The Wrestlers - William Etty Homoerotic Art Print
Description
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.
Information
Fine art paper for bold statements: Archival grade enhanced matte paper — delivering spectacular colors so rich, potent and tactile that your new print hums with life. Shipped safe and secure in a tough cardboard tube.
Forget faded reproductions and printable posters: This giclée print's fueled by colors that sing. Rendered with precision on warm-toned museum quality paper at 200gsm (5.9oz/yd). Using vibrant water-based inks that shine for decades.
FSC® certified: the math is simple — responsible forest management = art that doesn't cost the earth.
About the Artist
Delivery & Refunds
Cost
Orders over $50 USD ship free.
Orders under $50 USD cost between $5-10 USD to ship depending on which part of the world you're ordering from.
Delivery Times
Production:
The average time it takes to produce the treasures you find here is 2-4 days.
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Average shipping times:
USA: 2-5 days • Canada: 3-8 days • UK: 2-5 days • Europe: 3-6 days • Australia: 2-5 days • New Zealand: 3-8 days • Rest of the world: 2-4 weeks
Please check the orders and shipping page for more specifics.
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Returns and Refunds
1. You're welcome to open a return / exchange request within 30 days of your order's delivery.
2. All items for return must be delivered back in their original condition, with their original packaging included.
3. No guarantees your return will be approved if you send items back before the approval of your return request
4. No returns, refunds or exchanges on discounted or sale items.
5. Return shipping costs are only covered in the rare cases that items arrive faulty, incorrect or damaged.
More details on returns and refunds
Make New Friends
Giclée Printing
Gold standard for museum-level quality. Traditional printing uses the classic CMYK color range - bottom image. Giclée uses pigment based, archival quality inks. Manufactured on advanced inkjet printers with up to 12 individual colors - top image.
Finish & Texture
Museum-quality, heavyweight paper with a smooth, clean finish that emphasises complex highlights and tones. Delivering outstanding clarity and colors that hum with life. Perfect fit for color graphics, illustrations & fine art photography.
100+ Years of Color
Your new fine art print will be produced with bright and vibrant water-based inks. Non-hazardous and toxin-free, they're printed using a pro-lab process that delivers 100+ years of spectacular colour when cared for correctly.
FSC® Certified
Trees are harvested with no net loss of forest over time. Workers are provided proper training, safety protocols, and fair wages. Local communities’ rights and resources are respected.
Partnered with Prodigi
I've worked with a lot of partners over the years. Prodigi's quality and care is remarkable, but their commitment to art, the environment and ethical supply chains captured my heart.
Brand New, Just for You
Your new fine art print will be produced with care after you place an order. It's called print on demand: minimizing landfill, water & energy use by only producing art people actually want.
Giclée Printing
Gold standard for museum-level quality. Traditional printing uses the classic CMYK color range - bottom image. Giclée uses pigment based, archival quality inks. Manufactured on advanced inkjet printers with up to 12 individual colors - top image.
Finish & Texture
Museum-quality, heavyweight paper with a smooth, clean finish that emphasises complex highlights and tones. Delivering outstanding clarity and colors that hum with life. Perfect fit for color graphics, illustrations & fine art photography.
100+ Years of Color
Your new fine art print will be produced with bright and vibrant water-based inks. Non-hazardous and toxin-free, they're printed using a pro-lab process that delivers 100+ years of spectacular colour when cared for correctly.
FSC® Certified
Trees are harvested with no net loss of forest over time. Workers are provided proper training, safety protocols, and fair wages. Local communities’ rights and resources are respected.
Partnered with Prodigi
I've worked with a lot of partners over the years. Prodigi's quality and care is remarkable, but their commitment to art, the environment and ethical supply chains captured my heart.
