Al Urban (1917-1992) - Lot 63

Online Auction: Bodybuilders (1940-1970) (not open to minors)

Barbarossa Maison de ventes is featuring a rare collection of photographs of American and French bodybuilders, spanning three decades from the 1940s to the 1970s, in an ONLINE auction until Sunday March 9, 2025 (5pm).

This selection offers a singular look at the aesthetics of the male body through the lens of some of the great names in the genre.

Half of the works presented are by Bruce of Los Angeles, a key figure whose rigorous composition and attention to detail have left their mark on the history of physical photography. The collection also includes work by pioneers such as Al Urban and Lon of New York, whose influence shaped the first artistic representations of bodybuilding.

Works by Bob Mizer, founder of Physique Pictorial magazine, enrich the collection, alongside rare photographs by Studio Arax, a French reference in the field.

The selection also extends to more contemporary studios, notably Colt and Sierra Domino, which perpetuate this visual tradition while at the same time tilting towards a more assertive eroticism.

Expert: Mr. David GUIRAUD

dgphotographies@orange.fr / 06 15 88 48 97

Lots may be viewed by appointment at our premises.

Barbarossa Maison de Ventes

5 passage Charles Dallery, Paris 11

contact@barbarossa-auction.com

Lots can be sent by the auction house on request.