... of same-sex relationships. Whether this was responsible for the changing male nude is open to question, but it cannot be denied that at this time, artists began to exhibit nudes of homoerotic undertones at the Paris salons. For example, Girodets celebrated Sleep of Endymion (1793) and Ingres' Achilles Receiving the Ambassadors of Agamemnon (1801). Neoclassicism and Romanticism were the two major art movements of the time. Neoclassical subjects were usually based upon male characters from classical myths that were adapted to coincide with contemporary French politics. Romanticism aimed to challenge, often using controversial subjects aiming to evoke emotions. Romanticism led to the artists' reputation as a bad influence, often bisexual, who aimed to shock his audience. It was an amalgamation of these two styles that brought about the 'homoerotic nude' at the beginning of 19th Century. Yet another potential influence on the changing male nude was the contemporary Art historian ...

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