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Produced and published by the School of Historical & Philosophical Studies, The University of Melbourne
Published July 2008
Published July 2008
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An 1875 nude by the French academic painter Jules Lefebvre, Chloe has been the pride of Young & Jackson Hotel since 1909. Chloe reached Australia in 1879 and graced the 1880 Melbourne International Exhibition. Loaned briefly to the Melbourne Public Gallery in 1882 by its new owner, Dr Thomas FitzGerald, its propriety was vigorously debated. Tall stories, tributes and the sneers of art critics accrued over the years. Melburnians' sentimental regard for the painting earned it heritage protection in 1989. In 1995, as the centrepiece of a National Gallery of Victoria exhibition of French art, Chloe's aesthetic quality was reaffirmed.