Man Ray/William Seabrook 1930 Photographs: Mysogyny or Surrealists Exploration of Eroticism?

June 28, 2025
Birch Bay, Washington

Warning: This blog post contains explicit Sado/Masochistic sexual photographs by Man Ray circa 1930.

First, let me give a much belated, thank you, to blog reader “KKD” for his reply/comment below received on January 14, 2023 (synchronistically, the anniversary date of Elizabeth Short’s actual murder) on my two-year-old post, “Surrealist Artist William Copley Reveals Black Dahlia Clew Number 7-Man Ray’s Lover’s Lips.”  

I agree with you. Please read the text regarding the photographic series by Man Ray entitled Fetishistic Mise-en-scène for William Seabrook is considered the function of simulation in scenes of erotic violence. See how closely one of the staged images in this series looks closely like they are murdering this woman, also holding an object close to her breast. Could this show how the Black Dahlia was murdered?

Did William Seabrook commission the BDM from Man Ray?

Here is the cited website: https://courtauld.ac.uk/research/research-resources/publications/immeditations-postgraduate-journal/immediations-online/2020-2/audrey-warne-staging-sadomasochism-images-of-bondage-in-man-rays-surrealist-photography-1929-1932/

                                                                                                                               KKD

KKD’s reference to Ms. Warne’s article is the source of today’s blog.

Audrey Warne’s website: 

About the author:

“Audrey Warne is an arts professional based in Brooklyn. She has a background in editing, project management, artist and artwork research, business administration, and rights and reproductions. She specializes in modern and contemporary art, with a research focus on European avant-gardes, the politics of gender and sexuality, and the history of photography.

She is currently the Editorial Coordinator at the Whitney Museum of American Art. Prior to coming to the Whitney, she held positions at Blum & Poe, Getty, the Sarasota Art Museum, and the Ringling Museum of Art.”

Highly recommend reading Ms. Warne’s 2020 article in full as presented in The Courtauld Institute of Art  at the below link:

AUDREY WARNE // Staging Sadomasochism: Images of Bondage in Man Ray’s Surrealist Photography, 1929–1932

Excerpts from Audrey Warne’s article:

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…

Her Conclusion:

A few of the Man Ray/Lee Miller and separate William Seabrook photographs from 1929-1932:

Here is a sketch by Man Ray drawn in November, 1940, just shortly after arriving for his ten-year stay in Hollywood, California.

Juliet Man Ray in Stocking Mask Hollywood 1945

Monument ‘a D.A.F. de Sade Man Ray (1933)

1947 “Black Dahlia Avenger” Mailings to police and press where the suspect drew a stocking mask (top left) on Armand Robles, a robbery victim assaulted whose wallet and photos were taken by the suspected “Black Dahlia Avenger.”
Robles indicated the assault occurred near downtown Los Angeles on January 10, 1947, (four days before the kidnap/torture murder of victim, Elizabeth Short.) Robles assault was unreported by him until a newspaper article appeared and requested individual shown in stocking mask photo published by them, contact the newspaper to assist in Dahlia investigation. Robles contacted the newspaper, was interviewed by reporters and described the suspect which closly fit George Hodel’s description. (“Well dressed, tall, driving a newer model vehicle.”) No indication Robles was ever interviewed by LAPD, who apparently dismissed the incident as  “unrelated.”

1946 Man Ray photo of psychiatrist Dr. George Hodel looking at statue of the god, Yamantaka who is depicted as being engaged in sexual intercouse with a consort.

As sourced from Vajrayana Buddhist teachings it can be said that:

“Yamantaka’s symbolism appeals to practitioners facing fear, mortality, and internal demons. His practice is especially valued for its transformative power, confronting suffering at its deepest roots.”

Montage of a few of the Surrealist (Murder As aa Fine Art)  linkages of Man Ray photos/drawings believed to be “inspirations” for George Hodel to the Black Dahlia Murder.

Man Ray photo of his then fiancee, Juliet Browner and Dorothy “Dorero” Hodel, Hollywood 1944 (Man Ray met model/dancer Juliet in a Hollywood nightclub and she bacme his muse and they married in November, 1946.)

The following  five-pages are from my original true-crime book, Black Dahlia Avenger (Updated as Skyhorse in 2015) and  contain a few early observations:  “Chapter 17-LAPD Secrets and the Marquis de Sade.”

BDA Chap 17 LAPD Secrets and the Marquis de Sade