Classic Homoerotic Images 9 - Fred with Tires

 Herb Ritts photograph of 'Fred with Tires' must have been been one of the best known images of 1984 with posters of it adorning countless bedroom walls. For a gay man it's universal popularity was a public validation of their attraction to the naked, male form. The oil-smudged mechanic was unashamedly erotic with undone overalls barely covering his private parts and the plunging lines of his abdomen drawing the eye downwards towards them. At the same time his coy, awkwardness was immensely cute.

This image glamourised the lean, 'cut' physique style that broke away from the traditional, body-building stereotype of plush bulk, represented for years in popular culture by the middle-aged Charles Atlas. Ritts connections with the fashion industry and media played a part in making a muscular physique seem a 'must have' for a young man, widely desirable and attractive. 

40 years on, the butch eroticism seems less powerful. The inoffensive tameness was probably instrumental in it's success but there are 8 more photographs in the series, many of them much more sexy. 

Herb Ritts - Fred with tires No 4

You can see the rest at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts. Their collection also has other images of Fred by Ritts, including the extraordinary, booted naked shower with 'Dan'.

The original image has come to define manliness and has inspired countless artist and photographers to copy the idea, those of Priapus of Milet (in Shooting the Past) and ASN, are both represented here at mitchmen blog. When these tributes appear they bring a fond, nostalgic smile to the lips of old-timers who were around at the time.

~

Click on the label below for more Classic Images and/or mechanics

Priapus of Milet - Shooting The Past 2

Read Part 1 of this article

Shooting The Past 1 - image 44

When the photographer moves on to Workman No 2, he appears to be made of sterner stuff than his colleague at first sight. Yet he too is persuaded to strip off his shirt and perform a series of butch poses paying tribute to Herb Ritt's famous 'Hunk with Tyres' image*. Despite his massive bulk he's dwarfed by the engineering behind him and his muddy tyres seem slightly incongruous in comparison.

Both musclemen are pretty much cast as minions of 'The Great Machine'.

(*Coincidentally I also posted a picture here recently showing Jase Dean recreating this image)

Shooting The Past 1 - image 62

That all changes when he strips off completely and sparks fly. It's a magical moment. The industrial process shown here is typically associated with iron and steel making but the cascading stream of molten metal is the colour of liquid gold. It seems to fall at his feet like a tribute. Even the pouring bucket seems to be bowing in deference to him.

The pouring stream forms a pleasing inverted-triangle shape with his legs. It's dangerous convergence is not without erotic ambiguity either. In the next picture in the series (not included here), it seems to pour directly into his body and groin like an energising force.

This is a very clever and memorable picture. It casts the model's natural grandeur in a doubly heroic light by drawing on the gigantic scale and raw, dangerous, energy of the plant around him. It's also the climax of his own teasing flirtation with the photographer.

Shooting The Past 2 - image 03

The two, naked workmen join forces to create a memorable Blacksmith, forging moment. This could easily be the Smith and his apprentice from an old legend restoring a magical weapon.  The background has become murkier and more distant and has changed to a more complex, smaller scale, almost creating the illusion of an ancient, sacred temple. What better for hosting this most manly and ancient of rites? A channelling of raw, human strength into metal.

As they work, the sparks fly even closer to their sensitive areas and the suggestive positioning of the forging workman's tong handles plus the assistant's hand nearby, reaching out and gripping his own, chunky, hammer handle seem to be heading us in an equally sizzling direction. But the men themselves seem to be unaware of it, preoccupied with the chain they are making (or repairing).

Even without the coded sexual signals this is a great erotic picture in a much broader sense. There's a marvellous feeling of unselfconscious, shared purpose and working together and their nudity makes it an intimate moment and compelling to watch. The lighting of the scene, particularly the left hand figure is simply beautiful and adds to that sense of intimacy. But there's no question who's in charge here and it's entirely consistent with the character development we've seen up to this point,

but the flying sparks hint at simmering rivalry.

This depiction of the cult of bodybuilding expressed through 'real' men working in a relatively primitive, heavy industrial context gives the scenario a spine-tingling dimension of swirling natural forces and barely-controlled danger. Fantasy and superhero scenarios often seek to create this too but for most of us lack the credibility to do it successfully.

