Antoine-Alphose Montfort's Academic Work

Antoine-Alphonse Montfort (1802-1884) was a very successful French painter who is best know for his "Orientalist" work featuring Arab and Turkish themes.  Our interest will be drawn, however, to his early academic drawings featuring male nudes.  This portrait of Montfort is by Paul Delaroche.

The lighting and impressive depiction of the confident stance of the model make 

this Montfort drawing one of my very favorite pieces of academic art.  

Don't be surprised if it shows up on one of my future favorites list.

While quite good, Montfort doesn't seem to have put 

as much detail into the lower part of this drawing as the upper.

Montfort demonstrates both anatomical knowledge and an

 ability to draw a model from all angles in this piece.

In our second Montfort drawing of a model with a staff,

we see a classic academic pose.

The somewhat unusual pose of this Montfort model is appealing.

Gaudenzio Marconi's Artists' Studies

Gaudenzio Marconi (1841-1885) is known for his nude photographs which were used as studies for artists who couldn't afford to hire live models.  Many, if not most, of these involved Classical motifs and no props.  Our first image is an apparent exception on both of those points.

This Marconi image does not appear to be a page from one of his study albums, but I could be wrong.  (I've been wrong before.)  Perhaps he had a private client who wanted to do a take on The Dying Gaul?  I'm sure some artist would like to do the model.  Sorry, I couldn't help that.

Today's Bum Brigade special is firmly holding on to some sort of odd apparatus.

Anybody have a clue as to what it is?

The ceiling of the Sistine Chapel came to mind when I first looked at this Marconi photo, but it is rather differently posed.  Makes me wonder if the objective was anatomical.  If so, it works.

This Marconi model is in a pose that looks like it would be  hard to hold over a long period despite being reclining.  Perhaps a certain life model from London will enlighten us?

My Top Five Favorite Photos . . . for now, anyway.

I had a request from a loyal viewer to post my five current favorite photo, so I am obliging.  Those of you who have followed my postings for a long time will undoubtedly notice that the list has changed over time.  That shouldn't surprise anyone, though, because I have over 30,000 photos in my personal collection.  I am starting with the mid-20th C. physique genre because:  a) there is such a vast amount of material, and b) because much of that material is excellent.  For this round, I have chosen a photo of Bill Grant that is often, but not always, attributed to Pat Milo.  Bill was photographed by a number of outstanding photographers, and for good reason.  I like this shot from later in his career because it artistically shows how well he matured and shows his natural body hair.  Click on the label below the photo for some more biography and some of my other favorites of this great model.

I couldn't do a favorites list without some military nudity.  I chose this World War I photo of Germans in an outdoor shower because of the completely comfortable way the men seem to be dealing with having their photo made while totally nude.  No one bothered to cover up.

This composite I made is my nod to both the G-rated category and to Thomas Eakins, the gay artist, photographer, and pioneering educator who stood Philadelphia society on its head.  The featured character here is George Schenck, a student of Eakins who paid his tuition by being the janitor at Eakins' teaching studio.  An artist in his own right, Schenck was referred to by Eakins as "The Bohemian." He lived into the late 1920's and was described by several writers and others who knew him as homosexual.  These photos of this beautiful man are among my all time favorites.

George Platt Lynes may be my favorite photographer, and this is my current favorite photo from among the hundreds in my collection of his work.  Never able to exhibit his amazing artistic male nude work, he bequeathed it to the Kinsey Institute.  Some of these photos showed both symbolically and literally the nascent gay culture emerging in New York.  In this one, the linked hands and exchanged looks tell us more than words can describe.  The enigmatic reclining man is both detached and involved in the complex interaction.  I think it's beautiful and brilliant.

Anyone who has followed this or my old tumblr blog knows that I have a thing for late 19th and very early 20th Century studio male nudes.  This is my current favorite. probably because it loosely follows a Classical motif and has a naturally well formed model.

Spartan of Hollywood, Part 2 - Semi-nudes

Turning to the semi-nude work of Spartan of Hollywood with this

photo of Eric Pederson whom we saw in a derriere shot earlier.

Constantine Hassalevris dabbled in fashion photography at one time,

and it shows in this shot of an unknown model.

Ken Clark is quite impressive in this Spartan photo.  Note the "Constantine" stamp in the lower right corner.  The photographer used  his first name only early in his career.

Like most of his peers Spartan used props from time to time.

The lyre harkens to the photographer's Greek heritage and works strategically.