Artwork
Sculpture of a Female Nude, Great Exhibition 1851
Sculpture of a Female Nude, Great Exhibition 1851 is a photographic photography by the Impressionist artist Nicolaas Henneman. It dates from 1851 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum. The image is a waxed-paper photographic negative created in 1851, documenting a sculptural work that presents a nude female figure.
About this work
Overview
The image is a waxed-paper photographic negative created in 1851, documenting a sculptural work that presents a nude female figure. Rendered in sepia tones, the photograph captures the statue against a neutral backdrop, emphasizing the form and surface details of the piece.
Subject & Meaning
The sculpture depicts a standing woman with her feet together and arms at her sides, draped in a single cloth that falls over her left shoulder and back. The figure is restrained by chains, a motif that may allude to themes of captivity or vulnerability within the Victorian era's moral discourse.
Technique & Style
Executed in a dark, likely bronze or metal, the statue showcases smooth, curvilinear anatomy contrasted with the textured folds of the drapery. The photograph’s waxed-paper medium yields a soft, warm tonal range that highlights the sculptural surface while preserving fine details such as the chain links and fabric pleats.
History & Provenance
Taken for the Great Exhibition of 1851, the image served to record the work displayed at the landmark international fair in London. The negative remains unmounted, indicating it was likely intended for archival or reproducing purposes rather than public exhibition.
Context
The Great Exhibition showcased advances in industry, art, and design, and the inclusion of a nude female sculpture reflected contemporary debates about the role of the human form in public art. The piece’s restrained pose and ornamental chains echo neoclassical influences while engaging Victorian sensibilities about modesty.
Artist & collection
Artist
These are early photographs of statues and sculpture displayed at the 1851 Great Exhibition in London.
Sculpture of a Woman, Great Exhibition 1851
Dancing Girl Reposing, Prize Statue, Great Exhibition 1851
Statue titled Falkland, Great Exhibition 1851
Stone Relief, Great Exhibition 1851
Statue of Venus and Cupid, Great Exhibition 1851
Statue of Female Nude with Lion, Great Exhibition 1851
Statue titled Virginius, Great Exhibition 1851
Statue of Female Nude with Cherub, Great Exhibition 1851
