2,500-year-old Greek warrior statues were given a controversial makeover for a photo shoot by French photographer Gerald Bruneau. The ancient Riace Bronzes, created as models of manliness, lost all their masculine dignity as the French photographer Gerald Bruneau covered them in tulle, leopard underwear and and feathered boas. The two famous full-size Greek bronzes of naked bearded warriors, cast about 460–420 BC and found in the sea near Riace in 1972 had just gone through a restoration process and were looking at their finest when subjected to this treatment by Bruneau in order to make a statement about gay marriage.

“Down in the south of Italy the men are very macho and conservative and are very upset by the idea of gay marriage. But the ancient Greeks had no problem with homosexuality,” said Bruneau, a student of Andy Warhol’s pop art movement. He was given permission to shoot the warriors in a veil but went one step further when his eye caught the other items in a stall.

His photographs prompted outrage with most people seeing his work as desecration of cultural treasures that have just been through a lengthy restoration process. Simonetta Binomi, head of Reggio Calabria’s National Archaeological Museum, claims that permission was not given for the controversial attire, just for the veil after an earlier shoot at the Gallery Borhese in Rome had been carried out in good taste. However, she was surprised that the statues had been dressed and touched. The museum is now worried as to whether this scandal will prompt claims for the return of the statue to other areas.

Conservative Italy of Values politician Ignazio Messina wants a judicial inquiry into the photo shoot.

On his part, Bruneau is pleased with the reaction stating that he enjoys being provocative. But was he being provocative or just plain tacky? What do you think?

2,500-year-old statues before and after:

French photographer Gerald Bruneau placing the final touches –

The epitome of masculinity –

But not so masculine when the butt is made to jut outwards while draped in tulle –

Some think it’s sacrilege –

Here comes the warrior bride?