Wilhelm von Gloeden specialized in photographs of adolescent boys, often in a classical mode. While at the height of their popularity they were viewed essentially as innocent, today it is quite evident that these works are flagrantly homoerotic. The boys are often nude and posed in erotic stances or contexts. In contrast to these, von Gloeden’s few extant portraits of young girls offer subjects that are sweet and coy, even conservative. But, as with all of his work, the girl photos are technically proficient.
Wilhelm von Gloeden – A Girl
Wilhelm von Gloeden – A Girl with an Amphora
Wilhelm von Gloeden – Peasant Girl Holding a Cock
Wilhelm von Gloeden – A Girl Holding a Basket in Gloeden’s Garden
Wilhelm von Gloeden – A Girl with a Kitten
Wilhelm von Gloeden – Portrait of a Little Girl, Taormina
Wilhelm von Gloeden – Two Sicilian Girls