Bruce Bellas

Bruce Bellas (1909 – 1974) was an influential photographer of the physique of nude males. Bellas was well known under the pseudonym Bruce of Los Angeles.[1]

History and influence

Bellas was born in Alliance, Nebraska and was a chemistry teacher there until 1947,[2] when he began photographing bodybuilders in Los Angeles, California. In 1956, Bellas launched his own magazine, The Male Figure.

An extensive archive of Bellas' nude male physique photographs exists today, largely intact. His impact on physique photography is largely felt and recognized, and the works of Robert Mapplethorpe, Herb Ritts, and Bruce Weber are widely considered to be influenced by Bellas' pioneering style. In 1990, the Wessel O'Connor Gallery in New York and the Jan Kesner Gallery in Los Angeles both exhibited a wide array of Bellas' work, furthering modern recognition of his impact.[3]

Bellas died while on vacation in Canada in 1974.

References
  1. Gonzo, JC (January 21, 2020). "The Fine Art of Early Gay Erotica". Santa Fe Reporter. Retrieved January 3, 2021.
  2. Rosen, Miss (October 17, 2019). "Bruce of Los Angeles, the Man Who Pioneered Beefcake Photography". Another Man. Retrieved January 3, 2021.
  3. Harrity, Christopher (June 29, 2013). "Inventing the California Boy". The Advocate. Retrieved January 3, 2021.


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