The Cross
photographic
From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
Dominant colour
photographic
From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
Dominant colour
The Cross is a photographic by Leonardo Bistolfi, held at Victoria and Albert Museum.
This is a carved relief showing a group of people in a rough, rocky setting. Some figures are dressed in flowing robes, while others are bare-chested or kneeling. One person lies on the ground, holding a small object, and a child reaches toward them. The scene looks urgent, with hands clasped and bodies turned inward. The rough texture of the stone and the way the figures overlap give it a raw, almost unfinished feel. The faces are simple but expressive, with some showing sorrow or concern. Next, check out the Victoria and Albert Museum to see more works like this in person.
The photograph is mounted on green card and was part of a collection bequeathed by William Kineton Parkes in 1938. Kineton Parkes, a novelist, art historian, and librarian known for his work on sculpture, received the image as part of a series of questionnaires he sent to sculptors in the 1920s. The photograph is one of many sent to him by the sculptors he contacted to complete the survey.
Read the full account in the museum source.
Leonardo Bistolfi captured quiet, symbolic moments in black-and-white photographs.
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