'Welcome to Britain': Tabloids print photo of naked Carla Sarkozy

UK News

Mar 26, 2008, 11:10 GMT

London - French President Nicolas Sarkozy and his new wife Carla were given the particular kind of welcome that the British tabloid press is feared for Wednesday when papers splashed an old photograph of a naked Carla on their pages.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy (C) and his wife Carla Bruni (R) wait to greet Israeli President Shimon Peres for the Gala dinner at Elysee Palace in Paris. French President Nicolas Sarkozy and his new wife Carla were given the particular kind of welcome that the British tabloid press is feared for Wednesday when papers splashed an old photograph of a naked Carla on their pages. EPA/HORACIO VILLALOBOS'Welcome to Great Britain, Madame Sarkozy' was the headline in the Daily Mirror which published the black-and-white picture on an inside page as Sarkozy and his wife were beginning a two-day state visit. A day earlier, the auction house Christie's had announced plans to auction the photograph made when Carla was a fashion model. The photo, shot by photographer Michel Comte, posed her in a style reminiscent of the neo-impressionist artist Georges Seurat. Christie's, defending its action, said that Carla Sarkozy, now 40, is 'one of the most beautiful women in the world' and that the auction house did not engage in censorship. 'It's a work of art. It was shot in 1993 when Miss Bruni was a model and it's a tasteful nude portrait executed by a well known, respectable artist', said Milena Sales, spokeswoman from Christie's. 'Christie's stands by the works it represents to its clients, it doesn't censor or pass judgement on any content or subject matter. It's a perfectly respectable work of art.' The photograph, estimated to be worth 2,500 euros (3,800 dollars), is to be auctioned in New York on April 10. The Sun newspaper said Carla Sarkozy was 'outraged' that the photo was being published at this particular moment, coming the same day that she and her husband are to be received by Queen Elizabeth II.

View blog reactions

If you liked this story please support M&C and Buzz the site on Yahoo.

Latest Headlines in UK

Talkback

Add your comment (no registration required)

page: 1

stanthemanMar 29th, 2008 - 17:38:54

so let me see if I have this right?!
the lady agrees to be photographed naked. She gets paid for it. She obtains no control of distribution. it gets published in a newspaper. husband pissed off!!

where is the news?

Report this comment

page: 1

Add your comment (no registration required)

Latest from M&C Blogs

Obama: the gloves come off in Denver - Global Eye on August 29, 2008 6:49 AM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

Biden: good choice or admission of Obama's weakness? - Global Eye on August 25, 2008 6:45 AM | Permalink | Comments (8) | TrackBacks (0)

Are political campaigns wasting their money on undecided voters? - Global Eye on August 22, 2008 7:49 AM | Permalink | Comments (9) | TrackBacks (0)

Upside-down House - The World in Pictures on August 4, 2008 11:33 AM | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBacks (0)

Church of our Lady in Dresden, Germany - The World in Pictures on August 4, 2008 11:17 AM | Permalink | Comments (6) | TrackBacks (0)

Giant Orange - The World in Pictures on July 15, 2008 5:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (8) | TrackBacks (0)

UK

'Welcome to Britain': Tabloids print photo of naked Carla Sarkozy

UK News

Latest Headlines in UK

Talkback

Latest from M&C Blogs

In Monsters and Critics

Corporate

The Fine Print