Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is a photographic photography by Edwin Whitney-Smith. It is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum. This black‑and‑white photograph, presented on a green mounting card, depicts a modest marble bust.
About this work
Overview
This black‑and‑white photograph, presented on a green mounting card, depicts a modest marble bust. The figure wears a simple headscarf, its expression tranquil, while the marble surface shows signs of aging, particularly on the chin and neck. The image forms part of a larger assemblage donated by William Kineton Parkes in 1938.
Subject & Meaning
The bust portrays a human head and shoulders rendered in marble, emphasizing a calm demeanor and modest attire. The smooth treatment of the neck and shoulders contrasts with the roughened base, suggesting a focus on the serene facial features rather than elaborate detailing.
Technique & Style
Captured in monochrome, the photograph records the texture of the marble, highlighting both the polished areas and the weathered zones where the stone has worn. The composition centers the bust, allowing the interplay of light and shadow to convey the material’s tactile qualities.
History & Provenance
The image was among numerous photographic submissions collected by William Kineton Parkes, an early‑20th‑century novelist, art historian, and librarian who conducted a questionnaire‑based survey of sculptors in the 1920s. These materials now reside in the Archive of Art and Design, and the photograph entered the museum’s holdings through Parkes’s 1938 bequest.
Context
Parkes’s survey aimed to document contemporary sculptural practice, gathering visual and written responses from artists of the period. This photograph therefore serves as a documentary record of a specific work within the broader landscape of British sculpture during the interwar years.
Artist & collection
Artist
Edwin Whitney-Smith spent his life chasing the light—literally. He lugged his heavy camera gear into the English countryside at dawn, waiting hours for the right moment when mist would rise off the fields or shadows…
