The famous “Tennis Girl” poster is now 30 years old and is one of the biggest selling posters of all time. So far having sold over 2 million. The famous image is to be featured in a new exhibition celebrating lawn tennis artworks.
The girl in the picture is 52 year old Fiona Walker. She was a model at the time and went on to become a freelance illustrator and mother of three. She did not receive any royalties, but is not bitter at all, and is proud of the image, saying ‘I think it’s the light that makes it so appealing’.
The photograph was taken on a now derelict tennis court in Edgbaston at the University of Birmingham, UK. It is quite apt as the modern game of tennis was pioneered in Edgabston around 1859.
The exhibition ‘Court on Canvas: Tennis in Art‘ runs from May 27 to Sept 18 at The Barber Institute of Fine Arts at the University of Birmingham. Other featured artists are LS Lowry and Stanley Spencer.
