Tom of Finland XXL

by Tom of Finland (Artist), Dian Hanson (Editor), John Waters

Bigger is better: Tom of Finland, oversized for maximum pleasure

In 1998, TASCHEN introduced the world to the masterful art of Touko Laaksonen with The Art of Pleasure. Prior to that, Laaksonen, better known as Tom of Finland, enjoyed an intense cult following in the international gay community but was largely unknown to the broader audience.

In 2009, TASCHEN followed up with the ultimate Tom overview: Tom of Finland XXL, a beautiful big collector s edition with over 1,000 images, covering six decades of the artist s career. The work was gathered from collections across the United States and Europe with the help of the Tom of Finland Foundation, and features many drawings, paintings, and sketches never previously reproduced. Other images have only been seen out of context and were finally presented in the sequential order Tom intended for full artistic appreciation and erotic impact.

The elegant oversized volume showed the full range of Tom s talent, from sensitive portraits to frank sexual pleasure, to tender expressions of love, and haunting tributes to young men struck down by AIDS, and was completed by eight commissioned essays on Tom s social and personal impact by Camille Paglia, John Waters, Armistead Maupin, Todd Oldham, and others, plus a scholarly analysis of individual drawings by art historian Edward Lucie-Smith.

The only thing missing from Tom of Finland XXL was a widely affordable price tag until now. The new Tom of Finland XXL is still big enough to work your biceps, and includes all of the original content, but costs a fraction of the original price. You re welcome.

Text in English, French, and German"

Genres: Art, LGBT, Queer, Nonfiction, Comics, Gay, Erotica

664 pages, Hardcover

First published April 1, 2009

About the author

Touko Laaksonen (8 May 1920 – 7 November 1991), best known by his pseudonym Tom of Finland, is often said to be the most famous Finnish artist in the world. His highly stylized homoerotic drawings had a profound influence on late twentieth century gay culture, as well as fashion and pop culture in general. He has been called the "most influential creator of gay pornographic images" by cultural historian Joseph W. Slade.

Over the course of four decades he produced some 3500 illustrations, mostly featuring men with exaggerated primary and secondary sex traits, with tight or partially removed clothing. Despite having created the self-assured and muscular archetype of the homosexual in his imagery, his most important messages were tolerance and that sex is something to be celebrated.

Tom of Finland's artwork is part of permanent collections of leading cultural institutions that include The Museum of Modern Art (New York), The Museum of Contemporary Art (Los Angeles), Museum of Contemporary Art Kiasma (Helsinki), The Art Institute of Chicago, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art and Los Angeles County Museum of Art.

Reviews

[Noel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Drafted into the Finnish army during World War II as a teenager and having to fight alongside the Germans, Touko Laaksonen, a.k.a. Tom of Finland, shared two nights of unbridled sex with a Luftwaffe reconnaissance pilot whose way of holding his cigarette he loved and who was shot down in Russian territory. This trauma sparked his obsession with fetishes of masculinity: leather jackets, boots, caps. The erotic art he created, of course, became iconic. By the mid-seventies, he’d set the homosexual fashion; men began to wear Muir caps and leather chaps. I was confused when I first encountered similar imagery, including Nazi flags, in Kenneth Anger’s films until I realized it has little to do with ideological convictions and everything to do with a longing for (white) heterosexual male power and a fear of it (remember the pink triangle?—also, gays were still considered “pansies” and “poufs,” or mentally ill perverts corrupting the moral fiber of society). This both revolts and fascinates me, probably for the same reasons Rosa von Praunheim provides in his interview with Fred Halsted: “my inferiority complex as a man, or the yearning for someone stronger who will solve all my problems.” But although Tom repudiated fascism and withdrew his Nazi drawings from circulation—“The whole Nazi philosophy, the racism and all that, is hateful to me, but of course I drew them anyway—they had the sexiest uniforms!”—the aesthetic, for all that, is still uncomfortably close to being, as von Praunheim notes, “fascistic.”

But this book… it’s a stunner. It’s massive, with masterful drawings and collages, and a golden glow that seems to emanate from within it. It made quite the impression when I picked it up from my college library. It’s multilingual (written in English, German, and French) and almost physically painful to read. Closed, it’s about the size of a pillow! It was too big to fit on my desk, or in my backpack, or (certainly) in one hand (for all my experience…); it was too cumbersome to take outside and would have been exhausting to read in bed—I had to read it on the floor. Oddly enough, I found it more funny (sometimes intentionally), even more quaint with an exuberant vigor that was a joy to behold, than erotic, but that was its greatest charm. The medium varies—pencil, colored crayon, an occasional watercolor wash, black felt-tip pen—but the mischievous grins, twinkling eyes, and rippling muscles (and monster dongs) remain constant. There are excellent essays by Camille Paglia, John Waters, and Armistead Maupin.

