Classicist Edith Hall reflects on the meaning of the male nude in the art of the ancient world, from Myron's Discobolus to Antinous. Show more

Partha Mitter explores the meaning and power of the male nude in the visual art of the Indian subcontinent and examines where and how it diverges from the classical ideal. Show more

Playwright and broadcaster Gabriel Gbadamosi considers the meaning of the male nude in African art from ancient Yoruba ritual to the present day. Show more

Writer and broadcaster Matthew Sweet reflects on the male nude in Renaissance and Victorian art. Show more

Critic Sarah Kent contemplates the place of the male nude in contemporary art, from the photography of Robert Mapplethorpe to Sam Taylor-Wood's video of David Beckham. Show more