of the Far East]]. The group had been placed in lockdown as a precaution by the Japanese authorities after [[death threats]] had been received. The Japanese tour promoter, Tats Nagashima, had painting materials brought in for the group to use. The band's tour photographer, [[Robert Whitaker (photographer)|Robert Whitaker]], was present and was amazed by how tranquil the band members seemed as they painted: "Absolutely the best period I ever witnessed among the Beatles", Whitaker said,<ref name="rough"/> adding that he "never saw them calmer, more contented than at this time... They'd stop, go and do a concert, and then it was 'Let's go back to the picture!'"<ref name="atlantic">{{cite web|url=https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2012/09/how-a-painting-by-the-beatles-ended-up-stashed-under-a-bed-for-20-years/262034/|title=How a Painting by the Beatles Ended Up Stashed Under a Bed for 20 Years|author=David Wolman|website=theatlantic.com|date=6 September 2012}}</ref>
''Images of a Woman'' was painted over three nights in July 1966 in a [[Tokyo]] [[Hilton Hotel|Hilton]] suite where all four of the Beatles ([[John Lennon]], [[Paul McCartney]], [[George Harrison]] and [[Ringo Starr]]) were staying as part of their [[The Beatles' 1966 tour of Germany, Japan and the Philippines|tour of the Far East]]. The group had been placed in lockdown as a precaution by the Japanese authorities after [[death threats]] had been received. The Japanese tour promoter, Tats Nagashima, had painting materials brought in for the group to use. The band's tour photographer, [[Robert Whitaker (photographer)|Robert Whitaker]], was present and was amazed by how tranquil the band members seemed as they painted: "Absolutely the best period I ever witnessed among the Beatles", Whitaker said,<ref name="rough"/> adding that he "never saw them calmer, more contented than at this time... They'd stop, go and do a concert, and then it was 'Let's go back to the picture!'"<ref name="atlantic">{{cite web|url=https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2012/09/how-a-painting-by-the-beatles-ended-up-stashed-under-a-bed-for-20-years/262034/|title=How a Painting by the Beatles Ended Up Stashed Under a Bed for 20 Years|author=David Wolman|website=theatlantic.com|date=6 September 2012}}</ref>


The resulting painting was given to a charity auction. It was originally bought by the Japanese Beatles fan club president, Tetsusaburo Shimoyama.<ref name="rough"/><ref name="encyclopedia"/> In the mid-1990s it was sold to an art dealer in Osaka for around $191,000, and re-appeared in 2002 on the website [[eBay]]. It was put up for sale by Philip Weiss Auctions in 2012,<ref name="business">{{cite web|url=http://www.businessinsider.com/the-beatles-painted-this-picture-while-they-were-holed-up-a-tokyo-hotel-2012-8?IR=T|title=The Beatles Painted This Picture While They Were Holed Up In A Tokyo Hotel|author=Julie Zeveloff|website=[[Business Insider]]|date=23 August 2012}}</ref> selling in New York City for $155,250.<ref name="rough"/><ref name="encyclopedia"/>
The resulting painting was given to a charity auction. It was originally bought by the Japanese Beatles fan club president, Tetsusaburo Shimoyama.<ref name="rough"/><ref name="encyclopedia"/> In the mid-1990s it was sold to an art dealer in Osaka for around $191,000, and re-appeared in 2002 on the website [[eBay]]. It was put up for sale by Philip Weiss Auctions in 2012,<ref name="business">{{cite web|url=http://www.businessinsider.com/the-beatles-painted-this-picture-while-they-were-holed-up-a-tokyo-hotel-2012-8?IR=T|title=The Beatles Painted This Picture While They Were Holed Up In A Tokyo Hotel|author=Julie Zeveloff|website=[[Business Insider]]|date=23 August 2012}}</ref> selling in New York City for $155,250.<ref name="rough"/><ref name="encyclopedia"/> The painting was auctioned again at [[Christie's]] in February 2024, where it sold for £1.4 million.<ref>'[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2024/02/04/beatles-painting-art-auction-images-woman-tokyo/ Fab draw: painting believed to be only artwork composed by all four Beatles sells for £1.4 million]', in ''The Daily Telegraph'', 4 February 2024</ref>


==Description==
==Description==

Revision as of 05:44, 5 February 2024

Images of a Woman
see description
ArtistThe Beatles (John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Ringo Starr)
Year1966
MediumOil and watercolour on paper
Dimensions76 cm × 100 cm (30 in × 40 in)
LocationNew York City, United States

Images of a Woman, also known as The Tokyo Painting, is an abstract painting by the 1960s pop group the Beatles.[1][2] It is believed to be the only painting produced collaboratively by the group.

History

Images of a Woman was painted over three nights in July 1966 in a Tokyo Hilton suite where all four of the Beatles (John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr) were staying as part of their tour of the Far East. The group had been placed in lockdown as a precaution by the Japanese authorities after death threats had been received. The Japanese tour promoter, Tats Nagashima, had painting materials brought in for the group to use. The band's tour photographer, Robert Whitaker, was present and was amazed by how tranquil the band members seemed as they painted: "Absolutely the best period I ever witnessed among the Beatles", Whitaker said,[1] adding that he "never saw them calmer, more contented than at this time... They'd stop, go and do a concert, and then it was 'Let's go back to the picture!'"[3]

The resulting painting was given to a charity auction. It was originally bought by the Japanese Beatles fan club president, Tetsusaburo Shimoyama.[1][2] In the mid-1990s it was sold to an art dealer in Osaka for around $191,000, and re-appeared in 2002 on the website eBay. It was put up for sale by Philip Weiss Auctions in 2012,[4] selling in New York City for $155,250.[1][2] The painting was auctioned again at Christie's in February 2024, where it sold for £1.4 million.[5]

Description

Each of the Beatles painted one corner of the 30 × 40 inch canvas.[4] Despite the painting's title, it does not feature any figurative depictions of a woman, consisting only of abstract designs painted using oil and watercolour against a brightly coloured background. A lamp left in the middle of the canvas left a blank circle when it was removed; the group used this space for their signatures.[1][2]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Ingham, Chris (2009). The Rough Guide to the Beatles. Rough Guides UK. p. 129. ISBN 978-1848367524.
  2. ^ a b c d Womack, Kenneth (2014). The Beatles Encyclopedia: Everything Fab Four [2 volumes]. ABC-CLIO. ISBN 978-0313391729.
  3. ^ David Wolman (6 September 2012). "How a Painting by the Beatles Ended Up Stashed Under a Bed for 20 Years". theatlantic.com.
  4. ^ a b Julie Zeveloff (23 August 2012). "The Beatles Painted This Picture While They Were Holed Up In A Tokyo Hotel". Business Insider.
  5. ^ 'Fab draw: painting believed to be only artwork composed by all four Beatles sells for £1.4 million', in The Daily Telegraph, 4 February 2024