The nude , as a form of visual art that focuses on the unclothed human figure, is an enduring tradition in Western art. Unclothed figures often also play a part in other types of art, such as history painting , including allegorical and religious art , portraiture , or the decorative arts. From prehistory to the earliest civilizations, nude female figures are generally understood to be symbols of fertility or well-being. Japanese prints are one of the few non-western traditions that can be called nudes, but the activity of communal bathing in Japan is portrayed as just another social activity, without the significance placed upon the lack of clothing that exists in the West. The introductory chapter makes though does not originate the often-quoted distinction between the naked body and the nude. This separation of the artistic form from the social and cultural issues long remained largely unexamined by classical art historians. One of the defining characteristics of the modern era in art was the blurring of the line between the naked and the nude. This likely first occurred with the painting The Nude Maja by Goya, which in drew the attention of the Spanish Inquisition. Some of the same characteristics were shocking almost 70 years later when Manet exhibited his Olympia , not because of religious issues, but because of its modernity.
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Take a look at six important paintings showing female nudity in art and find out more about their hidden symbolic meanings. Nudity and art have been connected since the beginning of humanity. Female nudity in art, divine or mortal, became a fascinating and shocking symbol.
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Representing the human body has been one of the major themes throughout art history since prehistoric times. In fact, among the paintings that have marked history, many are nude paintings of bodies, more specifically naked woman. The body is a fantastic source of inspiration for an artist because it is simultaneously the embodiment of beauty, desire, reverie and the forbidden. And it is often the nude paintings that cause scandal in art.
Several artists refer to the female body as a masterpiece and an epitome of perfection. To convey their ideas about female beauty, a number of artistes have portrayed the female body in different types of arts. Some of these paintings have fetched millions of dollars through to exclusive art collectors.
