Gloeden, Baron Wilhelm von. (1856 - 1931) or Plüschow, Guglielmo von. (1852 - 1930)
Seated Youth
Albumen print, ca. 1900. 12 x 16 cm. Mounted to a slightly larger sheet. In fine condition. With stamp to verso of print "Welter Nachfolger, Kunsthandlung / Berlin W. Friedrichstraße ..." visible under light.The German photographer von Gloeden who worked mainly in Italy is mostly known for his pastoral nude studies of Sicilian boys, which usually featured props such as wreaths or amphoras suggesting a setting in the Greece or Italy of antiquity. From a modern standpoint, his work is commendable due to his controlled use of lighting as well as the often elegant poses of his models. Innovative use of photographic filters and special body makeup (a mixture of milk, olive oil, and glycerin) to disguise skin blemishes contribute to the artistic perfection of his works. Famous in his own day, his work was subsequently eclipsed for close to a century, only to re-emerge in recent times as "the most important gay visual artist of the pre–World War I era" according to Thomas Waugh.
The cousin of von Gloeden, Guglielmo Plüschow moved to Rome in the early 1870s and changed his first name from "Wilhelm" to its Italian equivalent "Guglielmo". Initially making a living as a wine merchant, he soon turned to male and female nude photography. In 1902, Plüschow, who was gay like Gloeden, was charged with "common procuration" and "seduction of minors" and had to spend eight months in jail. Another scandal followed in 1907, and, in 1910, Plüschow left Italy for good and returned to Berlin. (14891)
Art/Sculpture Art & Design Unsigned Photograph