Portrait of William Hesketh Lever

John painted soap millionaire Lord Leverhulme (1851 - 1925) in 1920. However, Lever was hurt by its uncompromising realism, instantly cut his head from the canvas and locked it in his safe. The remains were accidentally returned to John who was furious. The scandal was leaked to the press, causing further outrage and upset. On 5 November 1920, art students protested across London. They carried huge caricatures of Lever demanding ’What’s the matter with it?’. They paraded from Gower Street to Hyde Park, burning Lever’s effigy at the finale. In Italy, tools were downed for 24 hours while painters, colour grinders, sculptors, models and dealers went on strike. Lever defended his actions. He believed the portrait was his property and he had the right to determine its fate. John appealed for his own artistic rights. He believed a work of art should be respected and preserved.