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I was the Chinese Girl in Tretchikoff's painting | I was the Chinese Girl in Tretchikoff's painting |
(about 5 hours later) | |
Earlier this year Vladimir Tretchikoff's portrait Chinese Girl, often referred to as The Green Lady, was sold for almost £1m ($1.5m) at auction in London - a reflection of its status as one of the most popular prints ever made. The model, Monika Pon-su-san, recalls what it was like to be thrust into the limelight. | Earlier this year Vladimir Tretchikoff's portrait Chinese Girl, often referred to as The Green Lady, was sold for almost £1m ($1.5m) at auction in London - a reflection of its status as one of the most popular prints ever made. The model, Monika Pon-su-san, recalls what it was like to be thrust into the limelight. |
One day in 1950, a curly-haired stranger walked into my uncle's laundry in Cape Town, where I worked. | One day in 1950, a curly-haired stranger walked into my uncle's laundry in Cape Town, where I worked. |
He stood there as I served a customer, his eyes fixed on me the whole time. He only spoke when we were alone together in the shop. | He stood there as I served a customer, his eyes fixed on me the whole time. He only spoke when we were alone together in the shop. |
"Hello!" he said. "I'm Tretchikoff. I'd love to paint you." | "Hello!" he said. "I'm Tretchikoff. I'd love to paint you." |
At that time Vladimir Tretchikoff wasn't very famous but by chance I had read about him in a newspaper just the Saturday before. | At that time Vladimir Tretchikoff wasn't very famous but by chance I had read about him in a newspaper just the Saturday before. |
So I was a bit nervous, but I said yes. He picked me up after work and took me back home. | So I was a bit nervous, but I said yes. He picked me up after work and took me back home. |
I was given his wife's gown to put on. It was silk chiffon - beautiful, beautiful stuff. It wasn't yellow like in the painting - that was his own invention. | I was given his wife's gown to put on. It was silk chiffon - beautiful, beautiful stuff. It wasn't yellow like in the painting - that was his own invention. |
A lot of people ask me: "What is that stern look you had on your face? What were you thinking about?" And I always say: "Well you know, one gets tired sitting and just looking." | A lot of people ask me: "What is that stern look you had on your face? What were you thinking about?" And I always say: "Well you know, one gets tired sitting and just looking." |
All the time I was thinking about Tretchikoff's life. Because he had had a miserable life - during the war he'd been on a boat for three weeks without food, after his ship was bombed. Then he was imprisoned by the Japanese. | All the time I was thinking about Tretchikoff's life. Because he had had a miserable life - during the war he'd been on a boat for three weeks without food, after his ship was bombed. Then he was imprisoned by the Japanese. |
He had lost contact with his wife and daughter. Thinking they were dead he took a lover, but they weren't dead, and as fate would have it they went to Cape Town, which is where he ended up too. So they got back together again. | |
I liked him very much. He was a funny man - we always laughed a lot. In all, I was paid six pounds and five shillings for the work. | I liked him very much. He was a funny man - we always laughed a lot. In all, I was paid six pounds and five shillings for the work. |
He had a class of about 20 pupils. All the time I was sitting for him they could see me but I was never allowed to see the painting - it always had its back to me. | He had a class of about 20 pupils. All the time I was sitting for him they could see me but I was never allowed to see the painting - it always had its back to me. |
I would nag him: "What are you going to call it?" He said that a name would come to him later on. It was only at the end of the six or 10 weeks - I can't remember exactly how long it took - on the night his exhibition opened that he said it was called Chinese Girl. I thought that was very ordinary. | I would nag him: "What are you going to call it?" He said that a name would come to him later on. It was only at the end of the six or 10 weeks - I can't remember exactly how long it took - on the night his exhibition opened that he said it was called Chinese Girl. I thought that was very ordinary. |
And when I saw the painting I was so shocked. I thought I looked like a monster from a horror film. I pulled an ugly face and said: "Ugh - green face!" | |
Right away people started to recognise me. I remember going to a supermarket and a woman shouted: "Look at this girl! She looks just like the painting!" | |
I decided I had to buy a print. By the time I went to him Tretchikoff had run out, so he gave me one he had used in London when he was on tour. I've got it in my lounge. | I decided I had to buy a print. By the time I went to him Tretchikoff had run out, so he gave me one he had used in London when he was on tour. I've got it in my lounge. |
There was a block of flats in Cape Town, filled with artists. The man on the ground floor was a sculptor and one day he asked Tretchikoff: "Can I borrow your model?" He wanted to cast a bronze of my face. But Tretchikoff said: "Certainly not!" | |
I had so many modelling offers but - stupid me - I went and got married and had children, so that was that. I didn't socialise much, with five children to look after, so I was hidden away from Cape Town's artists. The offers stopped coming. | I had so many modelling offers but - stupid me - I went and got married and had children, so that was that. I didn't socialise much, with five children to look after, so I was hidden away from Cape Town's artists. The offers stopped coming. |
I was so disappointed to miss the auction recently. My daughters said to me: "The painting's sold! The painting's sold!" And when I found out it had gone for £1m, I jumped up and down, up and down! | I was so disappointed to miss the auction recently. My daughters said to me: "The painting's sold! The painting's sold!" And when I found out it had gone for £1m, I jumped up and down, up and down! |
Everybody's fascinated by that painting. I don't know what it is about it really. | Everybody's fascinated by that painting. I don't know what it is about it really. |
One of my daughters - the second youngest, who is supposed to look like me - said: "I wish I had a lot of money and then I would buy that painting and keep it forever in my own house." | |
When I was asked by a journalist if I would let another artist paint me at this moment in time, I said: "No… but if Tretchikoff were alive, I would let him paint me again." | |
You can listen to Outlook on the BBC World Service. Listen back to Monika Pon-su-san's interview via iplayer or browse the Outlook podcast archive. | You can listen to Outlook on the BBC World Service. Listen back to Monika Pon-su-san's interview via iplayer or browse the Outlook podcast archive. |
You can follow the Magazine on Twitter and on Facebook. | You can follow the Magazine on Twitter and on Facebook. |