A Brief History
On July 10th, 1040, Lady Godiva is supposed to have ridden naked on horseback to force her husband, the Earl of Mercia, to lower taxes.
Digging Deeper
Since Lady Godiva’s legendary ride, many other women have made great impressions on culture, society and history mainly because they were in the buff. This article will list the top 10 women famous for being naked or who, at one point in their lives, had famously been naked. The order they will be presented in is not a ranking, but merely a chronological listing.
For the other articles in the History and Headlines series on naked ladies, please click here.
In the meantime, this list has been expanded to include 50 ladies! For the other ladies, please see: 11-20, 21-30, 31-40 and 41-50.
For the latest installment in this series, the “Top 10 Black Women Famous for Being Naked,” compiled in honor of Black History Month, please click here.
For an article concerning a famous empress and future saint known for her seductive use of her body, please examine “The Saint Who Liked To Spank!” Finally, for more on the topic of women not wearing a specific article of clothing (the bra!), please read “When National Geographic First Showed a Woman’s Bare Breasts in its Magazine” and “June 4, 2010: Braless Attorney Barred from Entering Prison.”
1. Lady Godiva – 1040
Though her nude ride is stuff of legends, Lady Godiva did in fact exist and was the wife of Leofric, Earl of Mercia, in what is present-day England. Since the couple were generous benefactors to religious houses, there are many records of them. The legend of the nude ride was first recorded in the 13th century, two hundred years after it was supposed to have taken place. Feeling sympathy for the people of Coventry who were suffering greatly because of the high taxes imposed by her husband, she begged him to lift the taxation. When he laughed and told her he would only do it if she rode on horseback through the streets without clothes, she took him at his word and mounted a horse clothed in only her long hair. Her husband probably fearing that other men would see his wife naked issued a proclamation that everyone was to stay indoors with the blinds shut. One man by the name of Tom, however, disobeyed that order and spied on Lady Godiva as she rode past his shop. To this day, such voyeurs are called “Peeping Toms.” In the end, the Earl of Mercia is said to have been impressed by his wife’s courage, and lowered the taxes.
2. Simonetta Vespucci (Botticelli’s Venus) – late 15th century
Simonetta Vespucci was an Italian woman of the Renaissance who was renowned for being the greatest beauty in Florence where she attracted the attention of the famous painter Sandro Bottecelli and became his muse. Though she died young, her image continued to inspire Bottecelli and he used her likeness for his some of his most famous works, including his Birth of Venus nine years after her death. In this famous painting, Simonetta is depicted as Venus, rising nucle from the foamy sea and standing on a scallop shell, her strawberry blonde hair flowing about her. As a result of Bottecelli’s devotion, Simonetta is since known as the most beautiful woman of the Renaissance.
3. Victorine Meurent (Manet’s Olympia) – mid to late 19th century
An artist in her own right, today Victorine Meurent is primarily known as the French Impressionist painter, Édouard Manet’s favorite model. He used her nude image in two of his most famous and controversial works – Le Déjeuner sur l’Herbe and Olympia. In the former, known in the English-speaking world as The Luncheon on the Grass, Victorine is depicted nude as she picnics with fully clothed men. She is the only subject of the painting who looks directly at the viewer and she does it with a grin and in a confident, secure and almost provocative manner. As Olympia, Manet depicts her as a courtesan reclining on a couch as if she were waiting for her next gentleman-customer. Again, she directly looks at the viewer, this time with an almost confrontational gaze. Both paintings when first displayed were criticized and attacked as viewers felt threatened by such overt displays of prostitution, sexuality and female confidence. This public response immortalized Victorine’s nucle body in the world of art.
4. Josephine Baker – 1920s and 1930s
This African-American born woman who later became a citizen of France took Paris by storm in the 1920s where she became known for her comedic appeal, erotic dancing and for practically appearing nude onstage, something she could not have done in prude America. Although she was not Chiquita Banana, her most famous outfit consisted solely of 16 bananas being strung around her waist. Whereas in France and Europe she was treated like a superstar, later attempts at success in America failed because American audiences rejected the thought of a black woman being just as sophisticated as high-class Frenchwoman. In addition she refused to entertain in venues that practiced segregation, having initially left the United States to avoid racism. As a result, American audiences missed out on a performer Ernest Hemingway, who also lived in Paris at that time, described as, “…the most sensational woman anybody ever saw or ever will.”
