Art
An Early 20th-Century Erotic Illustrator and Her Queer Vision of Beauty
Gerda Wegener’s works ranged from glamorous portraits of her partner to graphic illustrations of sex that celebrated women’s pleasure.
Swann Auction Galleries
Books
The Erotic Nostalgia of Lesbian Pulp Fiction
Published from the 1950s through 1970s, their covers are colorful, kitschy, and anachronistic.
Sponsored
Announcement
Queer Art and Historical Ephemera Up for Auction at Swann
Material from the 1800s through contemporary times includes art by Tom of Finland, Gerda Wegener, and JEB, as well as works of lesbian pulp fiction and more, all available on August 19.
Art
How Swann Galleries Set the Stage for the Modern African American Art Market
For the past 13 years, Swann has been the only major auction house with a department dedicated to African American art, setting auction records for artists such as Sam Gilliam, Faith Ringgold, and Charles White.
News
For Decades, JEB Has Captured Liberatory Photographs of Lesbian Life
A portrait of Audre Lorde and an intimate embrace between a couple in 1979 are two of four photographs by Joan E. Biren.
Art
How Tessa Boffin, One of the Leading Lesbian Artists of the AIDS Crisis, Vanished From History
Boffin explained in a 1991 radio interview that she was trying to put lesbians back on the political agenda, but her risqué performances frequently drew criticism from inside the LGBTQ community.
Art
The Day When Harvey Milk Was Mayor
The first openly gay elected official in the nation had just one day in San Francisco's mayoral office in 1978, but the meaning of that moment will echo for generations.
Art
Read Allen Ginsberg’s Annotations About the Early Years of the Gay Pride Parade
When the beat poet looked through Hank O'Neal's photographs of the pride march, he took the chance to narrate history.
Announcement
Telling Queer Stories: The Challenges of Unearthing a History
Join Hrag Vartanian in conversation with Cathy Renna & Eduardo Ayala Fuentes at Swann Galleries on Monday, June 17 from 6 to 8 pm.
Podcast
Decolonizing the Color of Queerness
Artist Cristina Pitter helps us open Pride Month with a paean from her performance piece, Decolonizing the Color of Queerness
News
Jacob Lawrence Painting Missing for Half a Century Goes to Auction
A historical scene from the Chesapeake-Leopard affair (the 1807 incident that led to the War of 1812), the painting is headed for auction on April 5.
Art
The Earliest Known Printed Illustrations of the Greek Constellations
A rare first edition of the Poeticon Astronomicon, printed in Germany in 1492, is headed to auction at Swann.