Naked girl as a motif in art – Sensual wall art or transgression?

Exactly one century ago, the depiction of nudity in art one of the most significant scandals in art history. This year, we celebrate the 100th anniversary of an exhibition of paintings by the Italian artist Amedeo Modigliani at the Berthe Weill Gallery in Paris. The provocative depictions of naked bodies so shocked the public that the police had to intervene.

The hidden truth: Nudity in art history – a critical look

Indeed, Modigliani was not the only artist to get into trouble for his depictions of nudity. The Austrian painter Egon Schiele even spent 24 days in prison in 1912, convicted of "immorality" due to his numerous nude drawings. During this period, the naked body became a subject of challenge and competition. These works were created during the First World War, a time when more women were employed and leading more independent lives—a period of social upheaval and anxiety.

In his 1911 painting depicting two nude women, Egon Schiele powerfully portrays an intense and explicit love scene. This underscores his role as a provocative master of Expressionism . The painting eschews all embellishment, instead revealing the raw and emotional nature of physical love beyond societal norms. At the time, Schiele's explicit art met with disapproval and even led to his brief arrest for offending public morals.

It is truly interesting to see that the British census of 1871 already recorded 1,069 professional female artists, compared to only 278 in 1841. Although a total of 117 women were admitted to the Royal Academy of Arts , life drawing classes remained taboo for them.

The story, which unfolds between artistic freedom and societal taboos, is full of contradictions and continues to this day. One example of this is the performance by 100 naked women at the Berlin National Gallery in 2005.

Why nudity polarizes in art

The human body in its most natural form has been a polarizing subject for centuries. Although nudity is the most fundamental human characteristic, opinions on this topic are sharply divided. The depiction of naked bodies in art always reflects societal norms and often pushes against cultural boundaries.

Nudity as an expression of beauty and power

The depiction of the unclothed human body can be seen as a powerful manifestation of beauty and self-confidence.
In antiquity, the human body was celebrated in all its beauty. The ancient Greeks viewed nudity as an expression of divinity and perfect proportions. It is fascinating to learn that ancient male statues were depicted with rather small genitals, as a large penis was considered a symbol of lust and stupidity at the time.

With the arrival of Christianity in Europe, a significant shift occurred in people's thinking. Suddenly, the human body was considered sinful, symbolized by the story of Adam and Eve, who, after biting into the apple, recognized their nakedness and felt ashamed. * .

Different perceptions depending on gender

It is interesting to observe how nudity is perceived differently depending on gender. Historically, the female body often been seen as a symbol of sensuality and eroticism , while the male body has been more readily associated with strength, power, and potency. This clear distinction has led to a kind of dualism , contrasting nature and instinct on the one hand with idea and civilization on the other.

It is truly remarkable that in modern museum departments less than 5% of the artists are female, even though 85% of the nude depictions are female.

Naked breasts and societal double standards

The female breast, , polarizes opinions as a symbol of motherhood or as an erotic object, as an emblem of fertility or seduction * Lovis Corinth nude drawing “Reclining Female Nude III” (1904) illustrates this dichotomy:

The woman is completely naked, writhing on a bed, full-breasted, with ample thighs – and her face is essentially irrelevant. Her breasts are an erotic appeal.”

"That's what a curator commented in a TAZ article ."

Corinth's portrait painting "Group of Female Friends" from 1904 also follows the same theme…

Exposed youth – Naked girls as a subject for images

oil painting "Naked Girl" from 1886 also focuses on the breasts and physical femininity of a young girl.

From today's perspective, and considering youth protection laws, this is likely even more sensitive, especially since at the time this portrait was created, the age of majority was 25. In Württemberg, the age of majority was lowered from 25 to 23 by the law of June 30, 1865.

Artists Albert de Belleroche , Giuseppe Palanti , Alice Pike Barney, Guillaume Seignac , Baron Pierre Narcisse Guerin and the important Post-Impressionist Pierre Auguste Renoir created works that focused on female youth and grace in unclothed bodies.

 

August Macke work "Naked Girl with Headscarf" (1910) . The Expressionist painted many nudes of his wife Elisabeth, whose face and body he depicted in a simplified manner – influenced by Henri Matisse . He emphasized not so much the sexual component, but rather the naturalness and purity of his model. Elements such as the headscarf and the reserved pose are reminiscent of Madonna paintings and lend the nudes a sacred quality, which was typical of Macke around 1910/11 and stands in contrast to the overtly erotic works of the "Brücke" artists .

Vincent van Gogh, too, likely did not intend his post-Impressionist painting "Seated Nude Girl" to be a sexualized depiction of a child. Rather, it shows a typical everyday situation in which the painter appears as a neutral observer.

“Naked Girl with Outstretched Arms” (1911) is suitable

While male nudity is often interpreted as an expression of strength, female breasts are censored on social media. A painting like Jean-Baptiste Deshays could

"It would hardly be shown on today's social media – because of the nipples it would be deleted.".