5. Marilyn Monroe – 1950s
Marilyn Monroe is the perfect example of yet-unknown good girls trying to catch a break in the entertainment world having to resort to letting nude pictures be taken of them to make ends meet and then later having these pictures come back and “haunt” them. When Marilyn posed for her iconic nude photos in 1949, she did so because she was a struggling actress. Four years later, when she finally getting bigger roles, Hugh Heffner bought the rights to the photos and published them in his first issue of Playboy, making Marilyn the first official Playmate of the Month. Initially Marilyn was embarrassed by her nude photos appearing on calendars and magazines, but her explanation that she needed the money to pay the rent, garnered her such public sympathy and support that it did not hurt her career, and the photos gave her the publicity she needed to become the most famous blonde bombshell ever.
6. Jayne Mansfield – 1963
Jayne Mansfield, often unfairly described as the poor man’s Marilyn Monroe, was in her own right a groundbreaker. Though often considered a ditz, she did in fact have a genius IQ, could play the violin and was a woman of considerable depth who was greatly loved by her husband and children for her kindness and compassion. Her image was an act and Jayne had no problem dumbing herself down because that was her entertainment persona. She also had no issues displaying her ample assets to further her career and was the first mainstream actress to appear nude in a movie. The movie was called Promises! Promises! and was banned in Cleveland and many cities, though the Cleveland courts later ruled that the nude scenes were not lewd. True to form in her role as the cheap Marilyn, photos of her nude from the movie set were published in the June 1963 issue of Playboy. Even if her willingness to show her breasts on camera was considered trashy at the time, she was the first star to go nude, which made it more acceptable for the other actresses who followed her. Not even Marilyn did this.
7. Yoko Ono – 1968
Although not considered a great beauty, Yoko’s nude body graced the cover of a record album. In 1968 she and John Lennon released their experimental album Two Virgins with a nude cover. The full frontal nudity was so explicit and provoked such outrage that the record had to be covered with a brown bag. Many copies of the album were impounded because the cover was considered obscene. John Lennon believed the uproar had less to do with the explicit nudity but rather with the fact that both subjects were both overweight and somewhat unattractive (Of course this is coming from the guy who said the Beatles were more popular than Jesus Christ…). At any rate, it was her unclothed body on an album cover that gave Yoko Ono her first taste of notoriety and made her a household name.
8. Demi Moore – 1991/1992
Two of the most famous magazine covers to ever grace publication were both fronted by Demi Moore in the nude. Both shot by Annie Leibovitz, the first displayed a heavily pregnant Demi in her birthday suit and the second one a thinner Demi in a painted suit. The cover of pregnant Demi is considered one of the most highly regarded magazine covers of all time and started the trend for celebrities to grace the covers of magazines with their pregnant bellies. This may seem commonplace now, but at the time Demi and Annie were pushing the boundaries of the socially acceptable. For the second cover, Demi allowed a business suit to be painted on her nude body. Published just one year after the belly photo, the suit photo was meant to show off the results of Demi’s fitness regimen. Demi later used both her nudity and her toned physique to her advantage in movies such as GI Jane and Striptease.
9. Madonna – 1992
In the early 90s, Madonna wrote (or rather modelled for) her coffee table book Sex. Probably initially meant more to provoke and to illicit a public response rather than to tastefully display depictions of erotica, this book is now deemed a bold, post-feminist, work of art. Though the book contains poems, stories and essays (like who is actually buying the book to read them?), it is probably primarily read for the images of Madonna’s sexual fantasies which include simulated bisexual and homosexual sex, sadomasochism and analingus. Whatever the literary content though, what is remembered most is that Madonna was buttnaked in many of the pictures and in many of the movies she starred in at that time. Madonna is someone who might be labeled a “provocatrice” or rather “provocatrix…”(made up word by the author and derived from provocatrice combined with dominatrix). She does what she does more so for the reaction than for the actual artistic merit. Lucky for her, her actions are later deemed artistic.
10. Kate Winslet 1997
“Jack, I want you to draw me like one of your French girls.” Who could forget this iconic quote and the iconic scene that followed? Kate Winslet, known for not being shy on camera, disrobed for the only nude scene in the movie Titanic. Wearing only the Heart of the Ocean necklace, Rose poses nude on a couch and lets herself be sketched by Jack. This scene was probably one of the most romantic and tastefully depicted images of nudity on film, with music that definitely contributed to the atmosphere of the scene. An interesting fact that not many people may know is that the sketch done of Kate/Rose was actually done by the director, James Cameron, himself. It was, however, Kate’s body, natural look and demeanor and comfort level that made the scene what it is. No one can act a nude woman on camera like Kate Winslet. She is one of the few mainstream and respected actresses to regularly go nude for her roles and be praised for it, despite not having the perfect Hollywood body.
