Nude life drawing models posed naked outside Paris's City Hall's this week to demand better pay and conditions and more respect for their art.
Models disrobed outside the City Hall's culture department in the cold light of winter reportedly to demand a pay increase, proper contracts and respect for their craft.
Artists, students and art teachers reportedly sat sketching the protest to show support for the models.
It follows a move by Paris City Hall, which runs life drawing classes, to ban a collection cornet being passed around among the students after the end of each class for tips for the models.
A culture spokesman for City Hall reportedly said that it could not allow people to collect untaxed money while working in a state building.
Life models reportedly earn 10 euros per hour for each life drawing class, which can add up to 20 or 30 euros with tips. They say the job is very physically demanding as it requires them to stay still for prolonged periods of time.