An exhibition of John Lennon’s erotic lithographs opened on this day at the London Arts Gallery at 22 New Bond Street, London W1.
The lithographs, known collectively as Bag One, had been drawn by Lennon in 1969, and chronicled his wedding ceremony and honeymoon with Yoko Ono, and one of their bed-ins for world peace.
The Bag One Portfolio was published as a limited edition of 300, and contained 14 artworks. Each lithograph was signed by Lennon. The portfolio went on sale for £550, with individual prints priced at £40 each.
The exhibition lasted two weeks, but on the second day the gallery was raided and police officers confiscated eight of the 14 originals on the grounds of indecency.
Page last updated: 12 January 2017
The first one seems to presage the Annie Liebovitz Rolling Stone cover shot taken on December 8, 1980.