How Monty Python ‘stole’ their famous foot from 16th century painting: Terry Gilliam reveals bare foot was inspired by Bronzino’s Allegory with Venus, Cupid and Folly on visit to National Gallery
Comedian Terry Gilliam has revealed that Monty Python’s famous foot was ‘stolen’ from a 16th century painting in the National Gallery.
The foot, infamously stomped down twice in Monty Python’s Flying Circus, was inspired by similar bare feet in Agnolo Bronzino’s painting An Allegory with Venus and Cupid.
Mr Gilliam has appeared in a documentary to mark the National Gallery’s 200th anniversary, in which he discusses how he noticed Cupid’s foot above a dove in the bottom corner of the painting.
He told the Daily Telegraph: ‘It looked as if his foot was about to crush the unsuspecting bird. I thought it would be a nice punctuation, a sudden stop to what was going on.
“Cupid’s foot made it even better, because what’s better than being crushed by love.”
Comedian Terry Gilliam has revealed that Monty Python’s famous foot was ‘stolen’ from a 16th century painting in the National Gallery
Agnolo Bronzino’s painting An Allegory with Venus and Cupid, which partially inspired the famous foot from the opening credits of Monty Python’s Flying Circus
The foot, which is notoriously pressed twice in the opening credits of Monty Python’s Flying Circus, was inspired by similar bare feet in Agnolo Bronzino’s painting An Allegory with Venus and Cupid
Gilliam is one of sixteen people, including celebrities and gallery staff, who appear in the film discussing their favorite paintings in the National Gallery.
Fellow Monty Python member also features in a documentary that will be shown in 300 cinemas across the UK. As a famous train enthusiast, Mr. Palin unsurprisingly chose Turner’s Rain, Steam and Speed.
He said: ‘It shows the birth of the railways.
‘Yet Turner also depicts the countryside, offset by the train. It’s a real story, where you feel that the New World will win.’
Meanwhile, Princess Eugenie chose Correggio’s Madonna of the Basket. She said: A mother caring for her young child and struggling to put on his jacket. I recently had a second child and I know that feeling.’
Some people even claim that a painting saved their life, as is the case with Peter Murphy.
Mr Murphy suffered from serious drug and alcohol addiction in the 1990s and 2000s while working on Channel 4’s Eurotrash. But a visit to the gallery in 2009 left a deep impression on him.
Speaking to the Daily Telegraph, Mr Gillaim said: ‘It looked as if his foot was about to crush the unsuspecting bird. I thought it would be a nice punctuation, a sudden stop to what was going on. ‘Cupid’s foot made it even better, because what’s better than being crushed by love’
He said: ‘I had been there before, but this time I was attracted by a blue colored painting. It was Bellini’s Madonna of the Meadow.
‘Very quickly, the serenity and calmness of this Virgin and this child touched me. I am not religious, although I was raised by a very strict Catholic father. When I saw the Madonna, I thought ‘mommy is home.’
He then visited the painting every day for 12 months and says the famous artwork helped him get off drink and drugs.
Mr Murphy added: ‘The painting gives me inner peace. And luckily the gallery is free. I just feel like I belong here. It’s my club. It’s my National Gallery.’