Artwork

Untitled

Untitled, by Ladislav Jan Kofranek, photographic
Untitled, by Ladislav Jan Kofranek, photographic

Untitled is a photographic photography by Ladislav Jan Kofranek. It is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.

About this work

Overview

This untitled black-and-white photograph, mounted on a green card, captures a carved relief featuring four figures in a tight group. The central composition includes a seated woman with a baby, surrounded by two standing men and a kneeling, cow-headed figure.

Subject & Meaning

The relief depicts a woman, likely a representation of the Virgin Mary, holding a baby, with a prominent halo framing her head. Two standing men behind her hold a scroll and a tool, respectively. The inclusion of a cow-headed kneeling figure is unusual and may symbolize a mythical or symbolic role, though its exact meaning remains unclear without additional context.

Technique & Style

The photograph itself is in black-and-white, mounted on a green card, though details about the photographic technique or the style of the carved relief (e.g., period, region) are not specified in the provided information.

History & Provenance

The photograph was received by William Kineton Parkes, a novelist and art historian, in the 1920s as part of a questionnaire sent to sculptors. Parkes bequeathed it to a collection in 1938.

Context

For similar works, reference is made to the Victoria and Albert Museum, implying the relief (and by extension, the photograph of it) might be contextualized within a broader collection of sculptural arts, possibly of a religious or medieval nature.

Untitled
Untitled, Vitaliano Marchini

Artist & collection

Artist

Ladislav Jan Kofranek

Ladislav Jan Kofranek’s photos feel like a quiet detective’s notebook, he shot Prague’s alleys and doorways so precisely they look staged but aren’t.

Frequently asked questions

Who painted Untitled?

Untitled was painted by Ladislav Jan Kofranek.

Where can I see Untitled?

Untitled is held by Victoria and Albert Museum.