Allyn Cox, Part 1 - Drawings

American muralist Allyn Cox left us dozens of male nude drawings, but only a few of the murals and paintings he produced showed unclothed men.  A casual observer might think the nude drawings were academic pieces, but the great majority were studies for his famous murals.  He would draw the men nude on paper and then add clothes when he painted the murals.  I don't know which of his finished works the drawing above relates to, but I like it..

 

Derriere I

This rear view of a lanky model was a study for The Resurrection.

 

Andrew Jackson

Allyn Cox did a ceiling mural on the East Central Portico of the U.S. Capitol showing the inauguration of Andrew Jackson.  As was his usual practice, he made a nude drawing of his subject before painting the actual piece.  I wonder what Old Hickory would have thought of this drawing.

 

Derriere II

Oursecond derriere drawing is quite well formed.

 

Holding a book

I think the model in our last drawing is holding a book . . . or something.

 

Allyn Cox, Part 2 - Color Works

As promised, part two of our Allyn Cox series features works in color.  An online resale site dated this pastel drawing as 1950s, and it recently sold for $2200.  That seems low, but I'm no expert.

 

Diana and Actaeon

This is a detail from the Allyn Cox mural Diana and Actaeon, 

a three panel work at the Dumbarton Oaks Estate in Washington, D.C.

 

1960

This reclining male nude was dated at 1960.

 

Sylvan Deity

I wish I had a date for this Allyn Cox oil on canvas painting called Sylvan Deity.

For some reason it makes me think of Maxfield Parrish.

 

Contemplation 1934

I'm ending the Allyn Cox two-parter with my favorite of the day, Contemplation from 1934.

The color, the pose, and the model are all simply beautiful.

 

Denny Denfield Day

I try to get a full series on for all my favorite classic era physique photographers at least quarterly.  Today it's Denny Denfield's turn starting with Tom Mathews with a disc in the desert.

 

Andy Kozak

I never get tired of looking at Andy Kozak, even when he's only semi-nude.

 

Johnnie Holden

A sadistic junior high gym teacher made us run laps around the basketball court in a position 

similar to that of Johnnie Holden in this picture.  He called it the crab walk.  

Mr. Holden looks better than any of us ever dreamed of looking.

 

Mike Dubel

I only have two color photos of Mike Dubel, both by Denny Denfield.

 

John Winship

Although some collectors list this photo of John Winship as unattributed,I have recently 

come across some believable documentation that it is by Denny Denfield.

 

Jenewein

Jenewein was the only name listed for this handsome model.

 

Gene Meyer

The back muscles stand out in this Denny Denfield photo of Eugene Meyer.  At first glance, 

I didn't think this looked like Mr. Meyer, but I double checked and the source is impeccable.

 

Harold Martin

I like the way Harold Marin's upper body is silhouetted against the desert sky.

 

Jack Le Van

This picture of Jack Le Van by a mountain stream is quite crisply photographed.

 

Harpo

The last Denny Denfield photo shows the model known only as Harpo on a memorable photo 

shoot in Giant Sequoia country.  I posted a color shot from it in the previous Denfield series.

 

Ken Haak Day

As promised when I posted a photo by Ken Haak in a series on the year 1985 three weeks ago, we get a full set today.  Mr. Haak (1923-1991) was a World War II veteran who became well known fashion photographer after attending art school on the GI Bill.  He only sporadically did male nudes in the 1960s and 70s, but really hit his stride with it in a frenetic burst of energy between 1983 and 1985.  Most of these works feature dusky lighting, but the photo above from a group of pictures he made for After Dark is an exception.  We'll see another from that shoot later today.

 

Seeing double

Although I'm not sure just what the point was, we get two different presentations of what I'm pretty sure is the exact same image.  This can be done in the developing process . . . or through digital manipulation.

 

Tan lines

Despite the subdued lighting which seems to be a sort of trademark for Ken Haak's male nudes, 

we see tan lines.  The model may be the same one featured in my recent 1985 post.

 

Reclining

This is another of the flurry of male nudes Ken Haak did in 1985.

 

Back to Back Invitation

Ken Haak created this promotional piece for a 1985 New York arts event.

 

Rear view

The model's right foot adds an interesting element to this rear view male nude by Ken Haak.

 

1972

My source dated this Ken Haak photo at 1972.  I really like the lighting.

 

Steve McQueen

I found this publicity still from the 1968 movie Bullitt for sale on a vintage website and listed as by Ken Haak.  Mr. Haak was well known as a fashion photographer, but I was not aware that he had done any movie related work.  As was often the case at the time, the movie was in color, but the still was in black and white for easier newspaper publication.  The picture is all over the internet, but no other source says it is by Ken haak.  Can any one confirm the provenance?

 

After Dark II

This is another image from the group Mr. Haak shot for After Dark.

 

Lynes-like

Our final photo by Ken Haak leaves me thinking of George Platt Lynes,

althought Mr. Lynes would have used sharper focus and contrast.