Artwork
Mater Dolorosa
Mater Dolorosa is a photographic photography by Guido Calori. It is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
Overview
Mater Dolorosa, a sculpture by Guido Calori, is documented in a photograph mounted on a green card, originally part of William Kineton Parkes' collection bequeathed to the museum in 1938.
Subject & Meaning
The sculpture depicts two figures in a tight, grieving embrace. One, draped and veiled, supports the other, who is naked, slumped, and asleep or unconscious, conveying a moment of profound sorrow.
Technique & Style
The carving exhibits contrasting textures: rough-hewn areas juxtaposed with smooth curves where the bodies intersect, accentuated by deep shadows and the play of light on the figures' weary faces.
History & Provenance
The photograph was collected by William Kineton Parkes in the 1920s through a questionnaire project with sculptors. The responses, now in the Archive of Art and Design, contextualize the piece within early 20th-century sculptural practices.
Artist & collection
Artist
Guido Calori made moody, grainy photographs in the mid-20th-century style—think soft lights and deep shadows.
