Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is a photographic photography by Maurice Sterne. It is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
Overview
This untitled photograph by Maurice Sterne depicts a serene bust of a person with a calm expression, mounted on a green card. The work is part of a unique collection gathered through a 1920s questionnaire sent to sculptors, exploring their practices.
Subject & Meaning
The photograph shows a bust with a subtle, rightward-turned head, long braided hair, and a smooth, dark surface (likely bronze or stone). The calm expression and simple, patterned background evoke serenity, prompting close examination of the subject's features.
Technique & Style
The photograph's composition emphasizes the bust's details against a light, subtly patterned wall, creating a sense of depth. The overall style conveys a sense of contemplation, characteristic of early 20th-century photographic approaches to sculpture documentation.
History & Provenance
Acquired as part of the William Kineton Parkes collection in 1938, this photograph was originally submitted to Parkes' questionnaire for sculptors in the 1920s. It is now preserved within the Archive of Art and Design.
Context
Created in response to a questionnaire on sculptural practices, this work reflects the intersection of photography and sculpture in the early 20th century, as well as the scholarly interest in documenting artistic processes of the time.
Legacy
As part of a broader collection, the photograph contributes to the historical record of sculptors' working methods and the role of photography in early 20th-century art documentation, offering insight into the era's artistic and scholarly practices.
Artist & collection
Artist
Maurice Sterne (Latvian: Moriss Šterns, 1877 or 1878 – July 23, 1957) was an American sculptor and painter remembered for his association with philanthropist Mabel Dodge Luhan, to whom he was married from 1916 to 1923.
