Private Collection

The second version of the original Battenberg in the Battenberg still life series, rotated so that the cakes 'windows' appear in a different colour configuration

An edition of 20 prints of this painting was created for the Art Car Boot Fair 2017 with 10 A/Ps.

Hand finished Deckled Edge Inkjet on archival 315gsm paper, 
acrylic paint, oil pastel Signed/Dated Verso S. 30 x 21 cm (11 3/4 x 8 1/4 in.)

"I think pastel yellow and pink is a winning combination. I find Joe Orton -the playwright- a fascinating character. He was quite rebellious. With his partner Kenneth Halliwell he used to visually alter insipid book covers at Islington library for fun and put them back on the shelves. I liked this idea of turning the mundane on its head.

I read that Leonie Orton, Joe's sister published a book about her memories of Joe and this was a memory from the book... "And then there was the cake. Joe appeared from the kitchenette holding aloft a plate in the middle of which sat a battenberg. He was parading in front of us, holding the plate like an exhibit at an auction. Turning the plate around he began to elucidate on it's wonderful so magical qualities; the pink and yellowness of the sponge and the precision of the marzipan. They both agreed it was as perfect as a cake could be. To me it was just an ordinary factory produced Lyons Battenberg but they were discussing it like it was a work of art.,br. I found out, after choosing to paint it, from my sister, that Battenberg was my Dad’s favourite cake too.
To me a Battenberg is as valid a subject as Durer's grass in 'The Great Piece of Turf' To me this is 'The Great Piece of Cake' Maybe I am something of a connoisseur of ordinariness as I do find beauty in the mundane and put it on a pedestal."- Christian Furr 2017