A Salute of Our Heritage Through Photography!
Picture Notation:
The header (opening image above) of this post entry here on ReNude Pride: Guys Without Boxers depicts an early camera (antique) being utilized to capture the likeness of the model. It is absolutely not an authentic photograph from the intended era.
The footwear (shoes) on the photographers are not relevant to the time period. Nor are the hairstyles of any of the three men posing for the picture. The hair and shoes reflect the early-to-middle 1950s decade.
The above photo because it represents the title and topic of today’s post here. The photographs published here below are the authentic copies of the originals.
Preamble:
When the camera initially appeared in the middle of the 1800s, public nakedness was either banned, forbidden, outlawed, prohibited and/or all of the previous choices. The existence of any type of affection between persons of the same gender (SGL) was not even considered a possibility outside of the highest legal minds. That act was judged by clergy and legalists alike as immoral and beyond description!
These circumstances were interpreted as degrading, indecent and offensive to all! It was viewed as the “work of the devil” and totally “unChristian!” As though everyone was an active supporter of that belief system!
Yet, despite volumes of judgemental and negative labels, bare posing for the camera, same gender affection and naked photography emerged. It also managed to survive, thrive and remains with us even today!
Perhaps, somewhere, there are some bare practitioners reading this post entry while having their morning warm beverage! Positive proof of the survival of the very fittest – along with their nakedness and their SGL!
Before homosexual:
Even before the misleading and offensive term “homosexual” entered into the common vocabulary, there existed almost no popular identity classification for what is now determined as same gender love (SGL). It was usually referred to as “decadent,” “deviant” and “immoral.” As with nakedness, it was also construed as “the work of the devil” and condemned as bibically forbidden and completely unChristian.
The photography of (taking of pictures), posing of and the possession of pictures even “hinting” (suggesting) affection and/or intimacy between two individuals of the same gender was illegal and often punishable by imprisonment. Regardless of this restriction, early photographs were indeed created and many are visible even today!
Early SGL Photographers and Their Bromantic Subjects!
Wilhelm von Gloeden (14 September 1856 – 11 February 1931) was born in Mecklenburg-Strelitz, later part of the German Empire. As an early adult he moved to Taormina, Sicily, Italy, due to tuberculosis. He trained initially as a paint artist, during which time he was given a camera as a gift.
He became fascinated with the novel camera. He later mastered photography while in Italy.
Also, while in Sicily, he became the adult lover of many Sicilian youth. He met and took Pancrazio Biciuni (sometimes referred to as Il Moro), a youth of 14 years as his lover and they remained together until he died. Patrons of his photography included Oscar Wilde and Albert Freidrich Krupp (of the German Krupp armaments family). Under Benito Mussolini he was put on trial for harboring pornography (his photographs) but was acquitted by the court in Milan.
Pancrazio Bicinui (1879 – 1963) as a youthful teenager he became the lover of Wilhelm von Gloeden and remained with him until his death in 1931.
Italian photographer (1871 – 1961) of primarily male nudes. His interest in photography began when he became first a model, then lover and then assistant to the German photographer, Wilhelm von Pluschow. He operated his own studio in Rome between 1900 and 1907. It was closed by the police and images seized in 1907.
On the bottom of the above picture, the shadows of the photographer, Vincenzo Galdi and his camera are visible. All three subjects at times were lovers of the adult photographers and were either bisexual or gay.
A Galdi photo showing two nude teens, Greco-Roman style. On the right is Pasquale Stracuzzi, the first Sicilian lover of Wilhelm von Gloeden. Stracuzzi appears in numerous pictures and was also known as Il Grande Fauno (The Great Fawn).
A Classic!
The above picture was posed for along the coast of Denmark, far away from the island of Sicily! It shows openly gay Danish artist, Ainor Bagnor, painting his equally bare subject who’s reclining on a rock, reading a book. Bagnor was known to be a very enthusiastic supporter of same gender love as well as body and clothes freedom! It is unknown the sexuality of either the subject of Bagnor’s art not the photographer of the image.
Naked hugs!
Roger Poladopoulos/ReNude Pride: Guys Without Boxers!
Author’s Note: The next post entry here is planned for Friday, October 10, 2025, and the proposed topic is: “NCOD: Closets Are For Clothes!”
ReNude Pride: Guys Without Boxers! 