Spanish monarchs’ collection of secret nudes goes on display in the USA

A SECRET collection of nudes owned by Spanish monarchs is to go on display across the pond.

Visitors to the Clark Art Institute in Massachusetts will be privy to a collection of 16th and 17th century paintings previously banned in prudish Catholic Spain.   

A large number of the paintings were privately owned and ogled by the likes of Philip II (reigned 1556-98) and Philip IV (reigned 1621-40), and clandestinely stored in secret hiding places.

In total, 28 paintings have been loaned from the Prado in Madrid by artists such as Titian, Tintoretto and Rubens.

The paintings, condemned by the Catholic Church in the 16th century as the equivalent of porn, will remain on display until the end of the year.