In Western art, the nude has long been regarded as an essential measure of artistic skill. So central was the study of the male nude that works were often titled “Académie,” reflecting their place at the core of formal training. Drawing from live models was a crucial part of academic instruction, but women were excluded from participating in this exercise until around the turn of the twentieth century, as viewing nudity was considered improper for them.

Because the protagonists of history and mythology were most often male, young and well-proportioned men were the preferred models, while female models were prohibited until the late eighteenth century. To portray the human body beautifully was seen as more than a technical exercise: it was considered the very “essence of art” and served as a formal initiation for artists aspiring to create large-scale works.