Erotic model revealed

Roisin O’Connor 

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The model who posed for the most scandalous painting of the 19th century has finally been revealed, according to a new book. 

Experts are “99% sure” that Gustave Courbet’s L’Origine du Monde (The Origin of the World) stars Parisian ballet dancer Constance Queniaux. The artwork is controversial even today. Facebook was criticised for censoring profiles who posted the image as recently as 2011.

Art historians have been convinced for decades that the naked torso and genitalia that the painting depicts belonged to Courbet’s lover, the Irish model Joanna Hiffernan. However, doubts were raised because of the model’s dark pubic hair, which did not correspond with Hiffernan’s famously red locks. 

Now, a book to be published by Claude Schopp in October reveals correspondence between the son of Alexandre Dumas and George Sand that points directly to the ballerina, Queniaux. The French historian discovered the connection when he was going through copies of Dumas’ letters, according to French publication Liberation. One particular passage perplexed him: “One does not paint the most delicate and the most sonorous interview of Miss Queniault (sic) of the Opera.” When he consulted the handwritten original that he realised there had been a mistake in its transcription. “Interview” was in fact “interior”.

“Usually I make discoveries after working away for ages,” Schopp told AFP. “Here I made it straight away. It almost feels unjust.” Schopp shared his discovery with the head of the French National Library’s prints department, Sylvie Aubenas, who is also convinced that Queniaux was the model. — The Independent