Untitled (Male nude)

Drawing on the established tradition of using male nudes as models, Von Gloeden photographed Sicilian male teens in poses that referred to ancient Hellenic sculptures. The aestheticization of these boys based on classical sources justified the bold exhibition of young teenagers’ nude bodies, prized for their lithe pubescent figures, sun-bronzed skin, and Roman or Greek features. Von Gloeden’s reverence for the youthful Mediterranean male nude figure nevertheless perpetuated the Orientalist perception of individuals from Southern Europe and North Africa. In Italy, Fascist leaders banned these images as pornography, whereas in Northern Europe they were disseminated through art journals. The exploitation of these young men through their aesthetic and cultural objectification is amplified by their vulnerable status as young adolescents.