This painting shows a nude young girl,[1] lasciviously presenting her nude body. An interesting fact here is that the title of the painting and the way of presentation do not imply any pretense to mythological meaning, but rather depict an ordinary woman. The Venus Pudica Gesture, the centuries-old tradition of covering genitals and/or breast, faded more and more into the background. By painting pubic hair Goya attached more significance to the female genitals, because he breaks up with the conventional hairless way of depiction. Pubic hair had been depicted by some german Renaissance artists for rendering their artworks more realistic, afterwards it disappears again. Because of the promiscuity of the painting Goya was summoned to inquisition, with the result that he was deprived of "court painter" title.[2] Besides this painting there is another one representing the clothed Maja.

Biography: http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francisco_de_Goya

(Translation: K. Seifter)