Lusty Dutch Homoerotic Art

[Luv2play]

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/13/t-magazine/art-cornelis-cornelisz-van-haarlem.html

[Luv2play]

That took some effort on my part to post. Still getting used to providing links. Enjoy the read.

[EastbayMike]

I saw "The Massacre of the Innocents" last time I was in Amsterdam 2 summers ago. I walked away with half a hard on.

[+ Lucky]

I saw "The Massacre of the Innocents" last time I was in Amsterdam 2 summers ago. I walked away with half a hard on.

@EastbayMike Did you leave the other half in Amsterdam?

[+ nycman]

Thanks for the link.

It’s a little “low brow” for the NYTimes.

Did we really need an article about homoerotic ass portraits in art history?

Then again, the Times has changed, I guess I should at least try to keep up.

 

Funny enough, I recently bid on a print of Hendrik Goltzius’ “A Dragon

Devouring the Companions of Cadmus” (1588) that’s mentioned in the article.

I didn’t get it, but it did start my wonderous journey into exploring the world

of the Dutch Mannerists.

 

 

Other Goltzius prints I’ve bid on (and lost).....

 

[Luv2play]

I’m an eclectic collector of art and have three 19th century lithographs of homoerotic art depicted by the ancients.

One is a print of a statue of Antinous, a beautiful young man romantically linked to one of the Emperors of Rome ( I forget which one).

 

The second is entitled SILENO. followed by Latin words which I could try to translate with my 4 years of high school Latin but won’t.

 

And the third is my favourite, is entitled The Spartan’s Temperance Lesson. It is copyrighted by Gebbie, 1887.

 

All three have lovely depictions of muscular or lithe young men.

 

I don’t agree the NYTimes is going low brow by featuring this aspect of art from the period of the Masters. As the author notes, a lot of artistic criticism of these pieces even as late as the 1970’s skirted around gay themes in ancient art. Too prurient, they would have said, if asked.

 

I think we are getting to be a bit more honest about sexuality these days, even in the “high arts”.

[Luv2play]

Another artist from the 19th century who went in for the muscular male nude body was Gustav Dore, the French artist who illustrated Dante’s Purgatory, Hell and Paradise. I have the original 19th century set of 2 volumes. The men in purgatory and hell are quite delectable! The ones in paradise, not so much.

 

Reminds me of an American who said “I want to go to hell, as that’s where my friends will be.”

[+ nycman]

One is a print of a statue of Antinous

Love all things Antinous

The second is entitled SILENO. followed by Latin words which I could try to translate with my 4 years of high school Latin but won’t.

Don’t tease us....give us the Latin.

Someone here can surely translate for us!

And the third is my favourite, is entitled The Spartan’s Temperance Lesson

Dirty!

https://www.abebooks.co.uk/art-prints/Spartans-Temperance-Lesson-King-after-Luigi/1057861958/bd

The men in purgatory and hell are quite delectable!

Damn....

http://www.worldofdante.org/pop_up_query.php?dbid=I148&show=more

Reminds me of an American who said “I want to go to hell, as that’s where my friends will be.”

I think you mean Oscar Wilde....“I don't want to go to heaven. None of my friends are there.”

Edited January 17, 2021 by nycman

[Luv2play]

Love all things Antinous

 

Don’t tease us....give us the Latin.

Someone here can surely translate for us!

 

Dirty!

https://www.abebooks.co.uk/art-prints/Spartans-Temperance-Lesson-King-after-Luigi/1057861958/bd

 

Damn....

http://www.worldofdante.org/pop_up_query.php?dbid=I148&show=more

 

I think you mean Oscar Wilde....“I don't want to go to heaven. None of my friends are there.”

 

Here it is:

SILENO Basso-relievo di Ottimo stile, alto palmi 2. Presso di me per vendersi

 

Silenus is a Greek character who is portrayed as a drunken follower of Dionysus, He was shown as bald, fat with thick lips. Because he was often portrayed in a drunken state, he would be supported by a couple of satyrs.

 

My print illustrates this perfectly. SILENO is in the centre and is being held up by a muscular lad with his back to us, leaning into the old man who is shown with a long beard. The youth has his right arm around the chest and under Sileno’s left arm. The satyr’s left arm is holding Sileno’s left wrist.

 

What is most striking are the muscular buttocks of the young satyr, who is leaning into the weight of the older man and has his legs separated.

 

The satyr on the right is in side relief. You see his youthful attractive face. His body is muscular.

 

My rough translation is that this scene is a bas relief from an ancient sculpture on the wall of a villa.

 

The second phrase after 2. I think is a description of the scene.

 

Oscar Wilde is who I was thinking of when recalling that expression about hell. I think Tallula Bankhead could also have uttered a similar sentiment as she was pretty witty herself.

[+ nycman]

SILENO Basso-relievo di Ottimo stile, alto palmi 2. Presso di me per vendersi

The problem with your Latin is that the text is Italian......grin

 

Literally translated.....

 

1. SILENO Low-relief of excellent style, high palms

2. With me to sell

 

We need an Italian to help us further.