Who painted Untitled?

Untitled was painted by Ernest William Tristram in 1950.

Where can I see Untitled?

Untitled is held by Victoria and Albert Museum.

Artwork

Untitled

Ernest William Tristram , 1950

Untitled is a drawing by Ernest William Tristram. It dates from 1950 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.

About this work

Overview

Ernest William Tristram’s 1950 pen‑and‑ink tracing records a medieval mural once displayed in the south aisle of Upchurch Church, Kent. The original wall painting, titled *The Virtues of a Pilgrimage*, dates to the thirteenth century and is now either lost or hidden from view. Tristram’s drawing preserves the composition for contemporary study.

Subject & Meaning

The scene portrays a procession of robed figures arranged in two horizontal ranks beneath elongated, pointed canopies. Some participants carry staffs or books, while others gesture as if speaking, suggesting a liturgical or instructional moment linked to the virtues associated with pilgrimage.

Technique & Style

Executed solely with pencil, Tristram’s work relies on linear contouring without tonal shading. The figures are rendered as simplified, stick‑like forms, their outlines stacked to suggest volume and movement. Notable details include a figure on the right clutching a cluster of grapes and another adjusting a robe, both conveyed through swift, unmodulated strokes.

History & Provenance

The tracing reproduces an illustration first published in the 1875 volume of *Archaeologia Cantiana*, which itself documented the medieval mural. By creating a secondary record in 1950, Tristram contributed to the preservation of an artwork that has since become inaccessible, ensuring its visual information remains available to scholars.

Artist & collection

Artist

Ernest William Tristram

Ernest William Tristram (1882–1952) was a British art historian, artist and conservator, and Professor of Design at the Royal College of Art (1926–1948).