The History of Nudity - Iconic Nude Moments In Pop Culture

11th Century

Lady Godiva rides a horse naked through the streets of Coventry to protest her husband's tax policies.

1797–1800

Francisco Goya paints La maja desnuda, a fully nude woman with pubic hair. Spanish society is enraged.

1920s

Photographer Alfred Cheney Johnston specializes in unretouched, full frontal images of showgirls from the Ziegfield Follies.

1933

Actress Hedy Lamarr fakes an organsm in Ecstasy, appears fully nude on screen, and (spoiler alert) has pubic hair and nipples.

1953

Marilyn Monroe appears naked in the centerfold of the first issue of Playboy. Men rush to the newsstands for the articles.

1968

John Lennon and Yoko Ono release Unfinished Music #1: Two Virgins and appear au naturel on the album cover.

1974

As English actor David Niven introduces Elizabeth Taylor at the 46^th Academy Awards, photographer and art gallerist Robert Opel streaks across the stage, flashing the audience a peace sign, among other things.

1978

A 12-year-old Brooke Shields appears nude for her role as a preteen prostitute in Pretty Baby.

1978

A 12-year-old Brooke Shields appeared nude for her role as a preteen prostitute in Pretty Baby.

1980

To the delight (or was it shock and awe) of women everywhere, Richard Gere becomes the first man to do full-frontal in American Gigolo.

1991

Demi Moore poses pregnant and nude on the cover of Vanity Fair, follows it up with two more naked (albeit body painted) covers.

1991

Nirvana Nevermind album cover features naked baby in water.

1992

Sharon Stone flashes her lady parts in Basic Instinct.

1995

Showgirls becomes the first and only NC-17 film to be given a wide release.

1997

Mark Wahlberg dons a 13-inch prosthetic penis in Boogie Nights.

2002

An ad for YSL's M7 fragrance features martial arts champion-turned-male model Samuel de Cubber totally naked; GQ declines to run, only appears in European magazines.

2003

Abercrombie & Fitch ceases publication of their softcore magazine A+F Quarterly with a splashy final issue that features images of group sex and nude young adults frolicking in a river.

2004

Janet Jackson's nipple, encircled by a silver nipple shield, slips out for a hot second during Superbowl Super Bowl XXXVIII. Nipplegate ensues.

2007

Approximately 18,000 naked people pose for photographer Spencer Tunick in Mexico City, setting a new record.

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