Nude Photography for Sale
In the 1830s, Joseph Nicéphore Niépce pioneered a method to print images onto metal plates. After his death in 1833, Louis Daguerre and François Arago furthered his research, leading to the invention of the daguerreotype, a process that captured images on silver plates exposed to light. This marked the birth of photography, revolutionizing the way images were created and reproduced.
Unlike nude paintings, which had long been recognized as an artistic discipline, nude photography initially served scientific and educational purposes. Art schools used photography in anatomy courses, making it a popular tool for studying the human body. In Orsay, historical nude photographs were discovered with grids drawn on the bodies, helping artists replicate proportions more accurately in drawings and paintings.
By the early 20th century, magazines began publishing nude photographs, expanding the medium beyond academia. Publications like L'Étude Académique featured artistic nude images designed to replace live models in painting and sculpture. At its inception, photography was not considered a fine art but was instead regarded as a technical tool for capturing reality. Despite this, the use of erotic photography was already growing, with early nude magazines emerging even in the face of censorship.
The male nude, far less common than the female nude, appeared in early works by Albert Londe, Thomas Eakins, and Vincenzo Galdi. These outdoor photographs depicted men as idealized young figures, reminiscent of classical ephebes. In the 1930s and 1940s, photographers like Man Ray, Jean Ferrero, and Gregor Arax introduced a more virile and sophisticated representation of the male body, marking a shift in artistic expression.
Modern nude photography takes many forms beyond erotic imagery. Some contemporary photographers explore the human form through conceptual and provocative art. Jeff Koons embraces sexual provocation with explicit compositions, while Spencer Tunick orchestrates large-scale nude installations in public spaces. Joel-Peter Witkin approaches the nude with elements of the grotesque and surreal. Other influential nude photographers include Nan Goldin, known for her decadent and raw portraits, Nobuyoshi Araki, a master of black-and-white nudes, and Anders Petersen, who captures intimate and emotional scenes. Robert Mapplethorpe remains a defining figure with his minimalist compositions and striking black-and-white nudes.
By 1970, nude photography had gained full acceptance as an artistic genre, with specialized magazines dedicated to the field. Today, Artsper showcases works by renowned photographers such as Bert Stern, Ren Hang, Eric Ceccarini, Maurice Renoma, Dani Olivier, and Laetitia Lesaffre, offering a diverse collection of fine art nude photography for collectors and art enthusiasts.
Save your search and find it in your favorites
Save your search to find it quickly
Saved search
Your search is accessible from the favorites tab > My favorite searches
Unsaved search
A problem occurred
Discover the styles & movements
Discover the selection of our experts
Need help with Nude Photography ?
Why are so many artworks nude?
Depicting the nude human body in art is, for many artists, a way to express the beauty of the human form as well as sentiment and emotions. Representing nudes in art is an old tradition; the earliest known depiction of a nude figure, a small sculpture carved from a wooly mammoth tusk, dates back 35,000 years.
Who is a famous nude photographer?
One of the most famous photographers who created nude images is Alfred Stieglitz, an American photographer whose career spanned the first half of the 20th century. Some of his most famous nude works are of his lover, famous artist Georgia O'Keeffe.
What are the earliest examples of nude photography?
Unlike paintings of nude figures, which fell under the artistic domain from the earliest examples, nude photography began to be used in the fields of science and education. Nude photography was then introduced into the art world as an alternative way of representing the human body.