Remember, for more ladies famous for being naked, please also refer to our other articles in the series by clicking here.
Question for students (and subscribers): Are these examples of naked women degrading or empowering? Please let us know in the comments section below this article.
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Historical Evidence
For more information, please see…
Carr-Gomm, Philip. A Brief History of Nakedness. Reaktion Books, 2010.
Clark, Kenneth. The Nude: A Study in Ideal Form. Princeton University Press, 1972.
Lloyd, Harold, Suzanne Lloyd, et al. Harold Lloyd’s Hollywood Nudes in 3-D! Tess, 2004.
The featured image in this article, a painting of Lady Godiva by John Collier (1850–1934) is a faithful photographic reproduction of a two-dimensional, public domain work of art. The work of art itself is in the public domain for the following reason: The author died in 1934, so this work is in the public domain in its country of origin and other countries and areas where the copyright term is the author’s life plus 80 years or fewer. This work is in the public domain in the United States, because it was published (or registered with the U.S. Copyright Office) before January 1, 1925.
<span class="dsq-postid" data-dsqidentifier="2886 http://www.crackedhistory.com/?p=2886">67 Comments
Fantastic article, Beth! I hope you will do a follow up at some point! 🙂 To our fellow readers, were Beth to write a follow-up, what women would you most recommend and why? Also, please let us know what you think about displaying female nudity on television and in art? Is there a difference between the nudity in say the paintings above versus if it appeared on a prime time television program? I am greatly curious to know what our readers think and welcome reading your opinions!
Thank you Matthew. I am currently in the process of compiling names for a follow-up list. I definitely already have enough for a second list and a few extras for the start of a third one. Perhaps some of the readers could name some additional examples of women whose nudity was in some way significant, whether it be historically, culturally or socially. I would appreciate the responses, and who knows, maybe they’ll end up in one of the lists 😉
You’re welcome!
Dear Amanda, Thank you for your wonderful suggestion. I had heard of Rape of the Sabines, but I never really read up on the Giambologna sculpture until you mentioned it. It truly is a masterpiece. Unfortunately though, it does appear to have been modeled after a real woman, and it is instead simply a representation of a legendary event. Still, I appreciate your comment very much 🙂
One woman that I would recommend would be Elizabeth Taylor.
She posed nude for a portrait that she gave to her fiancé in 1956. The portrait
was never seen by the public until after her death in 2011. I think this is
something that should be respected because she was a celebrity who kept that
private and did not use it to exploit herself. I believe there is a large
difference between media and art. In the form of paintings and portraits, I
feel that female nudity is acceptable and even a form of beauty. However, today
sex sells and I think it lessens the actually important attributes of women.
Rachel, Thank you for the recommendation. Liz Taylor often comes up when mentioning Hollywood beauties and possible nudity, however, as you know, there really aren’t any nude photographs of her or works of art that have been modeled after her – which is pretty amazing since she is one of the few actresses of her caliber and high profile not to have any. I remember reading about her nude portrait when it was in the news, however, I had forgotten about it in the meantime. Since my second list of women famous for being naked is already complete and ready for publication, I will add Liz to my upcoming third list. I will, of course, keep the article tasteful, as Liz probably did not want the portrait to ever go public (why else would one have waited until her death), but since it did make the news, it has met the criteria for being added to my lists. Again, thank you!
Well, Liz Taylor was born to well-to-do parents with connections, so she never had to struggle as an actress. Not like Marilyn, who grew up in foster care, never knew her father, mother was institutionalized for schizophrenia, was married off three weeks after her 16th birthday to avoid going back to the orphanage. She didn’t have mommy and daddy to make things happen for her.
BTW: Marilyn planned to do Hollywood’s first nude scene in the uncompleted SOMETHING’S GOT TO GIVE, a year before Mansfield’s PROMISES, PROMISES. (there survives some footage and photos on set), so she was willing but died during the making of the film.
