The National Portrait Gallery in London has purchased a self-portrait by the highly regarded British artist Craigie Aitchison that is covered with slash marks put there by the artist himself, the BBC reported. Mr. Ferguson, defaced the painting, which dates from the late 1950s or early '60s, in response to a comment that called it “flattering,†and said he would only permit its restoration if the marks were kept visible. He kept the painting until his death in 2009.
“Craigie Aitchison was a highly distinctive artist whose singular vision was rooted in an acute sensitivity to colour and subtle implications of meaning,†Paul Moorhouse, the museum's curator of 20th-century portraits, told the BBC.
He added, “We are delighted that this fascinating self-portrait survived the artist's momentary destructive doubts and can now be seen by future generations.†It will go on view on Tuesday.
