John Willie: Difference between revisions
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Achilles placed Coutts in contact with the "American Social Circle" surrounding Charles Guyette. Achilles gave Coutts the name and address of John Bringman, Guyette’s Photographer. | Achilles placed Coutts in contact with the "American Social Circle" surrounding Charles Guyette. Achilles gave Coutts the name and address of John Bringman, Guyette’s Photographer. | ||
In ca. 1947–48, he moved to New York City where he published his bondage and fetish magazine ''[[Bizarre]]'' from 1946 to 1959 (compare with [[ENEG]]'s work in [[Exotique]] magazine, published 1956 - 1959). | In ca. 1947–48, he moved to New York City where he published his bondage and fetish magazine ''[[Bizarre]]'' from 1946 to 1959 (compare with [[ENEG]]'s work in ''[[Exotique]]'' magazine, published 1956 - 1959). | ||
The magazine included many photographs, often of his wife. There were also many letters from readers; he was accused of inventing these letters, but insisted that they were genuine. | The magazine included many photographs, often of his wife. There were also many letters from readers; he was accused of inventing these letters, but insisted that they were genuine. | ||
Revision as of 15:44, 19 September 2021
- This article is a Biography
John Alexander Scott Coutts (December 9, 1902 - August 5, 1962), better known as John Willie, was a pioneering fetish photographer and bondage artist.
Life and work
Coutts was born in Singapore and grew up in England. In the 1930s, he taught himself how to draw while living in Australia.
In 1932, John Coutts entered the fetish network when he wanders into the MacNaught Shoe Store in Sydney, Australia. MacNaught was a producer of fetishistic high heeled shoes that contributed photographs and advertised in London Life Magazine.
Coutts was shown copies of London Life for the first time. Mr. W. of MacNaught placed Coutts in contact with a retired mariner in Sydney who sold high heeled shoes using the trade name and pseudonym of “Achilles”. Achilles was a seller of High heel shoes who regularly corresponded and advertised in London Life magazine. Coutts visited Achilles and the two became friends.
Achilles placed Coutts in contact with the "American Social Circle" surrounding Charles Guyette. Achilles gave Coutts the name and address of John Bringman, Guyette’s Photographer.
In ca. 1947–48, he moved to New York City where he published his bondage and fetish magazine Bizarre from 1946 to 1959 (compare with ENEG's work in Exotique magazine, published 1956 - 1959).
The magazine included many photographs, often of his wife. There were also many letters from readers; he was accused of inventing these letters, but insisted that they were genuine.
As a bondage artist, he is best known for his figure of Sweet Gwendoline, which he drew in a clear, anatomically correct style that influenced later artists such as ENEG and Eric Stanton. Other characters include U69 (censored to U89 in some editions) as the raven-haired dominatrix who ties up Gwendoline and Sir Dystic d'Arcy, the only prominent male character and probably a parody of Willie himself.
The comic strip was published by Irving Klaw, who forced Stanton to paint clothes over the whip marks on the originals of "The Missing Princess".
Coutts developed a brain tumor in 1961 and was forced to stop his mail order business. He destroyed his archives and returned to England, where he died.
He was portrayed by Jared Harris in the recent movie The Notorious Bettie Page.
Gallery
- John Willie drawings
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Quote
"Unless a model is a good actress, and has 'that type' of face it's difficult for her to look sad and miserable when working for me. My studio is a pretty cheerful place, and quite unlike the atmosphere that surrounds Gwendoline when the Countess gets hold of her." - John Willie, The Art of John Willie, Sophisticated Bondage - Book Two (Page 1)
Further reading
- A John Willie Portfolio, n.1 (a cura di Carl McGuire), Van Nuys, CA., London Ent. Ltd., 1987 showing Willie/Spiderpool link
- Bizarre: The Complete Reprint of John Willie's Bizarre, Vols. 1-26; ISBN 3-8228-9269-6 Taschen. Edited by Eric Kroll.
- Plusieurs possibilites. Photographies de John Willie, Paris, Futuropolis, 1985
- The Adventures of Sweet Gwendoline, 2nd Edition ISBN 0-914646-48-6. Belier Press, 2nd edition (1999).
- The Art of John Willie - Sophisticated Bondage (Book One)
- An illustrated biography edited by Stefano Piselli & Riccardo Morrocchi (128 pages)
- The Art of John Willie - Sophisticated Bondage (Book Two)
- An illustrated biography edited by Stefano Piselli & Riccardo Morrocchi (128 pages)
- The Bound Beauties of Irving Klaw & John Willie, vol 2, Van Nuys, CA., Harmony Comm., 1977
- The First John Willie Bondage Photo Book, Van Nuys, CA., London Ent. Ltd., 1978
- The Second John Willie Bondage Photo Book, Van Nuys, CA., London Ent. Ltd., 1978
- The Works of John Willie (a cura di Peter Stevenson), s.l., s.e., s.d.
See also
- A John Willie Portfolio - Article showing John Willie/Spiderpool link
- John Willie and The Spiderpool
- Fetish artist
- Eric Stanton
- Irving Klaw
- Sexual fetishism
Photographers whose work has involved fetishistic elements:
- Nobuyoshi Araki
- Elmer Batters
- Barbara Behr (HOM)
- Biederer Studio
- Bob Carlos Clarke
- Cypher
- Dogstar Photography
- Charles Gatewood
- Steve Diet Goedde
- Dirk Hooper
- Richard Kern
- Irving Klaw
- Eric Kroll
- Dave Naz
- Helmut Newton
- Barbara Nitke
- Ostra Studio
- Paul Outerbridge
- Suze Randall
- Robin Roberts
- Roy Stuart
- Viv Thomas
- Larry Utley
- John Willie
- Yva Richard
External links
- http://www.lambiek.net/willie_john.htm
- "The Rembrandt of Pulp" [ This article has been archived on SM-201 ]
- http://www.belierpress.com/review.html
- American Fetish - Scholarly resources for the study of SM and Fetishism in American Culture
- John Willie
- More information is available at [ Wikipedia:John Willie ]
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