[Aaron Bergunder · Rating 5 out of 5]

This monograph is a surpisingly insightful and beautiful tribute to an artist who has captured and driven the imaginations of generations of gay men. Much more than a pornographic display (though it doesn't hold back), this opens up Tom's world far beyond the impossible aesthetics of his men. The variety of essays shed light on his vulnerability and struggles but also on those of his fans, highlighting many shared experiences of self-discovery in the perversions of his work. It's gorgeous and erotic and very sweet.

[Jemppu · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading updates.

[Mark Gee · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fantastic book, a book that’s not just about erotica but also about the acceptance of sexuality, something I’ve been trying to do for a while.
Through the manny books I’ve read with LGBTQIA+ Characters, stories and artists this year i believe I’m coming into myself slowly.

Tom of Finland didn’t shy away from his sexuality or desires and good on him for doing so.

“I have arrived at the bastion of freedom.
Displayed here are the works of a man who didn’t cower or inhibit himself in his expression of what was in his heart”. P492 Rachel Laurent

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gay Erotic Collection in Extra Large Format

The size of this book, both length and girth is reminiscent of the unnatural size of cocks drawn by Tom of Finland. This enormity allows the voyeur to enjoy Tom's artistic flair to the full.

Split into decades, introduced by different artists, this is a true anthology of Tom's work. His distinctive style is shown as it develops and becomes more refined over the years. The almost Nazi style leather muscle men are explained from Tom's liaison with officers whilst cruising in his youth. Yet this disturbing origin of the leather muscle men is somehow forgotten as the gay S&M fantasy evolves.

The gay protagonists are shown to have perfectly rounded arses, enormous erect phalluses, almost feminine chests and rugged faces. Counteracting the common perception of feminine queers, both tops and bottoms are portrayed as highly masculine men. This portrayal of gay masculine sex is both stylised and erotic. Blurring the line between art and pornography.

This is art, pornographic art, on a large scale.

[Gebanuzo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tenía una pequeña noción de lo que era Tom of Finland, pero fue muy interesante saber más de él, de su trabajo, de la importancia de la liberación sexual de lo homosexual a que dio pie, lo homoerotico en sus tiempos, la impresión y el establecimiento de lo que se percibía como masculinidad (Me gustan así de varoniles habrían dicho si hubiera existido el grindr), el look de los motociclistas, el cuero, los bigotes, los abdominales fuertes y marcados, los glúteos y los muslos prominentes. Todo esto que sirvió para que muchos hombres asumieran que el placer era posible, que el erotismo puede ser parte del juego en lo sexual, también se me hizo interesante saber que sí hubo algún momento en donde él se cuestionó acerca del consentimiento porque muchos de sus ilustraciones muestran un juego de roles, de sometimiento, de poder y sumisión, pero que en la practica real debe ser consensuada y acordada por todos los participantes.

[Daniel Andreu · Rating 4 out of 5]

Genial recopilación de la obra de Tom of Finland que a través de los textos de diversas personalidades (entre ellos John Waters) y los análisis de sus dibujos consigue hacer justicia al dejar claro que no era solo un artista de dibujos pornográficos, sino que TAMBIÉN era un ser humano con mucho que contar.

La edición es una maravilla, pero no he leído en mi vida un libro menos práctico. Estar al borde de la muerte cada noche porque al cogerlo se me puede resbalar y sepultarme... es una tensión demasiado grande.

[Aron Freeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

The images are tantalising and plenty. Tom is undeniably a queer icon and hugely influential artist of the modern age. He knew what he liked and that’s what he drew, each image secretes his desires.

That being said there are many repetitive themes and similar drawings that can feel a little tedious if you wanted to look through the whole book, though let’s be honest this is a coffee table book for the provocative to titillate guests.

I would have also enjoyed more autobiographical information on Tom but maybe they told us all they can…doubtful.

[Staci Zinn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hey,

your story honestly blew me away. It had such strong imagery that I could picture every scene as if it were playing out in front of me. The dialogue, pacing, and character expressions were all so vivid, it already feels halfway to being a comic.

