Ah, the glorious nude-as-art. Here, at least in theory, the nude figures represent some timeless quality or essence. They are uplifting, inspirational and educational--and are thus in a completely different category from "naked" images such as you might find in erotic magazines. (And, after all, these images hang in famous museums around the world, so surely they are refined art of the highest order--right?)

I should add that not all art theorists agree with the nude vs. naked distinction. Most of these dissenters would say that there is no clear, rigid dividing line between art and eroticism--the two are inextricably interconnected. I side with the dissenters on this matter.

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