Artwork
Harmony
Harmony is a photographic photography by Michele de Benedetti. It is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
Overview
The photograph *Harmony*, taken by Michele de Benedetti, captures a sculpted figure seated on a rock, engaged with a large harp. Mounted on a green card, it was submitted in the 1920s as part of a survey conducted by William Kineton Parkes. The image is now preserved in the Archive of Art and Design, originating from a collection bequeathed to the institution in 1938.
Subject & Meaning
The frontal orientation implies the work was designed for single-viewer engagement, emphasizing stillness and inner resonance over dynamic movement.
The sculpture depicts a female figure in a contemplative pose, her fingers lightly touching the strings of an oversized harp. The instrument’s intricate carvings and the figure’s composed demeanor suggest a symbolic union between human expression and musical form. The frontal orientation implies the work was designed for single-viewer engagement, emphasizing stillness and inner resonance over dynamic movement.
Technique & Style
The photograph records a sculptural form rendered in high relief, with attention to fine surface details—particularly the swirling patterns along the harp’s neck and the smooth contours of the figure’s hair. The composition is tightly framed, isolating the subject against a neutral background, reinforcing the sculptural clarity and minimizing contextual distractions.
History & Provenance
The image was one of many responses to a questionnaire distributed by William Kineton Parkes in the 1920s, aimed at documenting contemporary sculptural practice. Parkes, a noted art historian and librarian, later bequeathed his collection to the Victoria and Albert Museum in 1938. The photograph remains part of the Archive of Art and Design, preserving its role as documentary evidence of early 20th-century sculpture.
Context
During the 1920s, there was growing institutional interest in systematically recording sculptural works across Britain. Parkes’s survey sought to map artistic trends and techniques, making this photograph part of a broader effort to archive the material culture of sculpture. The image reflects a moment when photography became a key tool for documenting three-dimensional art for scholarly use.
Legacy
Though the original sculpture’s current location is not specified, the photograph endures as a record of its form and presence within early 20th-century artistic documentation. It contributes to the Archive of Art and Design’s mission to preserve ephemeral and contextual evidence of sculptural practice, offering insight into how such works were perceived and recorded in their time.
Artist & collection
Artist
Michele de Benedetti spent years sneaking into empty concert halls at night, just to photograph the abandoned chairs waiting for an audience that never came.
