The Perfect Man

Eugen Sandow, a renowned Victorian strongman, captivated audiences with his extraordinary physique and became a cultural icon in late Victorian London and beyond. Rising from humble beginnings in Prussia, he gained fame as a performer and developed a physical culture system embraced worldwide. Despite his later financial ruin and an unmarked grave, Sandow's legacy endures, with high demand for his fitness equipment and memorabilia. Waller's engaging narrative highlights Sandow's significance in understanding sexuality and celebrity during the fin de siècle, paralleling figures like Oscar Wilde.