Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is a photographic photography by Unknown. It dates from 1922 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum. A black‑and‑white photograph, mounted on a green backing card, presents a marble nude figure reclining on a rectangular plinth.
About this work
Overview
A black‑and‑white photograph, mounted on a green backing card, presents a marble nude figure reclining on a rectangular plinth. The model’s left arm is lifted above her head, the right hand rests on her abdomen, and her legs are bent with the left crossing over the right. The image captures the statue against a wooden wall, suggesting a studio environment.
Subject & Meaning
The sculpture depicts a reclining female form rendered in white marble, emphasizing the natural curvature of the body through a relaxed pose. The raised left arm and crossed legs convey a sense of languid repose, while the composition invites contemplation of classical ideals of beauty and the tactile qualities of the stone medium.
Technique & Style
The photograph employs strong chiaroscuro, using contrasting light and shadow to model the statue’s volume and accentuate its sculptural details. The interplay of illumination on the marble surface highlights the smoothness of the flesh and the crisp lines of the draped base, creating a three‑dimensional effect within the two‑dimensional frame.
History & Provenance
The print was among a series of images sent to writer, art historian and librarian William Kineton Parkes in the 1920s as part of his comprehensive survey of contemporary sculptors. Following Parkes’s death, the collection, including this photograph, was bequeathed to an archival institution in 1938, where it remains part of the documented legacy of early twentieth‑century sculpture.
Artist & collection
Domestic Scene
Giacomo and Cardinal Marco, investing Andrea, Abbot of San Zeno, with his Benefice
The Nymph of Fontainebleau
Portrait of a Woman
Madonna and Child with Saints in the Enclosed Garden
Venus and Minerva
Family Group of Four on Sofa
Wall painting from Room H of the Villa of P. Fannius Synistor at Boscoreale
