Tarzan 1977

Boris Vallejo made this painting, Tarzan, in the late 20th century. It depicts a scene of Tarzan defending Jane from a saber-toothed tiger, embodying themes of primal heroism and exotic adventure. Vallejo's work draws on and reinforces cultural ideas about masculinity, femininity, and the "natural" world. His hyper-muscular Tarzan, the damsel in distress Jane, and the exoticized jungle setting evoke a romanticized vision of human versus nature. These images circulate through popular culture and reflect broader societal attitudes about gender roles, race, and colonialism. As historians, we might ask how this artwork participates in the construction of these stereotypes and the social conditions that made them possible. What can studies into the history of advertising, publishing, and film, tell us about the relationship between fantasy and social reality? The image invites us to unpack the visual codes and cultural references that shape our understanding of nature, gender, and power.