The Times Australia
The Times World News

.

how a 19th-century French nude ended up in a Melbourne pub – and became an icon for Australian soldiers

  • Written by Katrina Kell, Honorary Research Associate, Murdoch University
how a 19th-century French nude ended up in a Melbourne pub – and became an icon for Australian soldiers

Chloé, the French nude by Jules Joseph Lefebvre[1], is an Australian cultural icon.

Chloé made its debut at the 1875 Paris Salon and won medals at the 1879 Sydney and 1880 Melbourne international exhibitions. In December 1880, Thomas Fitzgerald, a Melbourne surgeon, bought Chloé for his private collection.

Two years later, when Fitzgerald loaned Chloé to the National Gallery of Victoria, a furious debate erupted in the press. Public opinion was sharply divided[2] over the propriety of displaying a French nude painting on the Sabbath.

Chloé spent the next three years at the Adelaide Picture Gallery, before Fitzgerald removed her[3] from the public gaze.

After the surgeon’s death in 1908, Henry Figsby Young bought Chloé for £800 and hung the famous nude in the saloon bar of Young and Jackson Hotel, opposite Flinders Street Station in Melbourne.

Enjoying a drink with Chloé at the hotel has been a good luck ritual for Australian soldiers since the first world war.

Longing for her lover

Jules Joseph Lefebvre’s Chloé (1875)

According to the 1875 Paris Salon catalogue, Chloé depicts the water nymph in “Mnasyle et Chloé” by 18th century poet martyr André Chénier[4]. Toes dipped in a puddling stream, longing and heartache etched on her lovely features, she listens for the voice of her lover.

Chloé was created in the winter of 1874-75. France was still rebuilding after its defeat in the Franco Prussian War[5] and the Versailles government’s brutal repression of the revolutionary Paris Commune[6].

Newspapers in France and around the world described women who supported the Commune as lethal pétroleuses[7], or petrol carriers. The women were often blamed for destructive acts of arson carried out by Versailles troops during The Bloody Week[8].

Read more: The petrol bomb's incendiary – and uncertain – history[9]

Jules Lefebvre claimed[10] his working class model for Chloé was involved with former Communards. She may have fought alongside other girls and women, and witnessed the widespread bloodshed that stained the streets of Paris red in 1871.

This volatile chapter in French history has been absent from Chloé mythologies[11]. But Chloé was painted in the wake of war and revolution and of women’s inspiring activism, as women challenged the class and gender barriers that had limited their opportunities.

An illustration of the women in the Bloody Week The model for Chloé was reportedly involved with the former Communards. Paris Musées

Chloé and the Australian soldier

The ritual of having a drink with Chloé at Young and Jackson Hotel, opposite Melbourne’s busiest railway station[12], began after Private A. P. Hill[13], who was killed in action, put a message in a bottle and tossed it overboard.

When the bottle was found in New Zealand in January 1918, his message read:

To the finder of this bottle. Take it to Young and Jackson’s, fill it, and keep it till we return from the war.

The hotel and Chloé[14] proved irresistible for returning soldiers.

Soldiers in WWII climbing onto the roof of Young and Jackson Hotel. Australian War Memorial.

By the start of the second world war, Chloé and Young and Jackson’s were so enmeshed in military mythology they were included in the 2/21st Australian Infantry Battalion’s official march song[15]:

Good-by Young and Jackson’s Farewell Chloé too It’s a long way to Bonegilla But we’ll get there on stew

Tragically, on February 2 1942, the B and C Companies of the 2/21st Australian Infantry Battalion were massacred by Japanese forces at Laha Airfield on the Indonesian island of Ambon. Those who weren’t killed became prisoners of war.

After Japan’s surrender in 1945, the Australian prisoners’ hopes for liberation were frustrated when Japanese officers refused to give them radio access.

When they finally got a radio transmitter their SOS message was received on the neighbouring island of Morotai. The men were asked questions to prove they were “dinki-di Aussies”.

One of the first questions Melbourne soldier John Van Nooten was asked was[16] “how would you like to see Chloé again?”

When Van Nooten replied “Lead me to her”, the operator asked “where is she?”

Van Nooten responded with Young and Jackson’s, finally convincing the operator he was Australian.

Read more: Two-up, Gallipoli and the ‘fair go’: why illegal gambling is at the heart of the Anzac myth[17]

A soldier’s consolation

In his 1945 article Seein’ Chloé[18], West Australian journalist Peter Graeme claimed:

Chloé is to Melbourne what the Bridge is to Sydney. From the soldier’s point of view of course. All over Australia you meet men who have seen her […] Chloé belongs to the Australian soldier.

Two RAAF airmen drinking at Young and Jackson’s during WWII. Australian War Memorial

Graeme recalled meeting a soldier at Young and Jackson’s who drained three drinks in front of Chloé. When he asked the soldier why he drank the beers in quick succession, the soldier said he was honouring a promise he and two mates had made to Chloé.

