Artwork
The Boy Archer
The Boy Archer is a photographic photography by Amleto Cataldi. It is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum. The work is a black‑and‑white photograph of a bronze figure depicting a youthful archer.
About this work
Overview
The work is a black‑and‑white photograph of a bronze figure depicting a youthful archer. The image is affixed to a green mounting card and was included in a collection donated to the museum by William Kineton Parkes in 1938. It records the statue as it appeared in a museum environment, capturing the sculpture’s form and surface detail.
Subject & Meaning
The bronze statue portrays a boy drawing a bow, his torso twisted and one leg bent, muscles taut as he prepares to release an arrow. The figure’s concentrated expression and poised stance convey a moment of focused intention, emphasizing the tension between youthful vigor and the discipline of archery.
Technique & Style
The sculpture is rendered in smooth, polished bronze, allowing subtle gradations of light to model the figure’s anatomy. The photographer captured these qualities on film, preserving the reflective surface and the delicate shading that highlights the sculptor’s attention to musculature and movement.
History & Provenance
The photograph entered the museum’s holdings through the 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; many responded with images of their work, including this one, which now resides in the Archive of Art and Design.
Context
The image forms part of a broader documentary project initiated by Parkes to gather visual and written material on early‑20th‑century sculpture. The collection provides insight into the practices of sculptors of the period and serves as a visual record of works that were often only accessible in situ.
Artist & collection
Artist
Amleto Cataldi was an Italian sculptor. His work was part of the sculpture event in the art competition at the 1924 Summer Olympics.
