Leonardo parody "blasphemy"?

SUPERMODELS have fallen foul of France's blasphemy laws with an advertising campaign that parodies Leonardo da Vinci's painting, The Last Supper.

A judge ordered the advertising posters to be removed yesterday from billboards across France within three days or risk a daily fine of €100,000 (£70,000). . .

The advertising campaign for the Girbaud fashion house shows designer-clad women in the pose of the apostles and a half-naked man as Jesus Christ. . .

The campaign, which was also banned by magistrates in Milan in February, was described as offensive to Catholics by the presiding judge, Jean-Claude Magendie.

From the Times of London, spotted via Eugene Volokh. The ruling is apparently being appealed.

Posted by David on March 16, 2005 12:11 PM