Tahitian Beauties

I just bought this over the weekend when I was out and about looking
for reference material and inspiration for my velvet paintings.
Stunning portraits and landscapes. It was published this year.

TAHITIAN BEAUTIES: Lucien Gauthier, Photographer
By Serge Kakou.

A collection of portraits of early twentieth-century Tahitian beauties. French born Gauthier (1875-1971) traveled to Tahiti in 1904 and opened a portrait studio, which allowed him to meet the local beauties, who posed for him both clothed and nude. Sumptuous landscapes completed his collection of images. His body of work was widely diffused in the form of postcards, establishing his fame. This offers a selection of his most beautiful images, chosen from among 800 original negatives, the glass-plate negatives have allowed a sharpness and clariey of light and detail that is incredible. Today he is recognized as the creator of a photographic icon: the vahine.

Love those vintage photographs with the scenery painted backdrops

"French born Gauthier (1875-1971) traveled to Tahiti in 1904 and opened a portrait studio, which allowed him to meet the local beauties, who posed for him both clothed and nude."

Now there's a man who was thinking! :wink:

Wow.

Thank you for sharing.

Great old photos! Thank you for sharing them!

You Dawg! I want those photos. Leeteg himself would have been happy to have them. What an incredible find.

Classic Velvets
by Song Shen

[ Edited by: Okolehao 2009-12-04 09:41 ]

On 2009-12-04 09:40, Okolehao wrote:
You Dawg! I want those photos. ...

While not quite the same as having actual prints of those photos, you can buy the book here:
http://www.amazon.com/Tahitian-Beauties-Serge-Kakou/dp/1933045922/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1259952052&sr=1-1