Tom
of Finland (born
Touko Valio Laaksonen) was a Finnish artist known for his homoerotic art
of masculine queer men. Called the
“most influential creator of gay pornographic images”, Tom’s artwork
played a pivotal role in both depicting and steering the fashion trends
popular among gay men of the mid-20th century, particularly within the
Leather community.
Freddie Mercury was involved with the Leather community during the 1970s and 80s, and he was no doubt
aware of Tom and his works. Freddie was friends with one of the
founders of the Munich Lions Club, a gay leather club which boasted artwork by Tom of Finland on their shirts. Tom of Finland was also known to visit some of the same leather clubs as Freddie, including The Mineshaft in NYC.
Whether
Tom and Freddie ever met isn’t clear, but regardless of whether they personally knew each other it’s undeniable that Tom of Finland’s artwork had a direct and lasting effect on Freddie Mercury’s style - as it did for many queer men of the age.
