A 1991 painting depicting actress Bea Arthur – best known for her roles in 70s and 80s shows ‘Maude’ and ‘Golden Girls’- nude from the waist up was sold for nearly 2 million dollars at an auction in Manhattan on Wednesday. According to Christie’s, the John Currin portrait aptly named ‘Bea Arthur Naked’ was imagined from an image of the sitcom star with her clothes on, the New York Daily News reported. The painting was described by Christie’s website as both “nostalgic and repelling.” The 22-year-old controversial piece of art created a new storm after The Daily Beast’s social media editors were locked out of their Facebook accounts for posting an image of the portrait – an action the social network initially considered a violation of its terms.