Dear Marvin, Thank you for your comment. Unfortunately no credit can be given Marilyn for the first nude scene because the movie “Something’s Got To Give” was never completed, and there is no saying if her pool scene would have ended up on the cutting room floor or not. Furthermore, I highly doubt she would have allowed a full view of her breasts to be shown as Jayne did. Still, Marilyn is probably the most famous and instantly recognizable nude of all time (except maybe to the younger generations…). If you’re a fan of Marilyn, you might like one of my articles that I discuss Marilyn and Joe DiMaggio’s relationship. 🙂
I think you missed a big one. probably because you are not old enough to remember. Brooke Shields posed nude at about ten years old with makeup and suggestive posing as if she were an adult. It was VERY controversial and propelled her career. The second not nearly as impactive but save for several playboy shoots I can’t think of one reason Jenny Mccarthy should be famous.
Thank you for chiming in Levothrea. It’s not that I’m not old enough to remember, I had considered Brooke Shields for these lists (1,2 and eventually 3 and 4), but the fact that she was a child during the photo shoots, gave me pause. Upon your suggestion, however, I will add her to one of the upcoming ones.
P.S. Please check out my latest article in the series, More Women Famous for Being Naked from August 7th.
Bibliography
Minimalism in the Visual ArtsClick the link for more information. and a forerunner of conceptual art conceptual art, art movement that began in the 1960s and stresses the artist’s concept rather than the art object itself. Growing out of minimalism, conceptual art turned the artist’s thoughts and ideas themselves into the primary artistic medium, appealing to theClick the link for more information. .
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I believe there is a big difference in nudity in paintings and nudity in prime time television. The nudity in paintings is meant to be a form of art and the women painted are showing their true beauty. However, in prime time television, they just show women as sex figures and it sort of downgrades them.
This was a different and interesting article. It showed how some woman were not afraid to show their sexuality, and paved the way for women to express themselves. They made history in one way or another.
I wondered why creepers are always called “Peeping Toms,” and now I know why! I think Lady Godiva had a lot of courage to ride on a horse naked; this goes to show that she really wanted to help out and lower the taxes.
Kinda interesting to see what effects a naked women can have on society.
It amazes me that getting naked, both past and present, can have such an impact… like lowering taxes. — DAVID WARDLE
It wasn’t his people suffering but the naked ride that got him to lower taxes. What a great and merciful guy. (rolls eyes)
It’s interestig how impactful a naked women can be.
wow interesting, well-written article! these women were/are fearless.
I understand the nudity factor in art because it has been around for so long but, what i do not understand is why women in this day and age want to expose and exploit themself to men.
Some of the women on the list were a little more recent than I expected, however, we have read an article like this one that talked of women from earlier in history know for nudity– so this kind of brought it all together. I can think of more women infamous for nudity than famous.
I was unaware of many of the gals on the list and always find it funny and disturbing for someone to be criticized for showing their body. I think the paintings are much more appropriate then television, just because a painting is art and even though acting is an art form as well. I think paintings are more inspirational, they let the viewer take their own impression from the work.
I think it’s pretty strange for a woman to be known strictly for being naked and nothing else. Oddly enough, this view still exists today.
I was wondering where the term “peeping Tom” came from. I mean, I never knew who the original Tom was.
Reminds me of kim kardashian..only famous or known for being naked.
It is surprising to find out that women being naked in the past made them famous. I always thought women then were modest and shy. Also it is interesting how what was attractive back then is different than now
I don’t personally believe there is a difference in appearing nude in art vs on tv, I believe the human body is just that, a body. It’s not offensive. It’s almost art in art because every body is different. However I do think in some cases tv does downgrade women which I don’t agree with, women are more than sexual objects. Im glad this article brought up Rose from the Titanic, I love that movie.
I didn’t realize how much impact a woman could have on society just by being nude. From lowering taxes to inciting public rage and breaking down social barriers. Is there a naked men list? I wonder if they could ever have the same impact through similar methods.
I found it interesting that the term peeping tom goes back so far. I also found it interesting that just being nude can bring a person so much fame but it is still happening today.
Interesting that being nude can make people so famous and well-known, but this still goes on today. It seems like this happens more for women, but men can certainly be well-known for their naked bodies as well.
i never knew Simonetta Vespucci was dubbed the most beautiful woman of the Renaissance. I wonder who the most beautiful man was..
Nudity will forever be a part of our society. The human body is indeed a beautiful thing when displayed in the proper way. In art form it can be very captivating. However, in the media, it can become very annoying simple because it is everywhere.
I did not know that Yoko Ono and John Lennon released an album with a nude cover. I knew that they liked to protest for peace and were all for the hippie movement, so it makes a lot of sense that they would have done something like that.
