Ben Johnson's Scandalous Nude Resurfaces at Schoelkopf Gallery
Ben Johnson's controversial 1957 painting 'Nude,' which sparked outrage in Fort Worth in 1959, has resurfaced at Schoelkopf Gallery in New York. The piece was initially displayed in the Ellison Gallery's front window, leading the Ministers' Association to label it "offensive to the religious morals of the people of our city." After just four days, it was removed. Following the scandal, Johnson gained notoriety and exhibited at the Fort Worth Art Center. The current exhibition, drawn from Robert A. Ellison Jr.'s collection, also features works by notable artists including Milton Resnick and Elaine de Kooning.
Key facts
- Ben Johnson's 1957 painting 'Nude' caused scandal in Fort Worth in 1959.
- The painting was displayed in the front window of Ellison Gallery.
- The Ministers' Association called it 'offensive to the religious morals of the people of our city.'
- After four days, the painting was removed from the window.
- Johnson became a minor celebrity and had a painting at the Fort Worth Art Center by December 1959.
- The painting is now at Schoelkopf Gallery in New York in an exhibition from Robert A. Ellison Jr.'s collection.
- Ellison moved to New York in the early 1950s and befriended Abstract Expressionists.
- The exhibition includes works by Milton Resnick, Pat Passlof, Robert De Niro Sr., and Elaine de Kooning.
Entities
Artists
- Ben Johnson
- Robert A. Ellison Jr.
- Milton Resnick
- Pat Passlof
- Robert De Niro Sr.
- Elaine de Kooning
- Jay Wilder
- Wolf Kahn
- Robert Beauchamp
- Andrew Schoelkopf
- Charles Murphy
- Buddy Reeves
Institutions
- Schoelkopf Gallery
- Ellison Gallery
- Fort Worth Art Association
- Fort Worth Art Center
- Metropolitan Museum of Art
- Ministers' Association
- Fort Worth Star-Telegram
- El Paso Herald-Post
Locations
- New York
- Fort Worth
- Texas
- 390 Broadway 3rd floor, New York