This unequal treatment reveals society's double standards regarding nudity.

Censorship and control throughout history

Art history is full of stories about censorship. For ages, both religious and secular powers have tried to suppress the depiction of nudity in art. These conflicts have definitely left their mark.

On church interventions and fig leaves

The censorship of the Roman Catholic Church arose at the same time as the strengthening of the position of the Roman bishop. Disputes within the Catholic Church, which led to accusations of heresy and the burning of books, were often an expression of the power struggle for the supremacy of the Roman bishop. The fig leaf became the symbol of this censorship.

In the biblical story, Adam and Eve covered their nakedness with fig leaves after sinning. This metaphor had a profound influence on art for centuries. During the Counter-Reformation in the 16th century, the fight against nudity intensified considerably. Pope Clement VIII even went so far as to veil crucifixes in Roman churches and cover sculptures of Mary Magdalene.

The Case of Michelangelo and the Trouser Painter

The case of Michelangelo's "Last Judgment" in the Sistine Chapel is particularly well-known (WELT reported * ). The masterpiece, unveiled in 1541, immediately sparked controversy. Even then, Biagio da Cesena, the Pope's Master of Ceremonies, criticized it.

the many naked bodies displaying their shame were deemed inappropriate for such a venerable place as the Papal Chapel.”.

Shortly before Michelangelo's death in 1564, the decree "Pictura in Cappella Ap[ostoli]ca coopriantur" passed, which stipulated overpainting. Daniele da Volterra entrusted with this task, earning him the mocking nickname "Braghettone" (breeches painter) . During the 20th-century restoration, many overpaintings could be removed—however, not the veils covering the saints, as Volterra had chipped these sections away and re-fresced them on fresh plaster .

Modern censorship

The censorship of nudity continues to this day. In the 19th century, a veritable industry flourished producing fig leaves for antique statues, supposedly to protect “ladies and daughters of the upper classes .” As late as 1891, the Reichstag attempted to tighten the law on “ obscene writings, images, and depictions,” so that anything “that grossly offends the sense of modesty without being obscene” .

This so-called “Lex Heinze” demonstrated how deeply ingrained prudishness was. Only after the First World War did fig leaves gradually disappear from museums – a process documented by the Munich Glyptothek in the 2000 exhibition “The Fig Leaf” .

Feminist critique and new perspectives

Feminist movements have truly contributed a great deal to how nudity is portrayed in art. By critically examining traditional forms of representation, they have opened up new perspectives and challenged established norms.

The beauty of the female body from a woman's perspective

The Guerrilla Girls , “Do women have to be naked to get into the Metropolitan Museum?” female subjects. These figures clearly demonstrate that female artists are systematically excluded from the collective memory, not because of their absence, but through deliberate “forgetting.”

Female artists such as Lotte Laserstein , Natalya S. Goncharova , Helene Funke , Broncia Koller-Pinell , and Suzanne Valadon impressively demonstrated in the MDR documentary LAST WOMEN ART

Her work “The Blue Room” depicts a modern woman lying relaxed with a cigarette in her mouth – a counterpoint to the sexualized odalisque motif .

 

Cynthia "Cindy" Morris Sherman is an American artist and photographer whose work has, for decades, questioned and visually explored perceptions of women. She is particularly known for her extraordinary photographic series, in which she engages with themes such as identity, gender roles, and physicality in a highly creative and profound way.

She slipped into different roles herself, constantly transforming herself in front of the camera – almost as if holding up a mirror to our own societal expectations and self-images. Even though Cindy Sherman didn't directly engage with nude photography, her work has undoubtedly shaped our view of women and our discourse on femininity and cultural attribution.

Matrixial Gaze and Shared Subjectivity

In the 1990s, psychoanalyst Bracha L. Ettinger "Matrixial Gaze" as a counterpoint to phallocentric views. The matrix (from the Latin matrix, "womb") functions as a psychological and philosophical construct used to explore the origins of human relationality. This approach promotes a perception of tolerance and coexistence—the peaceful coexistence of self and other.

Art historian Griselda Pollock sees this as an alternative to "the idea of ​​a separate, self-contained subject that must define itself through clear boundaries ." This symbolic-feminine perception is not necessarily tied to biological sex.

Why naked men are perceived differently

When it comes to depictions of female nudity, one can speak of a desensitization effect that leads to apparent acceptance. This desensitization is not yet evident in the depiction of naked men. While in ancient Greece the male body embodied the artistic ideal and “love between men was the preferred form” (Deutschlandfunk * ) , male nudity is subject to stricter rules today.

A naked man is not suitable for advertising if he is positioned as purely decorative equipment, which is quite common with women. A sporting context, on the other hand, contributes to acceptance, as do aesthetically pleasing depictions.

