During the 1920s and 1930s, erotic books with a spanking theme were all the rage in France. At the time, Paris was a budding primeval soup for spankophiles, flagellants and floggers. The craze only disappeared with the advent of World War II. These novels usually feature drawings of very young girls being beaten by female authority figures and are richly illustrated. One of these illustrators from that time was Carlo.
Like Helga Bode, Carlo (born 1910) has remained a mystery long after his death, but despite his dedicated pseudonymity, he has become one of the most influential fetish performers ever. His drawings went far beyond mere spanking. He also often illustrated pony play, flogging, suspension, branding, bondage and master / slave dynamics. He specialized in hourglass figures, tightly laced corsets and agonizingly steep stiletto heels, all depicted in a fresh, modern and whimsical style reminiscent of fashion illustrations. This unique aesthetic would have a profound impact on BDSM rockstar and fetish photographer John Willie, who would go on to influence an entire generation of performers himself.
Carlo also contributed to the magazine Humour under the name Charléno. Below you will find some examples of his work:
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