Artwork
He calls her aloud from above
He calls her aloud from above is a print by Henriette Browne. It is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
Overview
Victoria Browne’s 2010 print He calls her aloud from above presents a fragmented portrait set against a stark white field edged with a thin black line. The composition juxtaposes a monochrome photograph of a head and shoulders with vivid pink and darker geometric forms, creating a sense of disjunction that draws the viewer’s eye across the layered surfaces.
Technique & Style
The work merges polymer gravure, a method that transfers ink from a polymer plate, with screen‑printing, allowing both fine tonal detail and bold, flat color fields. Browne incorporates a collage of pink cardstock and aerial landscape imagery, which is cut and overlaid onto the photographic base, producing a tactile, rough‑edged appearance that emphasizes the print’s mixed‑media nature.
Subject & Meaning
At its core the piece fragments a black‑and‑white portrait, breaking it into jagged shards that are intersected by bright shapes. While the title hints at a vocal or celestial connection, the visual language remains ambiguous, inviting viewers to contemplate the tension between the intimate human figure and the abstract, perhaps aerial, environments that surround it.
History & Provenance
Signed by the artist on the front, the print bears a numbered edition and title on its reverse side, confirming its status as a limited‑edition work. Produced in 2010, it reflects Browne’s ongoing exploration of combining traditional photographic imagery with contemporary print techniques.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
Sophie de Bouteiller (June 16, 1829 – 1901), known by her pseudonym Henriette Browne, was a French Orientalist painter.
