In view of a major exhibition titled ‘Defining Beauty: The Body in Ancient Greek Art’ that is scheduled to open at the British Museum on March 26, The Telegraph explores the concept of nudity in ancient Greece in a feature article written by Harry Mount.

According to the editor, the Ancient Greeks would have been amazed by the Charlie Hebdo tragedy, and the row over depicting religious figures fully clothed or otherwise, as most of Greek Gods were regularly carved as nudes.

Apart from their love for athleticism, the Ancient Greeks also revered the naked body, in a way no previous civilization had, the article argues.

The body was celebrated in art, sculpture, architecture and other art forms, Mr. Mount says.

Moreover, Athens in its golden age “produced a strange, unprecedented combination of artistic freedom and rigid artistic rules,” with extraordinary results.

The artistic value of the Ancient Greek nudes is recognized by many experts. In fact, art historian Kenneth Clark has said that the nude “is an art form invented by the Greeks… just as opera is an art form invented in 17th-century Italy.”