I think it is interesting that so many of these women pushed the social boundary to take nude pictures or to be bold enough to be completely nude for a movie. I would have to say the Lady of Godiva impressed me the most because she was brave enough to go nude for the benefit of her people, in a time where her husband could have been extremely cruel to her for it.
Cool to know that the term peeping tom is such an old phrase. Nudity is still prevalent in our society today. If you cane make money, people will take advantage.
I too, think it is a big difference especially with all the time that’s passed by since old times when women were in paitings for the sake of art and beauty. In modern day television shows this is just showed for other purposes like sex figures and things like the media has ruined the way people view things like this and whats supposed to be an art back then.
I do not believe there is a difference between nudity in paintings and in movies/tv shows. I took a history of art class last system and in the class we talked about some of the nude painting. Even back than woman were seen as a sexual object and nothing else. Granit, woman are seen as strong members of society but we are still seen as sexual objects.
Interesting article… It is still shocking to me that Lady Godiva was able to lower taxes by getting naked! — DAVID WARDLE
Its funny the length that men will go to just to keep others men’s eyes from seeing thier beloved one in the nude!
Really makes you think!
very very interesting article.
this is a very interesting article. looking at the time line going back to Monroe its funny to think how much things have changed.
I’d like even more to understand where the delineation between clothed and nude stands and how it’s changed throughout history.
I think in most paintings, nudity has a more artistic meaning but in both paintings and photographs, it can be used to make a point rather.
I believe that nudity in paintings is a form of art. Nudity in movies degrade women because they use women as sex figures which I am completely against.
I feel in this reading women back in the day before TV those women did the nude painting as a form of art and to show off there natural beauty they had. and now today in prime age women that pose nude it kinda is not real since they can photo shop and edit who they really are and make them look more pretty. so its not the same as it was before in the painting where the women would show off there natural beauty.
It’s Interesting, the various historical cultures differences of the context behind the nudity. From fertility totems, to the deeply woven messages behind the Renaissance art, the female figure has been used as a symbol of deep spirituality to revolution. Though I’m sure many of the ancient cultures had their eye candy art work, it seems today nudity is used far more fas an easy way to draw eyes than to actually say something.
Very interesting to see the different reasons behind famous women being nude. Lady Godiva’s was probably my favorite due to the fact that her husband was only joking about the matter but she just said “watch me” and did it anyways.
Honestly, I do not know much about naked women so I could not tell you any to add! I also believe there is no difference between named paintings or on tv!
this is very interesting, i really like to read about this type of things and hear about what people thought about it,
I doubt the story of Lady Godiva is true, especially considering the fact that it was recorded two hundred years after the fact. Being famous for nudity is a strange concept to me.
In my opinion nudity in paintings is just art, today however it’s just for attention and to gain fame
One thing I found interesting was in the Lady Godiva article about the “Peeping Toms”, lol. Throughout history, many women convey powerful messages through their body and art, but today more so, sex sells and that exists in our society on an everyday basis.
I found this article to be somewhat interesting, the idea of women being famous for being naked is shocking. I do agree with Hannah Overberger (a person who commented below) that there is a difference between women who are nude in paintings versus those who are nude in music videos, movies, magazines etc.
I find it awesome that Lady Godiva rode a horse nude in order to get her husband to lower the taxes. Also, that the phrase peeping tom was made a common phrase by this incident.
I just find it absolutely amazing what people can become famous for these days. The fact that being naked is one of them is crazy.
I think there is a big difference in nudity on television and painting. I think that in art there is a bigger picture than what we see on television today. The paintings have a bigger meaning. I think this was a great article and showed me a lot about what things mean.
I think that this was a hard list to compile and it was hard to see works of art compared to modern movie stars. I think that they deserve to be compared in different categories. It was also unclear how they received their ranking or if they were in any particular order.
I think nudity has progressively became more for attention and less to do with art. In the past, it was normal to have nude paintings and statues, but as society developed, nudity became less important in many ways, and even seems inappropriate in most cases. It still has its place in art, but most people only use it as a sort of publicity stunt or crying for attention. Or they’re just crazy.
This was a great article, i now know about the real peeping tom!
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I love Marilyn Monroe, so it was great to hear more about her life story before she became well known.
Interesting article. What was most interesting to me was: 3. Victorine Meurent (Manet’s Olympia) – mid to late 19th century. In my college writing class we were shown this image and the writer of the article stated this painting was a photo-shopped image not an original work of art.