Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is a photographic photography by Anne Crawford Acheson. It dates from 1932 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum. The work is a black‑and‑white photograph, printed on a green backing card, depicting a modestly sized white marble figure of a child.
About this work
Overview
The work is a black‑and‑white photograph, printed on a green backing card, depicting a modestly sized white marble figure of a child. The child stands on a round plinth, one hand placed on the hip and the other relaxed at the side, with short, tightly curled hair and a lighthearted stance that conveys youthful exuberance.
Subject & Meaning
The marble figure captures a moment of innocent playfulness, rendered in a naturalistic manner that emphasizes the softness of skin and the texture of hair. The pose, with the hand on the hip, suggests confidence and spontaneity, inviting viewers to sense the fleeting joy of childhood.
Technique & Style
Carved in white marble, the sculpture exhibits a realistic approach, with careful attention to anatomical detail, the drapery of the child's clothing, and the subtle modeling of facial features. The photograph reproduces these qualities in monochrome, highlighting the contrast between the smooth stone and the delicate folds.
History & Provenance
The image entered the Victoria and Albert Museum through the 1938 bequest of William Kineton Parkes, a novelist, art historian, and librarian noted for his scholarship on sculpture. In the 1920s Parkes circulated questionnaires to contemporary sculptors; the photograph was supplied as part of the responses he collected.
Context
The photograph forms part of a broader assemblage of sculptural documentation within the V&A, reflecting the museum’s commitment to representing diverse artistic traditions across periods. Its inclusion illustrates the early 20th‑century interest in cataloguing and preserving visual records of sculptural practice.
Artist & collection
Artist
Anne Crawford Acheson (5 August 1882 – 13 March 1962) was a British-Irish sculptor.
