Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is a photographic photography by Renee Prahar. It is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
Overview
A black-and-white photograph, mounted on a green card, depicts a carved wooden figure with a distinctive tall, narrow form, wide head, broad shoulders, and simplified facial features. The image exhibits signs of aging, including a faded border and a small numbered corner.
Subject & Meaning
The photograph's subject is a wooden sculpture characterized by rough carving marks, notably on its face and neck, and a blocky, short-haired coiffure. The figure's facial expression appears serene, with deep-set eye grooves and a smooth, slightly upturned mouth.
Technique & Style
The sculpture itself showcases a style emphasizing simplicity and textured, expressive carving. The photographic technique used to capture the piece is straightforward, with no evident manipulation, prioritizing documentary representation over aesthetic embellishment.
History & Provenance
The photograph was part of a collection gathered in the 1920s by William Kineton Parkes, a multifaceted figure in literature, art history, and librarianship, through a questionnaire project with sculptors. The collection was bequeathed to the institution in 1938.
Context
The sculpture is currently housed at the Victoria and Albert Museum, while the photograph's accompanying questionnaires from sculptors are archived in the Archive of Art and Design, providing contextual insight into early 20th-century sculptural practices.
Artist & collection
Artist
Renée Prahar also known as Irene Prahar, was an American sculptor and actress based in New York City and later in Connecticut.