I’m a commission artist who works with authors to adapt their stories into Webtoons, comics, and manga, and yours instantly stood out to me as something that could look absolutely stunning in that format.

If you’re down or want to see my work, you can find me on Discord ( bennett_lol) or Instagram (eve_verse_).

Regards,
Bennett.

[Drew · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great book. I’ve been inspired by his work since I first discovered it as a teenager, but never knew much about him or his life. Reading this was very insightful. And I think now, as an artist myself, I’m even more inspired by Tom than I was before.

[Wesley McCraw · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very impressive, very reasonably priced book that opened my eyes to the true talent and passion of Tom of Finland.

[frankie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A++ for any tom of finland fan, love that it had a lot of information and stuff about his other works. many that i've never seen before. will never regret buying this book!

[Jacob · Rating 5 out of 5]

What’s a amazing historical of his art works and contacts of Gay community whose like art.

[Hung Duong · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love it

[a*s*h]

finally done. glad to know we’ve always been horny and kinky as hell.

[Julene · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a phenomenal collection of Tom's work with multi-language translations for each section. Very pleased they decided to start printing this book again, a must-have for any ToF fan.

[Grady · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tuoko Laaksonen honored in the realm of fine art - Finally!

Tuoko Laaksonen (1920 - 1991) may have enjoyed worldwide fame as Tom of Finland during his lifetime, his fame due largely to an extensive following of those who praised his courage to paint and draw what he wanted to paint and draw rather than keeping his talent for figurative work in the dark corners of only certain bookstores. Now, thanks in large part to this very fine tome edited by Dian Hanson, the general public can appreciate the fact that not only did he appeal to a specific audience; he can now be seen as an exceptionally gifted draughtsman and artist.

Laaksonen/Tom of Finland restricted his output to figurative works that highlighted massively macho males in all manner of situations. While his work is erotically charged it always retains a brilliant sense of humor and parody: he celebrated his audience by saying it is not only OK to enjoy these works, it is also OK to see the humor in the distortion of fantasies. Many of these works in this exhaustive volume are well known, having been reproduced many times in literature and in galleries, but for the connoisseur there are unpublished works here, many of which show a more tender side to the artist. Hanson has the good idea of presenting these works of art in chronological order - another way of examining public acceptance of the artist's works - and the chapters covering sixty years of his output are arranged by decades, the Forties through the Eighties. Another fortunate aspect of this massive book is the decision to include essays and commentaries by such important writers as Edward Lucie-Smith, Armistead Maupin, John Waters, Todd Oldham and Camille Paglia.

This is a long awaited volume that places an underground artist in the same echelon with other contemporary figurative painters. It is a beautifully produced, edited, written and illustrated homage to an artist who is now recognized for his talent not only as an artist, but also as a spokesman for human rights! Grady Harp

[Sandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

I already have a book of his art at home, so I didn't hesitate to want to see this one! I have been an avid reader of his work for a good while now, and this book is a real treat for any Tom of Finland fan.

I like the way he draws, and his subject matter as it ranges from the serious to the comical most of the time. Bondage play features a great deal in his art, as does the funnier aspects of gay life. from threesomes, to hugging and kissing and everything in between, his stuff is detailed, and has a good deal of tonality to it, and realism, which is great when dealing with man pecs and bulging biceps.

[Pete Wagner · Rating 5 out of 5]

When we discovered one of the tiny Tom of Finland booklets in the 1980s, we thought it was hilarious because it was such a taboo-buster for the times, and amazing for the unusual artistic vision it entailed. Definitely glad there is a volume that immortalizes these works, which could easily have been lost forever to the dustbin of history had the GLBTetc movement not gained steam as it did and made these kinds of cultural contributions something that are possible to access and consider the meanings of.

[Sergio Caredda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Grande Libro Per tutti gli appassionati di Tom of Finland, impossibile lasciarsi scappare l'occasione di acquistare quest'opera che far� un ottima figura nella vostra libreria. Gli autori analizzano la vita e l'opera di Tom of Finland, e di come ha contribuito alla creazione dell'immaginario erotico e sessuale gay (ma non solo) e come ha anche contribuito con quella sua sfacciata evidenza, a contribuire all'uscita dal closet di cos� tante persone. Il formato � eccezionale, e l'edizione ipercurata come al solito solo Taschen sa fare. Con un solo problema... � difficile da nascondere;-)

[Francis Cuncich · Rating 5 out of 5]

~ As much fun to peruse as read ~

[Tero · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Ultimate Coffee Table Book