Beefcake in the Cornell Library
You can find examples of 1950s and 60s "beefcake," or male physique photography, in Cornell University Library's Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections, home to the Human Sexuality Collection. The Human Sexuality Collection has a large collection of the magazines that were the precursors to modern gay erotica, but which were presented as tools for art students interested in drawing the male form. Some of the magazines ran explicit editorials decrying censorship rules of the day.
To find these magazines:
- Search the online catalog for these subject headings:
- Bodybuilders--Periodicals.
- Bodybuilding--Periodicals.
- Photography of bodybuilders--Periodicals.
- Photography of men--Periodicals.
- Gay men--Pictorial works--Periodicals.
- View the Human Sexuality Collection website.
After you click on "Periodicals," you can either browse the list of U.S. periodicals or search on the key word "physique."
- Visit the Human Sexuality Collection and let a reference staff person help you find the titles you want to see. Rare and Manuscript Collections, on level 2B of Carl A. Kroch Library, is open M-F, 9 - 5, and during the academic year , Sat., 1-5.
Physique Magazines in the Cornell Library
Adonis
American Apollo
Art and Form
Big Boys, The
Body Beautiful
Boot
Boys
Brawn
Bunky
Demi Gods (NY)
Demi Gods (NJ)
Encore
Era (published by QQ--Queen's Quarterly)
Fizeek
Fizeek Art Quarterly
Flex
Gallery
Grandeur
Grecian Guild Pictorial
Grecian Guild Studio Quarterly
Hans (the Boys of Northern Europe)
Hawk
He
Hercules
Hermes
International Nudist Sun
Jr. Annual
Male Nude
Male Physique
Male Pix Beefcake
Male Pose
Man's World
Manual
MARS
Men International
Mr. Big
Muscle Sculpture
Muscle Teens
Muscle Training
Muscleboy
Popular Man
Physique Photos
Physique Pictorial
Physique World
Star Models
Strength and Health
Sungods
Time Square Faces
Time Square Stud
Times Square Studio
Titan
Tomorrow's Man
Trim "Young America's Favorite Physique Publication"
Trim Studio Quarterly
Vim
Young Physique
Man-ifique