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Relief of head of Assyrian officer. Paris: Louvre

Unknown

1884

photographic

From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum

Impressionism Realism Late 19th Century

Dominant colour

Relief of head of Assyrian officer. Paris: Louvre is a 1884 photographic by Unknown, a Impressionism work, held at Victoria and Albert Museum.

Who painted this?: Unknown
When & what style?: 1884 · Impressionism
Where can I see it?: Victoria and Albert Museum

About this work

This photo shows a carved stone head of an Assyrian officer. It’s old but the details are sharp—you can see his curly beard and the folds in his cap. It’s part of a huge set of 611 photos once owned by painter John Singer Sargent. He collected them while traveling, mostly for reference. See this kind of carving in person at the Victoria and Albert Museum.

The story of this work

Overview

This sepia-toned photograph depicts an archaeological relief of an Assyrian officer’s head, mounted for display. It is one of 611 photographs once owned by the artist John Singer Sargent, later donated to the Victoria and Albert Museum by his sister Emily Sargent in 1925. The collection primarily consists of images of architecture, sculpture, and artworks from countries including Egypt, Lebanon, and the United States, reflecting Sargent’s travels and research interests. The photograph was classified within the museum’s Sculpture Department as part of an educational resource after its…

Read the full account in the museum source.