A nude photo of Melania Trump from her modeling days has resurfaced and is sold for a whopping amount of money by the photographer who originally took it.
Before becoming First Lady, Melania Trump, 56, had a successful international career as a fashion model under her maiden name, Melania Knauss.
Now a nude photograph from this time has resurfaced. It was originally published in the French magazine Max in 1995 when she was 25 and shows her and model Emma Eriksson in an embrace, both of them naked on a bed.
It’s not the first time this particular black and white photo has resurfaced. It first circulated during Donald Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign, and has been a hot topic more than once since.
The photographer behind the shoot has nothing but praise for Melania
Alexandre de Basseville, the photographer behind the shot, is now selling it on his website for $32,000.
He’s previously described Melania as standing out from other models he worked with at the time.
“She was not like a typical model that I was seeing every day at that time,” he told WWD.
“She was not like a typical or regular woman, who you could meet, in the way she talks, the way she acts, the way she lives. She has been preparing for something. There was something in her that was different.”
Melania’s impressive modelling portfolio
Melania’s modeling résumé as a whole is nothing short of impressive. She’s worked with such celebrated names as Patrick Demarchelier, Helmut Newton, Arthur Elgort, and Mario Testino.
She’d openly pushed back on the criticism of the photo, for example on a video posted to X in September 2024 when she was promoting her memoir.
“Why do I stand proudly behind my nude modeling work? The more pressing question is: Why has the media chosen to scrutinize my celebration of the human form in a fashion photo shoot?” she said.
“Are we no longer able to appreciate the beauty of the human body? Throughout history, master artists have revered the human shape, evoking profound emotions and admiration. We should honor our bodies and embrace the timeless tradition of using art as a powerful means of self-expression.”
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