5 tasteful nudes that will put any Kardashian to shame

The female nude has always been a popular theme in art history. Join us as we take a look at 5 graceful examples on Gallerease:

The Classical Nude

_{August von Kloeber, Death of Adonis, 1852, oil on canvas, 100 x 130 cm.}

It all started with the ancient Greeks, who had a knack for creating the most breathtaking marble nude sculptures. Those sculptures set the international standards of beauty for years to come, exterting their influence all the way up to the 19th century. Pictured here are Adonis and Aphrodite, as described by Ovidius in his famous Metamorphosis.

The French Nude

_{Henri Fantin-Latour, Sara La Bagneuse, 1888, lithograph, 24 x 15 cm.}

Henri Fantin-Latour was also inspired by the Old Masters in the Louvre, but his own artistic style developed into something more modern and realistic. Still, his paintings and drawings are characterized by their softness and elegance.

The Expressionistic Nude

_{Jan Sluijters, A mulattin on the sofa, 1927, oil on canvas, 55 x 65 cm.}

We all know how much Jan Sluijters loved his ladies, yet he always depicted them with the utmost respect, using different colours and shades to emphasize their curves.

The Vintage Nude

_{Ave Pildas, Teapot, 1979, photographic print, 20 x 30 cm.}

With photography, especially during the early days, it was difficult to produce a female nude without it looking pornographic. Black and white photography naturally lays more emphasis on shapes and contours than it does on atmosphere, making it the perfect medium for this occasion.

The Sculpted Nude

_{Jan Pater, Alba, 2000, bronze, h 86 cm.}

Of course a sculpture also belongs on this list. This bronze nude, made by Jan Pater, perfectly showcases the beauty of the female body, emphasizing its elegance through an agile form.

For more 'nude', see also our online collection at Galleries, showing an overview of many well known galleries!

Header image: Sandro Botticelli, Birth of Venus, c. 1486, Uffizi, Florence.