Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is a photographic photography by Tijpke Visser. It is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
Overview
Untitled is a black-and-white photograph mounted on a green card, currently held in the Archive of Art and Design. It depicts a carved wooden figure with a skeletal face, seated cross-legged on a platform formed by a row of skulls.
Subject & Meaning
The photograph's subject is a wooden sculpture characterized by its juxtaposition of serene posture and ominous elements (hollow face, visible ribcage, skulls). This contrast suggests an exploration of life, death, and possibly the spiritual or mystical.
Technique & Style
The wooden carving exhibits rough, expressive textures with sharp edges and deep shadows, indicating a prioritization of emotional impact over refinement. The photograph's black-and-white format enhances these contrasts.
History & Provenance
The photograph was part of a collection bequeathed by William Kineton Parkes in 1938. Parkes, a writer on sculpture, received it as a response to his 1920s questionnaires sent to sculptors, contextualizing it within early 20th-century sculptural practices.
Context
While specific inspirations are unclear, the sculpture's themes and rough style might align with early 20th-century movements exploring primitivism or the macabre. For similar unusual sculptures, see the Victoria and Albert Museum's collections.
Artist & collection
Artist
Tijpke Visser made photographs. One untitled image shows a close-up of weathered wood grain and rusted metal, the kind of quiet texture that’s easy to overlook. Their work isn’t tied to a named movement or era, so it…
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Rear View of a Skeleton
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Carved wood sculpture, Goddess, Javanese (?)
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Cambodian bronze sculpture of head of Bodhisattva, 11th century A.D., V&A Museum, London
Figure of a woman. Senufo, Ivory Coast, border of Sudan.
Buddha in Temple of Wat Leip, Bangkok
Magot de la Chine