The present: Between freedom and responsibility

The depiction of nudity in contemporary art exists in the tension between artistic freedom and ethical responsibility. The boundaries between art, provocation, and abuse are being debated more sharply today than ever before.

Sally Mann and naked children in art

American photographer Sally Mann achieved international fame in 1992 with her photo book "Immediate Family ." The 65 black-and-white photographs depict her own children, Jessie, Virginia, and Emmett, some unclothed, in everyday and staged situations. The melancholic images sparked fierce controversy. Conservative voices accused Mann of sexualizing her children and questioned her suitability as a mother (Barnebys reported * ) . According to an article by the Karsten Greve Gallery, some even accused her of child pornography * .

Mann herself argued that nudity was a collective characteristic of childhood and that she never felt the need to separate her art from parenthood. Remarkably, her children never distanced themselves from the images, but continued to pose for their mother even later in life.

Nevertheless, the question remains: When is the depiction of naked children art and when does it cross boundaries?”

#MeToo and the taking down of pictures

The #MeToo movement also shook the power structure of the art world. The British art magazine "ArtReview" "Power 100" art ranking in 2017. The movement changed the climate in which curators are selected, prizes are awarded, and exhibitions are conceived (as reported by the Tagesspiegel * ).

As a result, several prominent figures in the art world had to resign: Artforum co-editor Knight Landesman, Armory show director Benjamin Genocchio, and curator Jens Hoffmann were all expelled due to harassment allegations. Furthermore, #MeToo sparked a debate in many museums about what kind of art should still be allowed to be exhibited.

Is nudity still taboo today?

While nudity appears ubiquitous in art, it is nevertheless subject to complex rules. A veritable "nipple craze" prevails on social media – female nipples, in particular, are censored. At the same time, AI chatbots are terminated when terms like "erotica" are entered.

However, the following still applies:

Art is free. One can debate whether a work of art is tasteless or not. But one cannot exercise censorship.

The chief curator of the Berlin art gallery C/O argues that museums should function as protected spaces where public discussions about nudity are possible.

Nudity in performances and museums

Performance art often uses nudity as a means of questioning societal norms. As early as the 1960s and 1970s, Marina Abramović a mirror up to society with her "Body Art." "Balkan Erotic Epic" (2006), she explored the use of sexuality in pagan traditions of the Balkans.

The Genoa-born performance artist Vanessa Beecroft is also an artist whose work is frequently the subject of controversy; her artistic practice functions as a medium that is occasionally misunderstood and often exposed to sharp criticism. Beecroft undoubtedly ranks among the most outstanding figures in the international art world. Since 1993, she has dedicated herself intensively to the theme of female observation and self-reflection .

To date, Beecroft has presented selected, mostly unclothed models in over 50 different locations, who are not allowed to speak or move much during the performances. Her performances, photographs, and videos are characterized by a meditative stillness in which the depicted women remain, reminiscent of ritualistic acts.

Furthermore, the Austrian media and performance artist VALIE EXPORT distinguished herself in this field. She provoked with her body (so-called body performances) and used her art to draw attention to the oppression of women.

The question remains, however, when nudity in performance art still makes a powerful statement and when it degenerates into mere scandal. The art magazine Monopol commented on this * :

The transgression of 'being unclothed in public' creates a scandalous value that overshadows the artistic value.".

What remains to be noted…

It is enlightening to see how the treatment of the naked body always reflects the values ​​and morals of a particular era. In antiquity, male nudity was highly valued, while later art focused primarily on the female body as an object of male contemplation.

One striking discrepancy is particularly noticeable here: although 85% of the depicted nudes are female, less than 5% of the exhibited artworks are by women. This inequality clearly demonstrates that art history is not neutral, but rather reflects societal power structures.

The history of censorship also demonstrates how deeply ambivalent attitudes towards nudity are rooted in our culture. From veiling with fig leaves in the Renaissance to deleting images on social media, controlling the depiction of naked bodies remains a contentious issue. However, the discourse has shifted: previously, it was primarily religious authorities who set the boundaries, while today ethical considerations and questions of consent and dignity shape the debate.

It is clear that feminist perspectives have opened up new viewpoints and challenged conventional modes of representation. Artists like Suzanne Valadon have created alternative depictions of the female nude, thus challenging the prevailing male-dominated art scene.

Despite all the liberalization, the depiction of nudity is still subject to complex rules. The apparent acceptance applies mainly to female bodies, while male nudity remains subject to stronger taboos. At the same time, social media are becoming new censorship bodies that particularly regulate female bodies

Ultimately, art remains a place where societal taboos can be negotiated. Museums and galleries offer safe spaces for these necessary discussions. The question of when nudity is art and when it is provocation must be answered anew by each generation – an ongoing dialogue between artistic vision, societal values, and individual perception.