The representation of the human body has been one of the major themes in the history of art since ancient times.
One cannot overlook the renowned Greek statues portraying impeccably sculpted, hair-perfect and ever young naked men.
Even the church commissioned artworks featuring nudity, such as frescoes and mosaics, to educate the illiterate churchgoers. Initially, nudity symbolized vulnerability and sin, with Adam and Eve being the main examples.
During the Renaissance, Greek nudity underwent a Roman restyling, and both men and women started to be depicted with idealized nude bodies. Botticelli, for instance, painted the graceful Venus, marking the first time a female nude was portrayed without a specific religious context. Another splendid sample of historical nudity is Michelangelo’s marble statue of David, which recently caused a stir when shown to sixth graders in a Florida school. The principal’s belief in the statue’s pivotal role in Renaissance art history even led to her dismissal.