The three of them had pledged to have a drink with her when they returned to Melbourne. His two friends never returned, buried at Scarlet Beach in New Guinea.

As Graeme concluded in his poignant tale, Chloé may have been:

the symbol of the feminine side of his life. That part which he puts away from him, except in his inarticulate dreams.

The soldier’s grief for the mates he lost, and the comfort drinking with the painting gave him, seems to resonate with the longing in Chloé’s melancholy expression, and the war-torn history behind this celebrated Melbourne icon.

References

  1. ^ Jules Joseph Lefebvre (en.wikipedia.org)
  2. ^ sharply divided (trove.nla.gov.au)
  3. ^ removed her (trove.nla.gov.au)
  4. ^ André Chénier (en.wikipedia.org)
  5. ^ Franco Prussian War (www.kcl.ac.uk)
  6. ^ Paris Commune (www.youtube.com)
  7. ^ pétroleuses (en.wikipedia.org)
  8. ^ The Bloody Week (www.historytoday.com)
  9. ^ The petrol bomb's incendiary – and uncertain – history (theconversation.com)
  10. ^ Jules Lefebvre claimed (index-journal.org)
  11. ^ Chloé mythologies (index-journal.org)
  12. ^ Melbourne’s busiest railway station (heritagecouncil.vic.gov.au)
  13. ^ Private A. P. Hill (nla.gov.au)
  14. ^ hotel and Chloé (nla.gov.au)
  15. ^ official march song (trove.nla.gov.au)
  16. ^ was asked was (www.goodreads.com)
  17. ^ Two-up, Gallipoli and the ‘fair go’: why illegal gambling is at the heart of the Anzac myth (theconversation.com)
  18. ^ Seein’ Chloé (trove.nla.gov.au)

Read more https://theconversation.com/chloe-how-a-19th-century-french-nude-ended-up-in-a-melbourne-pub-and-became-an-icon-for-australian-soldiers-180032

Times Magazine

Headless CMS in Digital Twins and 3D Product Experiences

Image by freepik As the metaverse becomes more advanced and accessible, it's clear that multiple sectors will use digital twins and 3D product experiences to visualize, connect, and streamline efforts better. A digital twin is a virtual replica of ...

The Decline of Hyper-Casual: How Mid-Core Mobile Games Took Over in 2025

In recent years, the mobile gaming landscape has undergone a significant transformation, with mid-core mobile games emerging as the dominant force in app stores by 2025. This shift is underpinned by changing user habits and evolving monetization tr...

Understanding ITIL 4 and PRINCE2 Project Management Synergy

Key Highlights ITIL 4 focuses on IT service management, emphasising continual improvement and value creation through modern digital transformation approaches. PRINCE2 project management supports systematic planning and execution of projects wit...

What AI Adoption Means for the Future of Workplace Risk Management

Image by freepik As industrial operations become more complex and fast-paced, the risks faced by workers and employers alike continue to grow. Traditional safety models—reliant on manual oversight, reactive investigations, and standardised checklist...

From Beach Bops to Alpine Anthems: Your Sonos Survival Guide for a Long Weekend Escape

Alright, fellow adventurers and relaxation enthusiasts! So, you've packed your bags, charged your devices, and mentally prepared for that glorious King's Birthday long weekend. But hold on, are you really ready? Because a true long weekend warrior kn...

Effective Commercial Pest Control Solutions for a Safer Workplace

Keeping a workplace clean, safe, and free from pests is essential for maintaining productivity, protecting employee health, and upholding a company's reputation. Pests pose health risks, can cause structural damage, and can lead to serious legal an...

The Times Features

Tricia Paoluccio designer to the stars

The Case for Nuturing Creativity in the Classroom, and in our Lives I am an actress and an artist who has had the privilege of sharing my work across many countries, touring my ...

Duke of Dural to Get Rooftop Bar as New Owners Invest in Venue Upgrade

The Duke of Dural, in Sydney’s north-west, is set for a major uplift under new ownership, following its acquisition by hospitality group Good Beer Company this week. Led by resp...

Prefab’s Second Life: Why Australia’s Backyard Boom Needs a Circular Makeover

The humble granny flat is being reimagined not just as a fix for housing shortages, but as a cornerstone of circular, factory-built architecture. But are our systems ready to s...

Melbourne’s Burglary Boom: Break-Ins Surge Nearly 25%

Victorian homeowners are being warned to act now, as rising break-ins and falling arrest rates paint a worrying picture for suburban safety. Melbourne residents are facing an ...

Exploring the Curriculum at a Modern Junior School in Melbourne

Key Highlights The curriculum at junior schools emphasises whole-person development, catering to children’s physical, emotional, and intellectual needs. It ensures early year...

Distressed by all the bad news? Here’s how to stay informed but still look after yourself

If you’re feeling like the news is particularly bad at the moment, you’re not alone. But many of us can’t look away – and don’t want to. Engaging with news can help us make ...