

Unlike Etienne, Tom of Finland, and other artists who came immediately after him, Quaintance did not include full frontal nudity in his paintings. Photographs of his paintings were marketed through physique magazines and sold through the mail, which would have been risky if genitals were depicted. His work helped establish the look of gay male art for years to come, with his sleek, well-muscled figures shown either nude or clothed in impossibly tight pants. He also helped to popularize such gay icons as cowboys, Indians, and sailors.