Naakte jongen bij zee, op de rug gezien before 1894

This photograph of a nude boy by Wilhelm von Gloeden was likely taken in Sicily in the late 19th or early 20th century. Von Gloeden lived as an expatriate in Italy, where he produced thousands of photographs depicting nude Sicilian youths. His work exists within a complex interplay of historical, social, and cultural contexts, including the emerging genre of art photography, turn-of-the-century debates around sexuality, and the Western fascination with the “exotic” cultures of the Mediterranean. Von Gloeden’s photographs walk a line between classical artistic nudes and something more transgressive, and their homoerotic undertones challenge the rigid sexual norms of the period. The image also raises questions about power dynamics, as the artist, a Northern European man, captures the bodies of working-class Sicilian boys. Whether the work maintains traditional representations or develops alternative narratives is open to interpretation. The photograph reflects societal issues around sexuality, class, and cultural representation. The result is a piece charged with emotional and personal complexities.