Rod Crowther Unknowns

Rod Crowther, a Washington, D.C. area based photographer is one of those whose work has 

a high proportion of unknown models.  Today, we will look at ten of those I found on my own.  

A future series will present some sent by Bryan B and Tim.  We start with a shot taken 

on a terrace that Mr. Crowther put to good use on several occasions.

 

Basking

When I posted another photo of this model, I remarked that he reminded me of my dog 

basking in the sun.  He does here as well, and remember, I adore my dog.

 

Oil or sweat?

While I suppose there's an outside chance of that being sweat,

I think this was a rare case of Mr. Crowther using oil.

 

Tattoos

The jailhouse tattoos aren't clearly visible, but they're there.

 

Plywood

The pose here is unusual to begin with, and then he's sitting on a piece of plywood.

 

Second appearance

I posted a different photo of this handsome model in an earlier Rod Crowther series.

 

1962

I have a date for this one, 1962.

 

Towel

This well endowed model brought his towel along.

 

Terrace II

I'm pretty sure this one was shot on the same terrace

that we saw in an earlier post today.

 

One last upward look

In case you haven't noticed by now, Rod Crowther often posed his models 

looking upward.  Our final unknown model is another example.

 

Odds and Ends Again

It's time for some more leftovers or odds and ends.  We start with a guy who looks 

like he knows that we want more . . . and just might give it to us.

 

No clue

I don't know what you call that exercise he's doing, but it certainly seems to work for him.

 

Wowza

All I can say is O.M.G.

 

Prairie Highjinks

Several of you like these sorts of photos, so here's another.

 

Brotherly love

My source labeled this one "brotherly love," 

but they look like pretend cannibals to me.

"Eat 'em up! Eat 'em up! Rah! Rah! Rah!"

 

Moonbeams

Here we have some moonbeams.  A sunbeam will be along momentarily.

 

Prison Daily News

I think they used this for the prison newspaper,

or perhaps they had a yearbook.

 

Sunbeam

"I got my sunbeam.  I got my running stream.  Ain't life grand."

 

Primate grooming

My anthropology professor said mutual grooming was central to primate social cohesion.

In this case, whatever is in that bottle seems to be helping things along.

 

Number please

And finally, if anyone has this guy's phone number, I need it.

 

Great Danes in Art I - Kristian Zahrtmann

Today will be the first of several series featuring important figures from Danish art.  Kristian Zahrtmann (1843-1917) was a pre-eminent figure in late 19th and early 20th Denmark, not only completing a number of successful works himself, but also by teaching and mentoring.  We will be looking at his male nudes and semi-nudes today.  I don't have a photographer attribution for the photo above, but the handsome portrait below is by Johan Rohde from 1896.

 

Job and His Friends

If Job is the naked guy in Job and His Friends, he looks like he's dying.

 

Two Versions of Adam

Zahrtmann did two versions of Adam.  He called the one above Adam in the Garden of Eden

and the one below Adam in Paradise.  I guess paradise didn't have snakes.  These paintings, 

despite the vines covering the crotches, were considered too erotic for public exhibition,

and they went straight into the hands of private collections.

 

Nero's Dancer

Mr. Zahrtmann used a rather masculine model for Nero's Dancer.

 

Prodigal Son

The Prodigal Son shows how Kristian Zahrtmann went back and forth 

between Classical and biblical themes when it came to painting nude men.

 

Socrates and Alcibiades

Kristian Zahrtmann did two very different takes 

on the story of Socrates and Alcibiades.

 

Teacher and mentor

 Mr. Zahrtmann was also a teacher and mentor to other Danish artists.  

This painting of his teaching studio is by Poul Christiansen from 1899.

 

Cain

This representation of Cain captures the crux of the story rather well.

 

Prometheus

This is Mr. Zahrtmann's take on Prometheus.

 

Self Portrait

Closing out the set with a self portrait from late in Mr. Zahrtmann's life.