Shooting The Past 2 - image 06

Having established in Part 1 that the first workman had a youthful streak of daring, this lassoing prank is not entirely unexpected and a 'tug of war' is a predictable form of play for two muscular friends. But the trapping of the Smith with the chain he has just himself made, escalates the playful challenge from a simple battle of strength, into a struggle with overtones of domination. You can read in their expressions that it's not so very light-hearted. Perhaps there is a rivalry for the attentions of the photographer. The smoke behind the mischief maker hints at serious intentions while the red hot, open furnace raging behind the 'captive' seems to express the heat of his embarrassment.

Shooting The Past 2 - image 07

The upstart seems to chain the newly-proclaimed hero to the block or is it just muscle-play? In previous images these chains can be seen attached to either end of the block for lifting so this would be a natural way to show off muscularity. But the fetishistic ambiguity of capture and threat is made more real by the purposeful, challenging pose of the 'captor' and the apparent frustration of his captive.

Shooting The Past 2 - image 08

The pulling pose here is magnificent, full of determination and power. Appropriately enough the fire now highlights the muscles in his tensioned back. The 'captive' is helpless to prevent his arms being pulled aloft by the stronger man. The hanging pipe in the background offers the faintest of clues to erotic thoughts which are also beginning to show in their  bodies but they are not long in materialising anyway. 

Shooting The Past 2 - image 13

You could hardly better this as an expression of passion. The furnace behind them seems to explode, forcing the captive to arch his body forward in an offering to his lustful captor, he's also seemingly drawn forward by the chain between his legs as though it's trapping his manhood. But it's clear that the pleasure in this captivity game is entirely mutual. If these are rivals, it's a very friendly rivalry!

Shooting The Past 2 - image 17

The fetish element recedes, the captive surrenders, the fire settles to a steady blaze and a gentler body worship begins. Meanwhile the photographer, unseen, watches all this with amazement

(but doesn't miss a shot even so!)

Shooting The Past 2 - image 31

Now he is drawn directly into the rite, deprived of the shield of his camera and his clothes too. The 'cheeky boy' snaps this moment of initiation, the climax of a lengthy seduction on his part. At this point his colleague, the 'serious' workman, has shown that he is seriously sexy too and it shows as he settles to undressing the latecomer. The drifting smoke seems to reflect the photographer's uncertainty and intensifying sexual tension.

(I must admit I'm a bit surprised at the photographer's muscularity, I imagined that his relative boyishness was part of his attraction to the muscle-guys - but then it's not my story to tell!)

Shooting The Past 2 - image 52

Having worshipped the beefcake boys from a distance the photographer finds bonus fulfilment as the meat in their sandwich. The recently-chained (chastised?) top resumes his leadership role by encouraging the romance which seemed to develop between the other two in Part 1. But while the boys lie embracing each other and getting intimate, he proves his animal credentials (and celebrates his freedom) by topping them both with a triumphant, wolf-like cry of  orgasmic pleasure, a great image. The stairs rising behind him and the swirling smoke/steam make a witty comment on his ecstasy.

A lengthy, happy 'end' game follows this moment after which the studs gather round the flames of the furnace like Boy Scouts at camp. I've largely skipped this most sexual section in the interests of brevity and focussing on the fetish but there are dozens of other images which I urge you to seek out using the links below.

Read Part 1 of this article

~

Priapus of Milet has produced many great works now but this is one of his best creations showing gay men in the way we would all like them to be:- strong, seductive,and passionate, sometimes forceful, mysterious and magical, but ultimately comradely and loving. There's a gentle edge to the flirtation with fetish here which might make you wish for more but still leaves a warm glow.

You can see this series displayed at Priapus @ Telemachus12 (132 images in all). Some of the images presented there are incomplete, typically with the lower half removed, the full images can only be seen by subscribing to Priapus @ Patreon. The Patreon version also has extra images (making 172 in all).

The Priapus Gallery @ Telemachus12 has a number of other series by Priapus.

There's also a selection (not completely the same) at his own Priapus' blog.

You can find an overview of the Patreon projects on The Patreon Index page

together with a description of the subscription arrangements.

Mitchell's Gay Art for April - The Apprentice Mechanic

The Number 1 Rule for a Mechanic is:

"Always Use The Right Tool For The Job"

The Old Hand liked his apprentices to be nice young men who were willing to learn.

