Rudolf Franz Lehnert (1878–1948) was a photographer known for his romanticized portrayals of North African women. He co-founded Lehnert & Landrock, a studio that thrived on artistic postcard production. Critics label his work as ethnocentric. Lehnert’s legacy endures through surviving glass plates, valued by collectors and historians alike. Continue reading Rudolf Franz Lehnert
In 1949, a mysterious model posed for Mr. Steinberg in Newcastle upon Tyne, capturing avant-garde images never collected. Although linked to a local photography shop, Steinberg’s identity remains unknown. The photos, showcasing stylish bondage, emerged in 2010, blending elegance with themes of power and surrender amid post-war Britain’s fashion landscape. Continue reading Glamour, Mystery, and the Birth of Stylish Bondage
Charles Guyette (c. 1900–1976) was a pioneering theatrical costumer who transformed his New York shop into America’s first full-line fetish supplier by the mid-1930s. Notably, he offered handmade fetish items and imported European designs. After a prison sentence for obscenity, he shifted focus but inspired key figures in American kink culture. Continue reading Charles Guyette
Brassaï (1899–1984), originally Gyula Halász, was a prominent photographer known for his haunting nighttime Paris images. During the 1930s, he created exclusive photographs for Diana Slip Company, capturing elegant, erotic poses in luxurious lingerie. His work significantly contributed to the fine art status of vintage fetish photography. Continue reading Diana Slip – Brassaï
Jeandel was a bourgeois of a quiet French province. He was an educated man, aspiring artist, regional archeology enthusiast with Catholic convenience, and married to a much younger wife.
So far nothing points in the direction of fetish photography, but then there was this notorious photo album. Continue reading Charles-François Jeandel
Tetsuzo Tsukamoto (active 1948–1975) – Japanese fetish photographer whose stark, rope-centric images in Kitan Club and the ultra-rare Utsukushiki Imashime (1953) helped codify the visual language of postwar shibari. Continue reading Tetsuzo Tsukamoto
Grundworth Studio, active from 1890 to 1930, emerged as a pioneering force in erotic photography amid Europe’s repressive atmosphere. Utilizing secrecy to navigate societal constraints, it specialized in proto-BDSM themes, capturing the interplay of vulnerability and desire. Despite fading into obscurity by the 1930s, its provocative works now resonate within the BDSM Art Archive. Continue reading Grundworth Studio
Marcel Meys (1886-1972) was a significant figure in post-war European photography, known for exploring themes of fetishism and feminine allure. Operating discreetly in Brussels during the 1950s and 1960s, his carefully composed images depict elegance, restraint, and desire. Meys’ legacy resonates with contemporary artists, emphasizing subtlety over sensationalism. Continue reading Marcel Meys
William Goldman (1856-1922), a respected photographer in Reading, Pennsylvania, documented both middle-class life and the clandestine world of a nearby brothel. His intimate, compassionate portraits of sex workers reveal raw human vulnerability, presenting a contrasting narrative to societal norms. Goldman’s secretive work offers profound insights into early 20th-century American hypocrisy. Continue reading William Goldman
Raymond van Doren (1906–1991) was a Belgian artist known for his portraiture, female nudes, and groundbreaking fetish photography. His works, spanning much of the 20th century, reflect themes of vulnerability and power, utilizing classical techniques and modernist elements. Van Doren’s contributions have recently gained renewed interest for their historical significance in pre-war erotica. Continue reading Raymond van Doren
Count Theodore Béla Rudolf Zichy de Zich et Vásonkeő (1908–1987) was a Hungarian aristocrat who became a prominent figure in British society as an actor, photographer, director, and playboy. Renowned for his fetish photography, particularly featuring women’s feet and footwear, his 1948 work Chiaroscuros defined his artistic legacy, blending eroticism with high art. Continue reading Count Zichy
Claude Cahun, born Lucy Schwob, challenged gender norms through her art, adopting an androgynous identity. A pivotal figure in Surrealism, her self-portraits explore identity, sexuality, and power dynamics, forging paths for queer theory and feminist art. Cahun’s work, overshadowed during her life, gained recognition and inspires contemporary artists today. Continue reading Claude Cahun
