Photography in the Nudes

Monday started with New York Magazine's not-safe-for-workplace-viewing:

Lindsay Lohan as Marilyn Monroe in "The Last Sitting" -- Photographs by Bert Stern

'In 1962, photographer Bert Stern shot a series of photos of Marilyn Monroe that have collectively come to be known as “The Last Sitting.” Taken during several boozy sessions at the Hotel Bel-Air, the photographs are arguably the most famous images ever captured of America’s most famous actress: Monroe, sleepy-eyed and naked, sips from a Champagne glass, enacts a fan dance of sorts with various diaphanous scarves, romps with erotic playfulness on a bed of white linens. Six weeks after she had posed, Monroe was found dead of an apparent barbiturate overdose.'

On Tuesday, Radar Magazine complicated the matter:

CALLING FOUL ON NAKED LOHAN SPREAD

'The plan to publish nudes—a monumental move in her career—was never made clear, Lohan's rep says. Photographer Bert Stern, the now 78-year-old most famous for getting Marilyn Monroe to strip on film six weeks before her overdose on barbiturates (then going ahead and publishing contact sheets Monroe had exed out with red marker), suggested a much less revealing homage for the mag. A rumor from the very closed set suggests Stern dangled the possibility that the nudes would be displayed only in a museum or as part of his book and that the tamer shots would go to New York.

Stern did not immediately return messages left via phone and e-mail. Lauren Starke, communications manager for New York tells Radar in a statement, "We're very grateful to Lindsay Lohan for participating in this historic photo shoot with Bert Stern and we hope that she is as pleased with the beautiful results as we are."'

On Wednesday, BBC News followed with:

Madonna shot fools Monroe expert

'A Las Vegas couple and a Marilyn Monroe expert have been left embarrassed after what they thought was a nude photo of the star turned out to be a shot of pop star Madonna.'

And the circle of life is complete.