But when he saw Martin he thought he was far too pretty to want to get his hands dirty.

Martin knew he was good-looking, but hated people who assumed that was all there was to him.
So when the wise-cracks got too much, he decided to drop the nice guy act
and corrected his mentor using the most appropriate tool for an over-active mouth.

  ~

Mechanics in their overalls have been something of an male icon for me.

It's a down to earth, bloke-ish trade requiring a degree of strength and willingness to get down and dirty
(as illustrated in my recent post on Jase Dean). If they fit well, the all-in-one overalls invite speculation about what is worn underneath (if anything) and they produce interesting rear views as the men bend to their tasks. The oily environment is interesting and some car parts have intriguing shapes from a fetish point of view. The job also shares some of the erotic associations of plumbing.

I have drawn a number of pictures featuring mechanics over the years but I think this is first one I have published, apart from the secret leather fetishist  in the 'Path of Pain' story (ref PP29, M331) whose collection of leather gear is found is found in his locker by his garage workmates.

~

This image is included in my 'Humour' collection,
which I have just reinstated in the new mitchmen club archive at Adonis Male
(you have to join purely as an age confirmation mechanism but it's free)
You can also view the 'Path of Pain' story and pictures there
 

For more 'mitchpix' here, click on the label below, or visit my Gallery Hub

Hunk Hunt - Jase Dean 4 (True Male)

When it come to asserting masculine credentials, the Fireman seems to be one of the few professions still revered in homoerotic iconography. Construction Workers, Cops, Sailors, Soldiers and Bikers, don't seem to cut it any more. Maybe that popularity is because Fire Fighters also appeal to women, they like the connotations of rescue.
(well I wouldn't refuse help if he arrived looking like this!)

In this picture by Simon Barnes, the sweaty musculature, drooping waistline (precariously sustained by a single, long strap) and shaved lower abdomen leave little doubt that Jase is up for being ogled.

This image by ASN recreates the famous, much copied, beefcake photo of 'Fred with Tires' by Herb Ritts, which adorned a million bedroom walls back in the 80's. It's a ringing proclamation of earthy manhood but the change of venue, from anonymous workshop (in Ritt's picture) to a whizzy Motor Sport set-up for Jase, adds a touch of modern glamour. The exposed underpants are also a modern finesse (click picture to enlarge, as usual, if you can't see). Jase's tyres are wider than Fred's and pay testament to his strength, but they conspire to produce a less elegant pose. 

 

This image is much more effective.
Arguably the best of these 'workman' shots, it's certainly the sexiest.
Jase adds his own brand of youthful 'come on' that includes
 scratching his head as though wondering why anyone would bother .

The blacksmith is another reliable shoe-in for muscular strength and partial nudity and he would probably be another homoerotic icon in his own right if the trade was more visible today. They still pop up in fantasy movies fairly regularly, I featured 'Thor' at my gateway blog some years ago and more recently Blacksmiths have turned up in my articles on BrosFate and Homoeros.

The role seems to fit Jase like a glove (which he isn't wearing unfortunately)
The leather apron seems to have morphed into a something resembling chaps,
but ones with a willful mind of their own. The sexily low-slung belt does not dispel this disordered impression, but it makes a great picture!
I've not ID'd the studio yet.

 Meanwhile, back at the deserted factory,
Jase is wrestling with the eternal temptation to slip off his slip.
As we saw in the last post, earthy Industrial surroundings
seem to trigger that desire in him.

Jase slips off his underpants down, but only as far as his thighs,
which is actually sexier than simply kicking them off, ask a stripper!

One of the less appealing facets of this type of arty photography is that the model is expected to expose his bare bottom to damp, cold, dirty factory floors and walls (amongst other trials, like sitting in cold baths and tepid showers to prevent steam).

I imagine some photographers delight
in inflicting such discomforts on attractive models.
Jase looks as if he's wondering about that too
and that story about having to keep the underwear clean.

Whatever the reason Jase decides to get back on his feet
to grasp the nettle handle and boldly reveal all, well almost.
There's a charming mix of coy daring and inner modesty
in this crouched position, just below the level of the window.
The non-commital facial expression, seems to await a reaction.

