Tony, an Anglican priest newly arrived in Australia from the United Kingdom, is asked to visit the notorious artist Norman Lindsay out of the church’s concern about a blasphemous painting of the crucifix that Lindsay plans to exhibit. His wife, Estella, accompanies him on the visit to Lindsay’s bucolic Blue Mountains compound, where they meet Lindsay’s wife, Rose, two models, Pru and Sheela, and the maid, Giddy, who all pose for Lindsay. The half-blind, mute “odd-job” man, Devlin, also sits for portraits.
From the outset, the couple is unsettled by the frank conversations about human sexuality that flow through the bohemian circle. The atmosphere is thick with nudity, both inside Lindsay’s studio and around the property, and the pair can’t help but notice the models bathing and flirting with Devlin while he cannot see them. The visitors are drawn into scenes that feel intimate and risky, and Estella’s perception of propriety starts to blur as she witnesses the models and the maid engaging with a sensual openness that challenges her own boundaries.
As days pass, Estella becomes increasingly entangled in the sensual mood surrounding the artists and their companions. One morning, she joins the models in a pool, and, along with the maid, she finds herself naked, while Devlin arrives and the group playfully teases him, knowing he cannot fully respond. On another occasion, Estella sees the models caressing the maid and, moved by the moment, she joins in. Her husband, who is nearby, is unsettled by the sight, and later, Estella discovers Devlin sunbathing naked, prompting her to flee in a mix of fascination and fear.
A pivotal moment comes when Lindsay throws a yard tool toward Devlin, who catches it with one hand, a gesture that hints Devlin may not be as blind as he appears. The suspicion unsettles Tony and deepens the tension around boundaries, art, and perception. Estella becomes more aware of how the surrounding world—its beauty, its temptations, and its unspoken freedoms—pulls at her, and she begins to fantasize with increasing intensity, influenced by the models’ confident sensuality.
Despite the allure, Estella’s relationship with Tony remains grounded in affection and commitment, though it lacks heat. In a moment of vulnerability encouraged by Tony’s measured support—he’s witnessed her previous intimacy with the models—Estella acts on her impulses and shares a charged, intimate moment with her husband. Her husband’s reaction is less about judgment and more about a cautious acceptance of their evolving bond.
When Tony learns that Estella’s naked likeness has been included in one of Lindsay’s paintings of a group of nude women, he reacts with moral outrage, but Estella counters by noting that it is a good likeness, seemingly deflating his anger and legal threats. After this, the couple decides to leave the bucolic retreat. They travel back home on a train in a shared suite, and a changed tone lingers between them. Estella reaches out with tenderness, caressing Tony with her stockinged foot, and she eventually drifts to sleep, dreaming of a cliff where she and the other naked women stand revealed to the world.
