Madonna's nude ambition to go on show

A nude portrait of pop queen Madonna by a leading contemporary artist is to premiere in Scotland before touring the world, it emerged today.

Artist Peter Howson was offered substantial fees to open an exhibition containing the work in New York, Paris, Los Angeles and Italy.

But the painter insisted on opening it in his homeland instead and the work will go on display at the MacLaurin Art Gallery in Ayr from April 13.

It is believed that Howson had to paint the work from imagination as the Material Girl’s husband, British film director Guy Ritchie, did not want her posing nude.

Madonna is an avid collector of Howson’s work and has in the past posed - fully clothed - for the painter.

The exhibition, entitled New Works, runs until June 4.

A source at the gallery said: ‘‘The figure in the painting is not really recognisable as Madonna. You wouldn’t know it was her unless someone told you.’’

Howson became established in the 1980s as one of the ‘New Glasgow Boys’, a clique of painters concerned with portraying social issues.

His bold, gritty and controversial paintings soon brought him to the attention of collectors and his work has been exhibited around the world.

During the Balkans conflict, Howson became the official British war artist and the stark realism of his work in Bosnia and Kosovo made the art world flinch.

One painting, Croatian and Muslim, which depicted two soldiers brutally raping a woman was rejected by London’s Imperial War Museum as too offensive.

The disturbing picture, which portrays the attackers holding their victim’s head down a lavatory, was instead purchased by rock star David Bowie.

Another painting, Serb and Muslim, depicting another rape scene, was purchased by Aberdeen Art Gallery and Museums.

His collections are held in the Glasgow Museum of Modern Art, the National Gallery of Modern Art, Edinburgh, London’s Tate Gallery, and New York’s Museum of Modern Art.

Howson has been Artist in Residence at the University of St Andrews.

He was awarded the Glasgow Lord Provost’s Medal in 1995 and received an honorary degree from the University of Strathclyde in 1996.