Philip Core and George Quaintance
A solidly gay day for secondhand books with the discovery of two relatively obscure items by gay artists. Philip Core is probably more well-known as a writer than a painter, author of The Original Eye: Arbiters of Twentieth Century Taste and the masterful Camp: The Lie that Tells the Truth (both 1984 and both out of print, unfortunately). His paintings predominantly feature unclothed men but present these in a far more painterly style than one usually sees from gay artists, the approach too often being a kind of kitsch photo-realism that tends towards soft (or hard) porn. A shame that this volume is rather battered as it seems to be a rare book. Core died of Aids in 1989 but his paintings are still being bought and sold, gay art being one genre that never lacks for an audience.
The Bermuda Triangle by Philip Core (1982).
And speaking of kitsch…. George Quaintance (1902-1957) was a pioneer of a variety of beefcake erotica that isn’t particularly to my taste but which today looks distinctly…quaint? Also distinctly old-fashioned since most of his men have Burt Lancaster quiffs, even the alleged Spartans towelling themselves on this book jacket. The reproductions in the book, an 1989 exhibition catalogue from the Janssen Gallery, Berlin, are all black and white which means that much of the atmosphere of the originals is lost. But it does contain several pages of Quaintance’s magazine covers and period ads for his work.
Siesta by George Quaintance (1952).
Quaintance’s world is a largely female-free dreamscape of perfectly-muscled glamour boys showing their bodies to one another but never doing anything so salacious as kissing. This is a utopia of good clean fun and fifty years ago was more than enough to pack an erotic charge for men starved of homoerotic imagery. From our perspective today it looks rather innocent; even the bulges in their jeans are restrained by comparison with the later excesses of Tom of Finland. All the stereotypes from magazines like Physique Pictorial (which featured Quaintance’s work) are in place: cowboys, sailors, matadors, historical scenes of masters and slaves. Quaintance adopts the same tricks as Weird Tales cover artist Margaret Brundage, showing us as much naked flesh as possible but always ensuring that a shadow, wisp of smoke or trail of cloth falls across the forbidden area (this also ensures that your eye is drawn to that very place). Many of his scenes could almost be masculine versions of Brundage’s often vague illustrations for the pulps, a number of which caused a stir among the fantasy readers of the Thirties with their lesbian-inflected displays of bondage and whippings. Quaintance has an equivalent series of pictures showing naked men valiantly struggling with serpents or demons in scenes reminiscent of the superior (if robustly heterosexual) Frank Frazetta.
Hercules by George Quaintance (1957).
Unlike Philip Core, Quaintance is well-represented on the web. And should you require it, Taschen reprinted the whole run of Physique Pictorial.
• Official A Quaintance site
• A gallery of Quaintance art
• George Quaintance at GLBTQ.com
Elsewhere on { feuilleton }
• The gay artists archive
14 Comments, Comment or Ping
#1 posted by walker
Hi John
i thought of you when i first saw this clip, I am not yet very familier with the works of H P Lovecraft (between you and Glycon loving his work i will certainly end up delving deeper soon). this clip is nice. serene. a little menacing.
I would be interested in what you think.
walker samuel
from here:
http://dekku.blogspot.com/2007/04/bum-lee-azathoth.html
Apr 21st, 2007
#2 posted by John
Thanks, received your email about this as well. Was going to look at it this weekend as I’ve had a very busy week finishing off some work.
Apr 21st, 2007
#3 posted by walker
fair enough john, i am aware that many email address’ listed on blog sites are either fake, not often checked, or out of date, or have over zealous spam filters (often with good reason). not sure why i thought yours might fit into one of those categories, but i thought i better mention it here so that i can safely know the message got sent.
Apr 21st, 2007
#4 posted by Karla
I must say that while Core paints a nice picture, Quaintance is much more amusing. His kitschy illustrations tempt one to turn them into strange collages, although I doubt I’d go so far as to buy a book on him to do it.
