The Wrestlers - William Etty Homoerotic Art Print
William Etty's The Wrestlers isn't just a painting; it's a testosterone-fueled time capsule that body-slams Victorian sensibilities while flexing the muscles of artistic evolution. Picture this: it's 1840, the Royal Academy's new digs are hotter than a blacksmith's forge, and Etty's there, furiously capturing two glistening Adonises locked in combat. This isn't your grandpa's stuffy historical scene - it's a sweaty, pulsating ode to the human form that practically steams off the millboard.
Etty, the mad genius of flesh tones, takes the classical Greco-Roman wrestling trope and injects it with a shot of 19th-century sports mania and racial tension. The contrast between ebony and ivory skin isn't just visually arresting; it's a Rorschach test for the evolving British psyche. Are we witnessing a moral allegory, a celebration of athletic prowess, or Etty's sly commentary on the changing social landscape? The answer's as slippery as those muscled torsos.
With every brushstroke, Etty's challenging the viewer: Is this high art or lowbrow titillation? Social statement or pure aesthetic indulgence? One thing's for sure - this oil-on-millboard masterpiece, now proudly flexing at the York Art Gallery, is a cultural heavyweight that continues to grapple with our perceptions of race, sexuality, and the power of the human form in art.
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About This Treasure
Fine Art Prints
Enhanced Matte Art Paper
Forget cheap reproductions and printable posters. Bold, vibrant, non-toxic pigment inks honor your art & the planet.
Choose a white border for a fresh and refined visual break between artwork & frame. Or no border for a bold, immersive viewing experience.
True-to-life tones without glare or distortion: warm white, archival-grade, 200gsm matte art paper
Sharper details and deeper saturation endure for generations thanks to high-definition print lab techniques.
FSC® certified: every tree replaced, workers treated fairly & local rights respected.
Framed Art Prints
Framed Fine Art Prints
Timeless statements
• Chevron cut wooden frames.
• Ultra-clear perspex glaze.
• Includes 2" / 5cm acid-free, archival grade mount board. Just like you see in art galleries and museums.
FSC® certified
Every tree replaced, workers treated fairly & local rights respected.
3 distinctive colors
Black: Suits every style from bold modernity to gothic opulence.
White: Helps art shine bright in dark rooms to lift your mood.
Natural: Infuses warmth with its rich, honeyed tones.
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Non-toxic Giclee Printing
Giclée Printing
Forget 4 color CMYK. Giclée layers up to 12 — alive with deeper shadows, richer highlights and multidimensional contrasts.
A Century of Color
Printed using a pro-lab process that helps art stay bold & breathtaking for up to 100 yr with non-toxic, archival-grade inks.
Water-based Inks
Neo pigment, water-based inks that are 100% non-hazardous and toxin-free. Meeting the strictest industry standards as defined by Oeko-Tex 100 safety applications, Residues Standard List (RSL) and the American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists.
FSC® Certified Paper & Wood
FSC® Certified Paper & Wood
Every art print and wooden frame comes from 100% FSC sources: forests managed to stay forests, with wildlife habitats protected, high-conservation areas off-limits, and no illegal logging. Trees taken are regenerated, so there’s no net forest loss. Chemicals and water use are tightly controlled, and heavy-duty audits verify it all.
For people: trained workers, safe conditions, fair pay, and respect for Indigenous and local community rights.
For you: premium art that lasts, carrying a traceable chain of custody from forest to print. No greenwashing, just independently checked materials that do less harm and support better forestry every time you buy.
