James E. Davis, Part 1 - Photographs

Doing a two part series on the work of James E. Davis today, with part one being photos 

and part two art work.  We start Bob Panicaro, my favorite James Davis model.

 

Larry Merritt and Butler Coleman

Here we have Butler Coleman standing and Larry Merritt crouching.

 

Raul Rachou

If Raul Rachou looks familiar, it's probably because I've 

featured him in at least two previous series.

 

Don Wible

I don't know if Don Wible was shy, or if Mr. Davis had some artistic reason for covering the package.

 

Larry Merritt and Donald Coleman Again

I'm having trouble telling which is which in this shot of Larry Merritt 

and Butler Coleman, but I think that's Butler in the background.

 

James E. Davis, Part 2 - Art Work Featuring Joe Daetroyles

Between November 30 and October 13 of 1938, a young man named Joe Daetroyles posed nude for James E. Davis.  Today I'm posting six images from those sessions, starting with the earliest.

 

Smile?

Do I detect a smile on Joe's face?

 

Two Versions

Mr. Smith did two versions of this one.  Perhaps the one below was a preliminary sketch.

 

Sleeping

Joe Daetroyles seems to be sleeping in this one.

 

G-Rated

In our final image of Joe Daetroyles, James Davis' shift towards

 the more abstract in his art work is noticeable.

 

James E. Davis Day

James E. Davis (1901-1974) is best remembered as a pioneer of experimental film making, and he was based at Princeton University for years.  As those of you who have followed this blog for some time will know, I have posted some of his male nude and semi-nude drawings in the past.  Today we have another series, starting with this stunning image of Bob Panicaro.

 

1929

This G-rated 1929 painting of sailors has a certain appeal.

I believe they are French, but please correct me if they aren't.

 

Larry Merritt Solo

I think Mr. Davis used a mill pond dam for this photo of Larry Merritt.

We'll see Mr. Merritt later in a duo picture.

 

1931

This pastel of a young man in bed is from 1931.

 

Ralph Grippo

This photo of Ralph Grippo puzzles me because it along among my collection of James E. Davis photos has what appears to be a color treatment.  Or is that just the effect of time since the 1960s?

Just for grins, I've removed the orange tint below:

 

Raoul Rachou

I don't have a date for this photo of Raoul Rachou.

 

1938

By 1938 James E. Davis' pastels were taking on a more semi-abstract element.

 

Larry Merritt and Butler Coleman

I can't tell if Larry Merritt and Butler Coleman are climbing out of or into the quarry pit.

 

Paul Haus Solo

Closing the set with a solo shot of Paul Haus.  There's another guy 

on the edge the photo, but Mr. Davis set up the frame this way.

We can safely assume he wanted it to be about Paul.

 

James E. Davis Photo Day

Today we look at ten different models photographed by James E. Davis.  (For biographical info, click on the label of his name below or in the column at right.)  We start with the only unidentified model in the set, a fellow in a belted 1940s bathing suit riding a bicycle.