Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is a photographic photography by Carl Gelles. It is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum. The work is a black‑and‑white photograph mounted on a green backing card.
About this work
Overview
The work is a black‑and‑white photograph mounted on a green backing card. It depicts an unfinished stone sculpture composed of two intertwined figures, their limbs locked in a dynamic gesture. The image, with its aged border and marginal number, is part of a larger archival collection related to early twentieth‑century sculpture.
Subject & Meaning
The sculptural fragment shows two twisted bodies locked together, one arm raised while the other grasps a leg, suggesting a moment of tension or struggle. The faces are indiscernible, focusing attention on the raw physical interaction and the expressive potential of the unfinished stone.
Technique & Style
The stone appears roughly hewn, with visible cracks, uneven surfaces and a sketch‑like quality, indicating a rapid or exploratory carving process. The photograph captures the texture and chiaroscuro of the material, emphasizing the contrast between light and shadow that highlights the sculpture’s gestural lines.
History & Provenance
The image entered the collection through the 1938 bequest of William Kineton Parkes, a novelist, art historian and librarian noted for his research on sculpture. In the 1920s Parkes circulated questionnaires to sculptors; this photograph was submitted as a response and now resides in the Archive of Art and Design.
Artist & collection
Artist
This guy snapped photos like he was stealing glances, always quick, always sideways, never posing for the camera.
