Tom of Finland: The Art of Pleasure [Hardcover]

Micha Ramakers (Author)

Book Description

Series: Midi | Publication Date: May 2002

Brawny hunks boasting larger-than-life muscles and skin-tight leather pants. Crotches engorged and nearly ripping apart seams. Men upon men upon men cavorting and indulging nearly every possible fantasy. Tom's men are so hot they're off the Richter scale.

Editorial Reviews

Language Notes

Text: English, French, German --This text refers to an alternate Hardcover edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 352 pages
• Publisher: Taschen (May 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 3822857637
• ISBN-13: 978-3822857632
• Product Dimensions: 10.2 x 8.1 x 1.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,081,814 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

38 of 39 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars SIZE MATTERS, and so does CENSORSHIP!, August 6, 2005

By 

Wayne Randall Morrison "BOOTPUNK" (Pittsburgh, PENNSYLVANIA, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Tom of Finland: The Art of Pleasure (Hardcover)

Now THIS is how the art of Tom of Finland SHOULD be represented...in a volume large enough for us to appreciate the great detail in his work. UNFORTUNATELY, the people at TASCHEN and the Tom of Finland Foundation found it necessary to re-release this wonderful volume in a SMALLER, cheaper version, and that trend has only gotten worse with the recent release of Tom's "COMIC COLLECTION" - which I reviewed negatively only to see that entire title WITHDRAWN from Amazon in less that 24 hours after my review appeared...so to read THAT review, you'll have to click "SEE ALL MY REVIEWS".

Isn't CENSORSHIP, especially in the Erotic Art World, a real PITY! -- Click on "SEE ALL MY REVIEWS"

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Recommended, May 16, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Art of Tom of Finland (Photo & Sexy Books) (Hardcover)

His art is about high-octane masculinity, with every straining muscle of these muscular bodies lovingly detailed under clothing about to rip apart at the seams. And that includes the crucial zone below the belt, both fore and aft. There was nothing ambiguous about Tom of Finland's interest in drawing, I know it's no good," he himself said. The eroticism is naked, even aggressive. The poses inevitably consigned his work to the pornography shelves, and the walls of leather bars in the gay scene. So far there has been no account of the artistic virtuosity of his work.

The present volume traces the life and career of this important artist. Born in southern Finland, Tom played the piano at local coffee shops to supplement his income as a graphic artist until his watercolors of male sexuality began to appear as covers on major American gay publications. His impact as an artist has since stretched far beyond the gay scene.

About the Author

Micha Ramakers is an art historian. He has written extensively on the work of Tom of Finland and other visual expressions of post-war gay subcultures. He has been a writer and editor for a number of gay and lesbian magazines and a contributor to several books on international lesbian and gay politics. He has also been the curator and director of the gay and lesbian film festival in Brussels, where he lives.

Text in English / German / French, approximately 350 pages, 500 illustrations

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Great Book By A Great Artist, May 5, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Art of Tom of Finland (Photo & Sexy Books) (Hardcover)

Tom of Finland helped shape a positive self-image in the gay community at a time when being gay was still considered to be a psychological disorder. He has finally been recognized as a great artist and chronicler of the gay "superman" not just in his own country but throughout the world. This book is beautifully put together: The editor and archivist have created a work with very little text and have allowed the wonderful images speak for the artist. A true collectors item.