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
Marilyn Boob Smile (1962)
Bert Stern
Photography - 48 x 33 x 1 cm Photography - 18.9 x 13 x 0.4 inch
€4,900
Crossing the Red Army Street
Katerina Belkina
Photography - 30 x 40 cm Photography - 11.8 x 15.7 inch
€1,823
The last sitting - Marilyn purple wink roses
Bert Stern
Photography - 48 x 33 x 1 cm Photography - 18.9 x 13 x 0.4 inch
€2,775
Le Pape invité
Arnaud Baumann
Photography - 80 x 120 x 0.1 cm Photography - 31.5 x 47.2 x 0 inch
€2,900
Langue de danseuse
Arnaud Baumann
Photography - 120 x 80 x 0.1 cm Photography - 47.2 x 31.5 x 0 inch
€2,900
Sunbathing In Antibes - 1976 Slim Aarons Limited Edition Estate Stamped Print
Slim Aarons
Photography - 101.6 x 152.4 cm Photography - 40 x 60 inch
€3,550
Paraglider - 1968 Slim Aarons Limited Edition Estate Stamped Print
Slim Aarons
Photography - 101.6 x 76.2 cm Photography - 40 x 30 inch
€3,010
Having A Topping Time - Slim Aarons Limited Edition Estate Stamped Print
Slim Aarons
Photography - 101.6 x 101.6 cm Photography - 40 x 40 inch
€3,550
Tania Mallet - 1961 Slim Aarons Limited Edition Estate Stamped Print
Slim Aarons
Photography - 101.6 x 101.6 cm Photography - 40 x 40 inch
€3,550
0Underwater Drink - 1972 Slim Aarons Limited Edition Estate Stamped Print
Slim Aarons
Photography - 152.4 x 101.6 cm Photography - 60 x 40 inch
€3,550
Marilyn Monroe. Baby Nude
Bert Stern
Photography - 31 x 45 x 1 cm Photography - 12.2 x 17.7 x 0.4 inch
€4,900
Ar T cheology 002 Brown
Jean-Claude Byandb
Photography - 60 x 45 x 0.1 cm Photography - 23.6 x 17.7 x 0 inch
€610
Noir/Blanc META Graphic 03
Jean-Claude Byandb
Photography - 60 x 45 x 0.1 cm Photography - 23.6 x 17.7 x 0 inch
€610
Noir ou Blanc META Graphic 01
Jean-Claude Byandb
Photography - 60 x 45 x 0.1 cm Photography - 23.6 x 17.7 x 0 inch
€610
Marilyn Monroe 1962. New baby in silver
Bert Stern
Photography - 33 x 48 x 1 cm Photography - 13 x 18.9 x 0.4 inch
€4,900
Marilyn 1962 (New baby in Gold)
Bert Stern
Photography - 33 x 48 x 1 cm Photography - 13 x 18.9 x 0.4 inch
€4,900
Swimmer, #2248
Natasha Zupan
Photography - 33 x 25 x 0.3 cm Photography - 13 x 9.84 x 0.1 inch
€1,094
Prêtresse - Format M
Mathilde Oscar
Photography - 90 x 60 x 1 cm Photography - 35.4 x 23.6 x 0.4 inch
€1,200
Jupiter & Io
Mathilde Oscar
Photography - 60 x 40 x 1 cm Photography - 23.6 x 15.7 x 0.4 inch
€1,500
Marilyn in chenille
Bert Stern
Photography - 48 x 33 x 1 cm Photography - 18.9 x 13 x 0.4 inch
€2,490
#8. From La Piedra Sustituta II Series
José Sierra
Photography - 61 x 37.3 x 0.3 cm Photography - 24 x 14.7 x 0.1 inch
€1,185
Marilyn Monroe: The Last Sitting Portfolio 7
Bert Stern
Photography - 61 x 61 cm Photography - 24 x 24 inch
€18,229
Errabundeo (Córdoba 1)
Javier Rey
Photography - 53 x 80 x 0.3 cm Photography - 20.9 x 31.5 x 0.1 inch
€1,230
Engulfment, Mosquera 1
Javier Rey
Photography - 110 x 40 x 0.3 cm Photography - 43.3 x 15.7 x 0.1 inch
€1,276
Graphic Leaves - Size L
Clara Diebler
Photography - 90 x 60 x 0.1 cm Photography - 35.4 x 23.6 x 0 inch
€1,200
Naked in the woods - Size L
Clara Diebler
Photography - 90 x 60 x 0.1 cm Photography - 35.4 x 23.6 x 0 inch
€1,200
Artemis & Orion - Size S
Mathilde Oscar
Photography - 90 x 60 x 1 cm Photography - 35.4 x 23.6 x 0.4 inch
€1,200
Fuck the rules in Chanel
Cécile Plaisance
Photography - 125 x 95 x 5 cm Photography - 49.2 x 37.4 x 2 inch
€15,000
Le rapt de Perspéphone
Mathilde Oscar
Photography - 90 x 60 x 1 cm Photography - 35.4 x 23.6 x 0.4 inch
€1,200
Muscas, la reine des mouches
Mathilde Oscar
Photography - 90 x 60 x 1 cm Photography - 35.4 x 23.6 x 0.4 inch
€2,000
Countess On Deck 1982 Slim Aarons Limited Edition Estate Stamped Print
Slim Aarons
Photography - 101.6 x 152.4 cm Photography - 40 x 60 inch
€3,550
Beach At St. Tropez - 1977 Slim Aarons Limited Edition Estate Stamped Print
Slim Aarons
Photography - 101.6 x 152.4 cm Photography - 40 x 60 inch
€3,550
Summer In Monaco - 1957 Slim Aarons Limited Edition Estate Stamped Print
Slim Aarons
Photography - 101.6 x 101.6 cm Photography - 40 x 40 inch
€3,550
Sunbathing In Arizona - 1967 Slim Aarons Limited Edition Estate Stamped Print
Slim Aarons
Photography - 76.2 x 101.6 cm Photography - 30 x 40 inch
€3,010
Island Paradise - 1984 Slim Aarons Limited Edition Estate Stamped Print
Slim Aarons
Photography - 101.6 x 152.4 cm Photography - 40 x 60 inch
€3,550
Plantation Cocoyer - 1981 Slim Aarons Limited Edition Estate Stamped Print
Slim Aarons
Photography - 152.4 x 101.6 cm Photography - 60 x 40 inch
€3,550
Discover the styles & movements
Discover the selection of our experts
Couple enlacé / Couple embracing, 1901
Gustav Klimt
Print - 64 x 48 x 1 cm Print - 25.2 x 18.9 x 0.4 inch
€625
Audrey Fleurot 3
Theo Haggai
Fine Art Drawings - 27.5 x 20.5 cm Fine Art Drawings - 10.8 x 8.1 inch
€590
Alinéa-toi - Série sculpture bronze corps humain
Monique Gervais
Sculpture - 28 x 33 x 15 cm Sculpture - 11 x 13 x 5.9 inch
€4,500
Petite penseuse
Jacques Coquillay
Sculpture - 20 x 14.5 x 11 cm Sculpture - 7.9 x 5.7 x 4.3 inch
€3,600
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.