Weekend Onesie:
Jim French's Luger - Leather Men
Jim French (AKA: Rip Colt) was an American artist, illustrator, photographer, filmmaker, and publisher and co-founder of Colt Studio. With his business partner Lou Thomas, he created Colt Studio in late 1967. The two parted ways in 1974, leaving French to continue to build what would become one of the most successful gay male erotica companies of all time. The multi-talented French left a legacy of homoerotic images in artwork, illustrations, photo sets, slides, film, fine-art photographs, magazines, books and calendars while setting a new standard in photography of men.
But before his years at Colt Studio...
After initially drawing homoerotic images under the name Arion, he rechristened himself as Kurt Lüger, chosen for its implied association with the German Luger pistol. He then went into business with an Army buddy who was a fan of French's early unpublished drawings. The two formed a partnership, starting up a mail order company named The Lüger Studio.
Influenced by the works of George Petty and Alberto Vargas, as Arion, French drew "playful sketches of Fire Island life and similar scenes." However, when he became Kurt Lüger, his style changed drastically. His subjects became more hyper-masculine: construction workers, men in leather, surfers, cowboys, wrestlers, and sailors. The first appearance of a Lüger Studio drawing was in the May–June 1966 issue of The Young Physique, featuring two of the cowboy images below. The drawings, offered in thematic sets, were then made available for purchase via mail order.
But before his years at Colt Studio...
After initially drawing homoerotic images under the name Arion, he rechristened himself as Kurt Lüger, chosen for its implied association with the German Luger pistol. He then went into business with an Army buddy who was a fan of French's early unpublished drawings. The two formed a partnership, starting up a mail order company named The Lüger Studio.
Influenced by the works of George Petty and Alberto Vargas, as Arion, French drew "playful sketches of Fire Island life and similar scenes." However, when he became Kurt Lüger, his style changed drastically. His subjects became more hyper-masculine: construction workers, men in leather, surfers, cowboys, wrestlers, and sailors. The first appearance of a Lüger Studio drawing was in the May–June 1966 issue of The Young Physique, featuring two of the cowboy images below. The drawings, offered in thematic sets, were then made available for purchase via mail order.
To avoid legal troubles, Lüger Studio offerings contained minimal frontal nudity while remaining erotic and coyly creative in their suggestiveness. French's artwork was favorably received and was commended for its "unbridled imagination and a fantastic technique."
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Leather - Tori Amos
Warm Leatherette - The Normal
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2 comments:
Hot stuff!
Funnily enough, I came across (if you'll pardon the pun) some Jim French illustrations while searching for some by Etienne - presumably because of the similarities in style and subjects.
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