Naked Washington

When John Ashcroft was Attorney General, he ordered curtains be hung over the art deco statue of a semi-nude woman in the Justice Department Great Hall, where news conferences were held. Photographers had often framed the "Spirit of Justice" figure over Ashcroft's shoulder. The Justice Department said the $8,000 curtains were ordered to provide a good backdrop for television, but some wondered if Ashcroft was uncomfortable being photographed with a bare breast behind him. Current Attorney General Alberto Gonzales eventually removed the curtains.

That statue is just one of the dozens of clothing-optional pieces of art in Washington. Some are graphic, others suggestive, some with modesty shields. Nakedness abounds across the street from the White House, outside the Library of Congress, on bridges leading into the nation's capital and throughout the District's neighborhoods.

The book "Naked Washington" compiles pictures and stories of the city's artistic nudity. It includes a naked walking tour, and descriptions of both anatomical correctness of some statues and the "cover-up" of others.

All this week WTOP will take a lighthearted look at how much nudity surrounds everyone who's spent any time living, working or visiting Washington.

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Part 1: Baron von Steuben
Photos of the Baron von Steuben Memorial

Part 2: Navy Yard Urns
Photos of the Navy Yard Urns

Part 3: Union Station Soldiers
Photos of the Union Station Soldiers

Part 4: Court of Neptune
Photos of Court of Neptune

Part 5: Marconi
Photos of Marconi Monument

Part 5: Boy Scouts
Photo of Boy Scout Monument

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