(1940-2019)

In many ways the dean of homoerotic illustration as a legitimate artform, Robert W. Richards had a prolific career creating work for the worlds of fashion and entertainment, including theatre posters and album covers, particularly for the female jazz and cabaret artists with whom he was often friends. A writer as well, for a number of years he interviewed and drew porn stars for profiles in gay magazines. His multi-page “Thrust” feature ran in Torso during its creative peak. He was a tireless promoter of homoerotic art as a board member of the Leslie-Lohmann Museum and the co-author of Stroke: From Under the Mattress to Out in the Open, based on an exhibit of illustrations he curated.