Bernard Perlin Day II

It's been almost a year since I did my first full series on the life and work of Bernard Perlin, so let's do another.  A major figure in the formative years of gay art culture in New York, he was close to a number of major figures, including the PaJaMa Collective and George Platt Lynes.  So I am starting the set with a photo of him by Mr. Lynes and a portrait of the great photographer by him.

 

Japanese Model

Bernard Perlin was present at the surrender of Japan in September of 1945.  (You can see one of his drawings of the actual signing if you click on his name in the list of topics on the right hand side of this page.)  He apparently engaged a Japanese during his stay in the early days of the occupation for the two drawings shown here.  Given the food shortages in Japan leading up to and including that time, it is surprising to see the model so well fed.  Perhaps Mr. Perlin took some artistic license.  The fundoshi underwear worn adds a certain level of authenticity.

 

Joe Santoro

I find this drawing of a snoozing Joe Santoro to be of exceptional quality.

Mr. Perling completed it in 1950.

 

1942

This untitled work is dated 1942, around the time Bernard Perlin worked on government posters.  

I have to wonder if this was one of the poster models getting in a little extra work.

 

War Posters

Early in World War II, Bernard Perlin contributed to the war effort by producing propaganda posters.  The one above was part of a successful War Bond promotion, but the one below was not finished or published.  I'm guessing that the African-American model was not well received in some circles.

 

Scowling Man

Scowling Man from 1940 shows Mr. Perlin's willingness 

to cover the full range of human expression.

 

Bernard Perlin taught at the Wooster School at various times,

and these two drawings were done there in 1985-86..

 

August 1945

In August of 1945, Mr. Perlin was on assignment in the Mariana Islands for Forbes magazine.

He did this drawing of U.S. servicement an air base getting the news that bombing had been 

ended.  This was after the atomic bombings, but before the formal surrender of Japan.

 

Walter

Bernard Perlin sketched a well built man named Walter in 1953.

 

The Bartender

I'm closing today's series with a painting from 1958.  It's called The Bartender, and all the patrons 

appear to be men.  Yes, there were gay bars in New York City in 1958.

 

Bernard Perlin

This is Walter, 1953 by Bernard Perlin.

 

Bernard Perlin, 1918-2014

I hope Michael Schreiber will forgive my use of the cover of his excellent book for the opening page of my series on the life of Bernard Perlin.  Born in Richmond, Virginia to Jewish immigrants, he was encouraged by a high school teacher to study art at the New York School of Design.  He won awards there and a scholarship to study at The Art Student's League.  Openly gay pretty much from the get-go, he soon moved among both the better and lesser known elements of the NYC gay scene.  So today we will take a first look at the life of a truly remarkable man, with more series to follow.  The photo below is by the great George Platt Lynes:

 

1937

All we have of this 1937 piece by Bernard Perlin is a fragment, but it shows his mastery of the male form.  It is believed by some art historians to be a study for Two Male Nudes, a work which is quite different from this and will be featured in a future series on Mr. Perlin's work.

 

PaJaMa Beach Party

In the late 1930s, Bernard Perlin became friends with the PaJaMa Collective.  

That's him in the center with Margaret Hoening French at top and Paul Cadmus below.  

It's presumed that Jared French took the photo as he's the only one not in it.

 

Thief, 1941

It's amazing how little some aspects of gay life have changed over the decades.  

This model who posed for Bernard Perlin in 1941 is thought to be one of his pickups.  

The drawing was labeled "Thief" by Mr. Perlin himself.

 

World War II

When the United States entered World War II, Bernard Perlin immediately volunteered for service.  He was rejected, however, due to being an open (and notorious) homosexual.  The War Information Office had no such qualms and hired him to make propaganda posters, as above.

Later in the war, Mr. Perlin became a war artist and correspondent, first for LIFE in Greece and later for Fortune Magazine in the Pacific.  The drawing above shows soldiers relaxing in the South Pacific in early 1945.  Present for one of the most momentous events in world history, Bernard Perlin witnessed and painted the surrender of the Japanese in Tokyo Bay, below.

 

Late 1940s

After World War II, Bernard Perlin returned to New York and took up his previous pursuits, art and cruising for men.  Above we have Hudson Street Local from the late 1940s, and it doesn't take much imagination to see the young man who posed as a "fit as a fiddle" returning war veteran.  Below is an item for which we have only a date, 1948.

Disclosure: I used software to repair staining and yellowing on Hudson Street Local.

 

Ted

This 1954 drawing was one of several Bernard Perlin did of Ted Starkowski.  Ted was involved with Mr. Perlin's ex, Chuck Howard at the time.  Between Bernard and Ted, Chuck was also involved romantically with George Platt Lynes.  Now that's an interesting love life.  And if that wassn't enough to keep them busy, all of these men were hobnobbing at the same time with the PaJaMa group of Jared French, Paul Cadmus, and Margaret Hoening French.

 

1956

Herman Wouk used this Bernard Perlin drawing as an illustration in 1956's Lomokome Papers.

 

1965

This is Bathers from 1965.