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.
About the Art Prints
Enhanced Matte Fine 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 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.
See more details in product images
About the Artist
The Timeless Sale
The Timeless Sale — always in style
Buy any 2 for 10% off
2 x phone cases? 10% off.
Discount code: TIMELESSCASES
2 x art prints? 10% off.
Discount code: TIMELESSPRINTS
2 x framed canvases? Yep, 10% off.
Discount code: TIMELESSCANVAS
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The fine print, without the fine print
Offer available 24/7, 365 days a year.
Must buy 2 of the same product type in a single purchase.
Can't be combined with other discounts.
No returns / exchanges for discounted treasure.
Delivery & Refunds
Only the Best Will Do
Fine art heavyweight paper enhances details, depth & dimension while softening glare to let colors tell their full story.
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.
