Nude painting of Stephen Harper for sale on Kijiji

What's it like to have a painting of Stephen Harper, wearing nothing but an inscrutable smile, hanging over your sofa?

Danielle Potvin knows. The former federal public servant, it turns out,isthe secret buyer of Emperor Haute CouturebyKingston, Ont., artist Margaret Sutherland.

The controversial canvas imagines the former prime minister as a reclining nude, a dog at his feet. A coterie of business-suited servants forms the backdrop, one profferinga cup of Tim Hortons coffee on a tray.

Most of the people are very,very shocked or amused. It's a conversation piece.- Emperor Haute Couture owner Danielle Potvin

Potvin purchased the painting in May2012 for $5,000, when she was still a government employee. Now she's retired andshe's ready to part with it. Potvin ishoping to sell it on Kijiji for $8,800to pay for home renovations.

"I was thinking it was so audacious and very fine political art," said Potvin, sitting beneaththe painting in her living roomin Gatineau,Que."Most of the people are very,very shocked or amused. It's a conversation piece."

Potvin kept the purchase asecret from everyone but relatives and close friendsafter she was warned by her human resources department that"it would be professional suicide to reveal myself as the owner."

That was probably sage advice. The painting sparkeda media sensationwhen it debuted at an exhibition in Kingston. Whilesome saw it as playful political satire evoking bothHans Christian Andersen's taleThe Emperor's New Clothes anddouard Manet's famous nudeOlympia, others saw it as a disgraceful insult to the country'sprime minister.

"It's kind of brillant, it makes a reference to art history and it also has a very funny sort ofalmost political cartoon style take on Harper,"said Cube Gallery curator Don Monet, who included the artworkin an exhibitionof Harper portraits by Canadian artists.

"Now that he's lost power, I think the air is out of the interest in that piece,"saidMonet. "While Harper is in power there's a lot more interest in paintings or cartoonsthat are skewering him."

Potvinsaid she'd likeEmperor Haute Coutureto be shown in a public space, rather than hidden away in her living room. She said she's already heard from two potential buyers.