A photographic portrait of the late Benjamin Arnold Guppy, entitled 'Old Blue Eyes', went on display at The Tata Gallery of Modern Art in Sea View this weekend, much to the annoyance of his widow, Patricia Enid Guppy, who has been campaigning tirelessly to prevent the work from going on show. The portrait was commissioned by Mrs Guppy shortly before her husband's untimely demise and was intended as a wedding anniversary present.
'I wanted something to give to my dear Benny, as a token of my undying love,' Mrs Guppy explained, when interviewed by a reporter from The Sea View Mercurial, 'and entrusted the task of truly capturing his likeness to Andy Woolhol. When Mr Woolhol unveiled the work to me, well... just look at it, it's a monstrosity.'
Andy Woolhol, a local artist, has defended the portrait, claiming that he was engaged to record Mr Guppy's true character.
'I was asked to depict more than a simple likeness,' Mr Woolhol said, 'I was asked to depict the inner man. I believe that I have done that.'
Ivor Goodeye, owner of The Tata Gallery, has been inundated with letters claiming to have been written by friends of Mrs Guppy, demanding that the portrait be returned to her.
'When the work was completed, Mrs Guppy insisted she wouldn't pay for it, so I took it on,' Mr Goodeye explained, 'so the portrait doesn't belong to her. The letters, all posted locally, are supposedly from friends of the widow, but the handwriting is curiously similar in all six hundred and seventy-four of them. And they all smell of tripe.'
When asked what would become of the portrait following the close of the current show, Mr Goodeye said that he has already received numerous offers for it but is not planning to sell just yet.
'It will be auctioned at some point in the future,' Mr Goodeye said, 'and there has been a huge amount of interest already, but for the moment it will remain at The Tata until summer and then go on a national tour.'
Mrs Guppy, speaking on Radio Sea View this morning, said that she will not give up her fight to reclaim the portrait.
'I have the support of the Chief Superintendent of Sea View Constabulary,' Mrs Guppy said, 'and Mr Tony Blair, ex-President Bush, and every member of the Royal Household.'
Mr Goodeye insists that he is unwilling to reveal the identities of those interested in purchasing the portrait, but has confirmed that Her Majesty The Queen isn't among them.
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