The model who posed for Jeffrey Epstein’s bizarre painting of Bill Clinton in a dress says he doesn’t mind that the work ended up in the pedophile’s lair — and revealed he was paid peanuts for the job.
“There’s no such thing as bad publicity,” art model Christophe Nayel told The Post on Sunday. “If that painting brings me some recognition, I say keep it coming. I want to be out there. I want my name recognized.”
Nayel, 50, was paid a paltry “two-digit fee” to don a blue dress and red heels for Australian artist Petrina Ryan-Kleid at the New York Academy of Art in 2012.
The model said he had no idea who bought the oil painting, or who Epstein was, until the bizarre piece of home decor made headlines in July.
Nayel said he received a slew of messages from current and former students who “recognized” his legs, which were hanging on the wall of Epstein’s $56 million UES townhouse.
“When I saw those comments, I couldn’t believe it. I was stunned,” he said. “I have no control over who bought the painting. I just did my job. I got a little money. And that’s it.”
A longtime art model providing body doubles and facial expressions for students at the private art university, Nayel is glad his name is out there, even if it’s associated with Epstein.
“I’ve been doing this for 18 years, so I need to get some recognition sometimes. When the artists are known and we the models are always left in the shadows, it gets to where we really crave recognition.”
“Parsing Bill” was purchased at a fundraising auction for the New York Academy of Art that same year and wound up displayed at Epstein’s townhouse.
Ryan-Kleid told artnet that the dress, which the artist provided, and shoes, which he provided, were a reference to the Monica Lewinsky scandal.
The values of Epstein art and antiques still remain subject to appraisal, the Wall Street Journal reported last week.
Though his inbox has yet to be flooded with modeling offers, Nayel’s holding out hope he’ll score something from this bizarre turn of events.
“Maybe I could be the next Elizabeth Warren. If somebody wanted to use my body and her head, I’d say feel free. If somebody pays me, I’ll do anybody — even Donald Trump.”
