World
1News

Facebook bans paintings by renowned artist Rubens for containing 'sexually orientated content'

July 26, 2018

The social network said the paintings contained "sexually orientated content". (Source: Other)

Facebook executives will meet officials from the Flemish tourist board to try and resolve a row over an ad that uses a painting with nudity.

The social network banned an ad featuring painter Peter Paul Rubens' Descent From The Cross, which includes a bare-chested Jesus, the BBC reported.

The social network said the paintings contained "sexually orientated content".

The Flanders Tourist Board made a satirical video with fake investigators escorting visitors out of a museum which contains similar paintings.

Visit Flanders chief executive Peter de Wildes also wrote an open letter to Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg asking him to reconsider the censorship.

"The bare breasts and buttocks painted by our artist are considered by you to be inappropriate,” the letter read.

"Even though we secretly have to laugh about it, your cultural censorship is making life rather difficult for us.

"After all, we want to use your platform to promote both our Flemish masters as well as Flanders - because art lovers use Facebook too.

"If Peter Paul Rubens had created a Facebook account in his lifetime, he would have had an extraordinary number of people following his fan page."

The Flanders Tourist Board is attempting to attract more visitors to its Flemish master project, which highlights the famous 15th century artists in the region.

The social network does allow images of nude paintings on its site but has tougher rules for ads, which must not contain nudity, or implied nudity, even if that is artistic in nature.

SHARE ME

More Stories