Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is a photographic photography by Alan Lydiat Durst. It is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
Overview
This untitled photograph by Alan Lydiat Durst captures a close-up view of a light-colored stone sculpture of a lying sheep, set against a dark background, emphasizing the subject's texture and form.
Subject & Meaning
The sculpture depicts a sheep in a relaxed, prone position, facing left, with an uplifted head. The animal's smooth, rounded body contrasts with its rough-textured, stone materiality, conveying a sense of serene elegance.
Technique & Style
The photograph's composition focuses tightly on the sculpture, highlighting the interplay of light and dark. The overall aesthetic is characterized by simplicity, allowing the viewer to appreciate the sculptural details and the contrast between the sheep's smooth body and stumpy legs.
History & Provenance
The photograph was part of a collection bequeathed by William Kineton Parkes in 1938. Parkes, who researched sculpture, distributed questionnaires to sculptors in the 1920s, though the direct connection between this practice and the photographed sculpture is not specified.
Context
Mounted on green card, the photograph's presentation suggests a thoughtful curation, possibly reflecting Parkes' scholarly approach to documenting sculptural works, even as the sculpture's original context and artist remain unspecified in the provided details.
Legacy
Information on the photograph's impact or the sculptor's prominence is not provided, leaving the work's broader legacy and the sculptor's identity unclear beyond its inclusion in Parkes' collection.
Artist & collection
Artist
Alan Durst kept a studio cat named Boris, who posed so often his tail shows up in at least three negatives.
