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Seller: Canonymale, Pensacola, FL, U.S.A.Canonymale
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Hardcover
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NEW IN ORIGINAL PUBLISHER SHRINKWRAP, UNOPENED. This book deals with the flamboyant life and forbidden art of George Quaintance, an artist ahead of his time, a man who forged several successful careers, yet never enjoyed mainstream fame. But Quaintance, who died in 1957, lived and worked during an era when homosexuality was repressed, when his joyful paintings and physique photos could not depict overt nudity so his art is inuendo. In an era before Stonewall, the sexual revolution, gay rights, Quaintance and his high camp erotic art existed in a demi monde of borderline legality. Half a century on, the masculine fantasy world created by Quaintance, populated by Latin lovers, lusty cowboys and chiselled ranch hands, retains its seductive allure. His highly prized paintings numbering just 55 rarely come to auction, instead selling privately. This is the consummate monograph of his entire body of work, and a very substantial book in depth, weight and sheer size.
As the preeminent ’male physique’ beefcake artist of the 1940s and early ’50s, his work for Physique Pictorial, Demi-Gods and Body Beautiful inspired a generation of artists like Tom of Finland, Harry Bush, Etienne, and other, lesser stars in their constellation. Text in English, French, and German.
Seller Inventory # ABE-1756843337748
- Title
- George Quaintance, The Art of
- Author
- Reed Massengill, Dian Hanson
- Publisher
- TASCHEN
- Publication year
- 2010
- Condition
- New
- Dust jacket
- New
- Binding
- Hardcover
- Language
- English
- ISBN 10
- 3836507323
- ISBN 13
- 9783836507325
- Illustrator
- George Quaintance
- Item weight
- 6.6 pounds
- Dimensions
- 11.6 inches width by 15.8 inches height by 2 inches depth
<div class="margin-bottom" id="description_text_headlines"><div><strong>Physique painter as Renaissance man: The flamboyant life and forbidden art of George Quaintance</strong></div><div> </div></div><div class="description_text"><div class="margin-bottom" id="description_text"><strong>George Quaintance </strong><strong>was an artist ahead of his time,</strong> a man who forged several successful careers, yet never enjoyed mainstream fame. Had he been born a few decades later, we might know him today as a multi-tasking celebrity stylist, as a coach on <em>Dancing with the Stars</em>, or perhaps as the fine artist he aspired to be.<br><br>But Quaintance, who died in 1957, lived and worked during an era when homosexuality was repressed, when his joyful paintings and physique photos could not depict a penis. In an era before Stonewall, the sexual revolution, gay rights and the AIDS crisis, Quaintance and his high-camp erotic art existed in a demi-monde of borderline legality.<br><br>Half a century on, the masculine fantasy world created by Quaintance, populated by Latin lovers, lusty cowboys and chiseled ranch hands, retains its seductive allure. His highly prized paintings—numbering just 55—rarely come to auction, instead selling privately for undisclosed sums. As the preeminent ’male physique’ artist of the 1940s and early ’50s, his work for<em> Physique Pictorial, Demi-Gods </em>and <em>Body Beautiful</em> inspired a generation of artists like <strong>Tom of Finland, Harry Bush, Etienne</strong>, and other, lesser stars in their constellation.<br><br>Raised on a farm in rural Virginia, Quaintance traveled a fascinating path of reinvention: at various points in his life he was a Vaudeville dancer, the favored portraitist of Washington’s smart set, and a celebrity hair designer—though he never actually touched hair.  <br><br><strong>TASCHEN’s <em>Quaintance </em>traces his remarkable life story and reintroduces his colorful, kitschy and culturally resonant paintings—works that made George Quaintance the most popular and successful physique artist of his time, and one of its most intriguing figures.</strong></div><div class="margin-bottom"> </div><div class="margin-bottom">Text in English, French, and German</div></div>
"Synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.
About the Author
About the author:
Reed Massengill is a photographer and writer whose 1994 Portrait of a Racist was nominated for the Pulitzer Prize. He is the author/editor of several books, including Self-Exposure: The Male Nude Self-Portrait and Uncovered: Rare Vintage Male Nudes.
About the editor:
Dian Hanson was born in Seattle in 1951. For 25 years she produced various men’s magazines, including Puritan, Juggs and Leg Show, before becoming TASCHEN's sexy book editor in 2001. Her many books for TASCHEN include The Big Penis Book, The Big Book of Legs and Bob’s World. She lives in Los Angeles
"About the title" may belong to another edition of this title.
Canonymale
Pensacola, FL, U.S.A.
5-star seller
AbeBooks seller since September 2, 2025
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Canonymale
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