Apr 22nd, 2007
#5 posted by John Waybright
As the co-author of a soon-to-be-published comprehensive George Quaintance biography, I was interested in your review of the artists’ work. I must agree with most of your assessments, particularly your comment about the black-and-white reproductions in the Janssen book. Quaintance’s forte may have been his use of brilliant colors in an almost surrealistic representation of the male physique.
I must point out that there is no “official” GQ website. The one you cite is a commercial website produced by persons who obtained some of the original color prints and negatives of Quaintance works. The text on the website was written by my co-author, Ken Furtado, of Phoenix, and myself. Likewise, the gallery website leans strongly on our writings and research. I wrote the GLBTQ Encyclopedia article from original research conducted over the past eight years and provided original photographs and art to illustrate the article.
In sincerely doubt Quaintance was even vaguely inspired by Margaret Brundage’s magazine cover art. Long before Ms. Brundage entered the commercial art scene, Quaintance was producing art works far superior to hers.
John Waybright
607 7th Avenue
Luray, VA 22835
Jun 12th, 2007
#6 posted by John
Thanks John, I’ve amended the link above.
You misconstrue my comment about Margaret Brundage. I was only using her as an example of another artist from around the same period using a similar range of techniques to coyly guard against any genital (or in her case, nipple) exposure. I wouldn’t imagine he’d be influenced by her work at all.
Jun 13th, 2007
#7 posted by Marguerite Core
As Philip Core’s sister I am glad to see this page. If any of you have any lively anecdotes to enliven a book that I am writing about him ~ please respond.
MC
Jul 2nd, 2007
#8 posted by John
Thanks Marguerite. I’ve sent you an email.
Jul 2nd, 2007
#9 posted by Rick Box
I still remember July 4th, 1976 at the Bromberg Meadow in Dallas and the silkscreen print Philip did announcing the event. I still have it. Marguerite: I think the last time I talked to you was 20 years ago when I move to New York and you had allready been here 10 years.
Rick
Dec 26th, 2007
#10 posted by Edward Lynch
I was a friend of Philip and have several of his paintings. I am also trying to get some interest for an exhibition of his work. It is great news to hear that his Sister is writing a book about Philip.
Edward
Feb 28th, 2008
#11 posted by Bill Mason
Hello Marguerite
I am interested in the progresss you have made with the book you are writing on your brother Philip. I live in Australia and own four of your brother’s paintings.
Best wishes
Bill Mason
Jun 13th, 2008
#12 posted by Edward Lynch
Hello Bill,
It would be good to know which four you have.
Regards
Edward
Aug 8th, 2008
#13 posted by Roger Rees
Dear John, For a long time I have been trying to trace the work of Phillip Core. He was a very interesting, magnetic man - I was lucky enough to meet him and be painted by him in the early 1980’s. He did the poster for a production of HAMLET for the RSC in which I played the title role. There is a painting - on several panels - in the book called “Around Hamlet” - that was a result of our friendship - though I’m the subject I dare to think it very beautiful; I’ve always wished to locate more of these paintings. I’m so pleased a remembrance and interest in his work goes on. I am glad, too, that his sister, Margaurte, is writing a book about him. I’d very much like to be in touch with you both; indeed anyone who remembers Phillip.
Roger Rees.
Oct 4th, 2008
#14 posted by John
Hi Roger. The paintings in the book above are the only ones I’d seen until I searched online. There’s a couple more listed at the Adonis Art Gallery (where they seem to have swiped my words…hmm). I was thinking of his work again recently reading reviews of Brideshead Revisited since one of his paintings depicts the death of Lord Marchmain.
You’re welcome to email me although I’m afraid I really don’t know any more about Philip Core than what’s written here.
Also, if anyone still wants to speak to Marguerite Core (or vice versa) I can pass on emails privately. I won’t publish email addresses here without permission for obvious reasons.
Oct 4th, 2008
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