In this pose his thighs obscure more controversial regions,
but I can't say I feel cheated, quite the reverse,
those generous, meaty haunches
 are a marvellous, erotically-charged sight.

Praising the worker as a naked hero is not new, it comes from Victorian times
and survived the corrupt magnifications of the Soviet and Nazi eras.
It plays a more decorative role in our aspirational modern culture
where physical labour is mostly applied to pens and keyboards.

I don't know for sure if this picture comes from the same shoot but it's a nice fit.
For some reason it seems to bring out the model's nudity rather than his muscularity which is the opposite of what you might expect but seems at one with the  unassuming and slightly equivocal strip-down that preceded it.

In fact Jase's playful side seems to have resurfaced here,
it looks like he's hiding behind that mighty wheel, rather than heaving it.

After all those exertions in messy places a long hot shower is called for.

Actually, if a photographer's around it probably won't be hot,

But Jase seems to take that in his inscrutable stride.

There is something of an enigma about this model and this unusual image
seems to have captured two sides of Jase by some spooky, supernatural process.

One a man with doubts and uncertainties, his mirror image calm and optimistic.

If Jase's chunky thighs didn't grab you, this flash of vulnerability should.

But I'll stick with the thighs for now,

the strong man is back to grace this image, wearing chunky boots 

that maintain a tenuous link with our 'working man' theme.

This picture restates the prohibition on frontal nudity 

but, as with the drawn-down vest in the last article, 

the curtaining shirt tail switches our attention 

to the outer thighs which look absolutely massive. 

Jase's cupped hand provides an extra tease.

That humble shirt is also working to highlight his bicep muscles and contributes to the framing of an impressively thick neck. Some may not like bulkiness like this but I do and David Vance has brought it out in a pleasing way where others have failed.

Providing a matching pair (so to speak), this rear view provides the perfect complement and that shirt tail is working hard again to showcase a most perfect set of buns. The check pattern seems to add a sense of upper body bulk which eluded the photographer of 'The Wheel' above although we can all see it's all there in other pictures. The shirt also seems to draw out the boyishness in the  model's face.
No one will ever love you as much as that shirt does, Jase.

Except, possibly, David Vance who sees him here as a reclining, god-like figure,

Perfect beauty , unselfconscious, lazily dreaming as the world whirls by.

Or perhaps, in this surreal fantasy

 as one who stands at, or crawls toward the threshhold of deity.

Emerging from the shadows with buns that make you cry with pleasure.

Make the most of that sphere, it's the only ball Jase will let you see.
(But I do love sticky-out ears!)

And yet a man is just a man and this simple 'academic' pose is ages old

It might have sprung from the hand of da Vinci,

and the sober colours from the brush of Rembrandt.

The same line of classical thought seems to have occured at Snooty Fox,

Perching Jase on a pedestal as a modern  version of 'The Thinker'

Jase supplies a slightly irreverent interpretation of the role,

proffering the hint of a smile and seemingly poised to leap off

before long in search of more interesting pursuits.

Even lounging at the beach, Jase can summon up a myserious aura, 

those piercing blue eyes would make anyone quiver,

but if I'm honest, it's his 'sunny side up' that really mesmerises me.
It's shallow I know.  

So you won't be surprised by this late entry from the poolside.

   It shows, somewhat unexpectedly, an elegantly lean physique

topping off those sturdy thighs and chunky buttocks

and proving the wheel photographer wasn't so wide of the mark.

Jase is a remarkably attractive man,

But I wish he didn't look so worried!

When I'm looking for 'hunk hunt' images, especially with muscular subjects, I can usually find ones featuring objects with fetish connections, like big chains or leather garb or rope at the very least, but this is all I can find for Jase..

The rope is casually curled around Jase's torso,
but with that cap he manages to make it look just like
 a bit of sailing paraphenalia , which is probably exactly what it is.
Even I can't detect a darker message, faced with those flirty pursed lips.

~

I hope you have enjoyed this little tribute to Jase Dean.
For avoidance of doubt, I don't know Jase and I haven't haunted his social media to compile this article. The views and musings in it are purely my own based on the imagery presented here and are not claimed to be factual statements about him.

I seek only to entertain and pay tribute to a beautiful man with an interesting personality that shows through his fascinating and inspiring portfolio.

 Read this series from Part 1:  'Funny Things Happen At Christmas'