Mayor will not be bare

The naked truth? If you merge Simon Richardson's nude painting of Anton Oliver with Dunedin Mayor...
The naked truth? If you merge Simon Richardson's nude painting of Anton Oliver with Dunedin Mayor Peter Chin's features, it might look something like this digitally altered image.
An announcement that Broad Bay artist Simon Richardson has been approached to paint Dunedin Mayor Peter Chin's official portrait can only lead to one question: Will he be depicted nude?

In 2006, Richardson's oil painting of a naked, burly and muscular Anton Oliver caused a sensation, and sold for more than $16,000.

Regrettably - or fortunately, depending on your point of view - Mr Chin yesterday said he planned to pose "full frontal, robed and chained".

"That was a bloody nice painting, but it's not for me."

Asked how he looked naked, Mr Chin replied: "That's for me to know and you to find out."

The Dunedin City Council has been commissioning portraits of its mayors since the 1940s.

All but one hang on the council chamber walls.

Mr Chin's predecessor, Sukhi Turner, so disliked the portrait painted of her in 1998, she bought it for $6000 and commissioned a photograph instead.

The council will decide on Monday whether to confirm Richardson's commission

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