Call Number:

Print Collection 94

Repository:

University of Pennsylvania: Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts

Extent:

.6 linear feet (2 boxes)

Language:

French

Preferred Citation:

Collection of Jean-Daniel Cadinot photographs, photobooks, and related material, 1974-1990, Print Collection 94, Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts, University of Pennsylvania.

Date:

1974-1990 (inclusive)

Form:

photobooks and Photographs

Abstract:

Jean-Daniel Cadinot (1944-2008) was a French photographer and a director/producer of gay pornographic films. This collection contains printed material largely related to the photography of Cadinot and contains a single photograph by Cadinot, photobooks produced by and Cadinot and J.D.C Productions, photobooks produced by others, and other publications, including a book, cards, a catalog, magazines, and a playbill. While Cadinot was perhaps better known as a director/producer, this collection contains only examples of his homoerotic photography.

Jean-Daniel Cadinot was born on February 10, 1944 in Paris, the son of tailors. He left home at the age of 17 and studied at the École des Arts et Métiers and the National School of Photography before beginning his career at Valois Studios as a director.

According to "glbtq: An Encyclopedia of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, & Queer Culture," Cadinot's first photographs of gay men were taken in 1972; but as he "took ever more photographs of nude men, [he] gradually earned a reputation as a skilled still photographer … and published 17 photo albums, which sold more than 170,000 copies." At the start of his career, Cadinot published under the name Tony Darck (or Tony Dark). glbtq states that "while Cadinot disliked the term 'pornography,' because of its pejorative connotations, he had no apologies for the depictions of sexual action." Cadinot frequently photographed young men in their late teens or early twenties. In 1978, Cadinot established his own independent publishing house, J.D.C. Studio/French Art, "offering note cards and postcards as an additional medium for distributing photographs as well as for promoting his films and videos," (Koskovich).

It appears that Cadinot was better known for his gay pornographic films, which he made from 1978 until his death, and for which he earned international accolades.

He died on April 23, 2008 in Salouel, France.

Works cited:

Koschel, George, "Cadinot, Jean-Daniel," glbtq: An Encyclopedia of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Culture. (https://web.archive.org/web/20100422203523/http://www.glbtq.com/arts/cadinot_jd.html), accessed 2026 February 16

Koskivich, Gerard, prospectus for sale for Queer Antiquarian Books (available by request from internal collection folder.

This collection contains printed material largely related to the photography of Jean-Daniel Cadinot. The collection is arranged in four series: I. Photograph by Cadinot; II. Photobooks produced by Cadinot and J.D.C Productions; III. Photobooks produced by others; and IV. Other publications. While Cadinot was known as a director/producer of gay pornographic films, this collection contains only examples of his homoerotic photography.

The photograph is an untitled male nude silver gelatin print. It is signed and numbered on the back of the image.

The photobooks produced by Cadinot and J.D.C. Productions are arranged alphabetically by title, or alphabetically by title within the larger series Masculin. These photobooks contain mostly photographs with very little accompanying text. All have Cadinot and/or J.D.C. Productions clearly printed on the volume. According to his prospectus for sale of the collection, Gerard Koskovich states that "under French law and ministerial regulations of the era, most were not publicly advertised or displayed in bookstores or kiosks; they were available only in licensed sex shops or via mail order," (collection folder).

The photobooks produced by others are actually largely created by Cadinot but he is uncredited or the volumes are pirated copies published outside of his control. Regardless, these photobooks similarly contain mostly photographs with very little accompanying text. These volumes are arranged alphabetically by title.

Other publications include books, cards (postcards and greeting cards) produced by Cadinot, a catalog for videos sold at Cadinot's shop, magazines, and a playbill that was produced through Cadinot's studio. The magazines contain advertisements for Cadinot's photo books and often contain reproductions of his photographs. There is evidence that Cadinot's images were extensively used, sometimes uncredited.