No one summed up Francis Bacon’s gilded life better than the man himself.
“I may live in misery, but I don’t see why I should drink filth,” said the artist, who indulged in good wines, shunned sleep and yet – working in his cramped studio, whose floor was piled with rubbish looked like a breeding ground for rats – produced canvases of unique intensity.
But would Bacon, whose triptych sold for an astonishing $142 million (then £89 million) in 2013, have raised a glass to an upcoming exhibition of what are purported to be his works – even though the exhibition is apparently sponsored by Laurent Perrier?
At first glance, the exhibition, which will be held later this month at the Century Club in London’s West End, seems uncontroversial.
Featuring what is described as “raw and disturbing works ranging from small pencil sketches on new pages to large mixed-media collages,” it promises to “revisit the themes and motifs that define Bacon’s better-known paintings, including popes, crucifixions, screaming figures and distorted faces’.
Francis Bacon’s estate is shocked by an exhibition of pieces from the Ravarino Collection – described as ‘a renowned and debated selection of works attributed to Francis Bacon’
He created canvases of unique intensity in his cramped studio, whose waste-heaped floor looked like a breeding ground for rats.
The event at the Century Club is organized by Laurent Perrier
But Francis Bacon’s legacy has been shaken. Warned that the pieces come from the Ravarino Collection – described as ‘a renowned and discussed selection of works attributed to Francis Bacon’ – the Estate lets out a cry of anguish.
“There are two cases against Ravarino in Italy,” a spokesperson tells me, explaining that one is “criminal and one is civil.” [though] related to fraud and counterfeiting.
“We are not familiar with the Century Club,” the spokesperson added, “but are surprised and disappointed to see Laurent-Perrier associated with such an event.”
Arnaud Richard, the brand’s marketing and communications director, could not respond to my questions, while the Century Club declined to comment.
Perhaps it is wise that the exhibition is entitled: “ATTRIBUTED: Francis Bacon”. Last word to Bacon, who died in 1992 at the age of 82. “Champagne for my friends,” he liked to say, “-and pain for my make-believe friends.”
Beatrice’s stepson is Mom’s son
Architect and television presenter Dara Huang apparently loves nothing more than posing for photos. And now her son Christopher, better known as Wolfie, is learning from the master.
Wolfie, eight, whose stepmother is Princess Beatrice, appears in a photo reclining on a sofa, imitating his American-born mother, 41, in her poses for a shoe designer’s promotional material.
Architect and television presenter Dara Huang apparently loves nothing more than posing for photos
Now her son Christopher, better known as Wolfie, is following in her footsteps, in this photo lying on a couch
“I couldn’t help but notice my son’s uncanny resemblance to my recent photo shoot for Stuart Weitzman,” says Dara. ‘I thought it was too funny not to share. I think he’s got the job?’
A new role that Wolfie will take on this spring is that of half-brother to the second child that Beatrice is expecting with his father, Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi. The couple already has a three-year-old daughter, Sienna.
Don’t fly for me in Argentina… Macca drops the Union flag
Sir Paul McCartney, usually pop’s most patriotic, ditched the show’s tradition of waving the Union flag for his concert in Buenos Aires.
The former Beatle usually ends performances with three flags: that of Great Britain, that of the home country and the LGBTQ flag.
Sir Paul McCartney abandoned his tradition of waving the Union flag at the end of his performance in Buenos Aires, opting to display only the Argentine and LGBTQ flags
McCartney plays piano during his performance in Argentina. His decider match came two days after the country’s government threatened to retake the Falklands
In Buenos Aires, however, he only waved two: the Argentine flag and the LGBTQ flag, pictured. At his previous concert in Uruguay, Sir Paul had all three. So what caused his sudden national shame?
His spokesperson declined to comment. But two days earlier, the Argentine government threatened to retake the Falklands, putting British forces on red alert.
Kirstie’s cousin opens a new pub
Kirstie Allsopp’s cousin Jamie, who has revived his family brewery, today opens his new pub, the Blue Stoops, where the trendy Kensington Wine Rooms bar once stood in west London.
But he has removed a plaque honoring the link to a Donald Trump scandal. “I don’t want it to become a political place,” Jamie says.
Jamie Allsopp (pictured with Jacquetta Wheeler) opens his new pub, the Blue Stoops, in Kensington today
The plaque read: “Donald Trump got into trouble here when a conversation about wine turned to Russian hacking” – referring to a 2016 meeting between Trump’s then-adviser George Papadopoulos and Australian High Commissioner Alexander Downer, which prompted the Mueller -report.
Cooper throws a party for the Disney crew
Dame Jilly Cooper was so delighted with the Disney adaptation of her steamy novel Rivals that she threw a lavish party for the cast and crew. “I was so moved that there were so many stars on my lawn,” says the author.
Dame Jilly Cooper threw a party for Disney cast and crew working on the adaptation of her novel Rivals
‘I also invited some of my friends: Richard & Judy Madeley (Richard is a long-time Rivals fan), Andrew Parker Bowles and Rupert Lycett Green, two of my original inspirations for Rupert Campbell-Black. This was because of their charm and glamour, not because of Rupert’s mischievous behavior.
‘It was a lovely evening and we drank buckets of champagne.’ We wouldn’t have it any other way, Jilly.
Remembered, ‘third man’ at the heart of the Westminster scandal
The ‘third man’ (or was he the fourth?) in one of politics’ most ripe sex scandals has died. The death of Labor colleague Lord Leitch was announced in the House of Lords on Monday. He was a most unlikely Romeo.
Lord Sandy Leitch was the most conventional of guys, but became entangled in the world of man-eater Kimberly Quinn while she was director of the Spectator.
Sandy Leitch, a personal finance magnate, was the most outwardly conventional guy, with glasses and a soft voice. Yet he became entangled in the world of American man-eater Kimberly Quinn when she was an executive at The Spectator during the Tony Blair years.
She cheated on her husband Stephen Quinn by having simultaneous affairs with Home Secretary David Blunkett and parliamentary sketchwriter Simon Hoggart.
Leitch, then a bachelor, also had a brief spell at the wicket, and was so embarrassed when the episode became public that he managed to keep it out of his Wikipedia entry.
Katherine’s husband’s tactics to prevent daughter from changing her appearance
Katherine Ryan’s husband, Bobby, has an unusual way of keeping their teenage daughter Violet from experimenting with her appearance.
Katherine Ryan visits a restaurant with her daughter Violet (right) in Parental Guidance
“She shaved a few lines in her eyebrow,” the comedian says in Amanda Wakeley’s Style DNA podcast.
Bobby responded by doing the same. ‘He said, ‘You look ridiculous, see? You get a tattoo, I get a tattoo…’ Bobby’s gonna look like a sl*g.’