An 18 carat gold statue of British covergirl Kate Moss has gone on display at the British Museum as part of its Statuefilia exhibition.
The 50-kilogramme figure by UK sculptor Marc Quinn, which portrays the Croydon-born model with her legs tucked behind her head, is the largest gold image made since the days of the ancient Egyptians.
Kate posed for the statue, which Mr Quinn describes as a "modern day Aphrodite", for a day – not in the pose in which she is portrayed, however. The figure, which cost £1.5m to make – two thirds of which was accounted for by the cost of the gold – is expected by the artist to fetch over six times that price when it goes on sale in January after the exhibition closes.
The unusual image has apparently received the thumbs up from its subject, who has served as muse to several other artists including British painter Lucian Freud. "Kate thinks it lifts into her into a mythical level," says Mr Quinn. "I think she very much loved it because she understands the difference between her image and her self."
Photo: © Alphapress.com
