Partially Draped Nude thumbnail 1
Image of Gallery in South Kensington
Request to view at the Prints & Drawings Study Room, level F , Case X, Shelf 40, Box B

Partially Draped Nude

Photograph
1850s (photographed)
Artist/Maker
Roger Fenton (photographer)
Place of origin
London (photographed)

A mounted sepia-coloured photograph of a seated woman draped in fabric with her right breast exposed. Her gaze is downward and an Oriental carpet is visible in the foreground. The photograph is mounted onto a grey mount which has been inserted into a modern mount.


Object details

Category
Photographs
Object type
Photograph
TitlePartially Draped Nude (generic title)
Materials and techniques
salted paper print from wet collodion glass negative
Brief description
Photograph by Roger Fenton, 'Partially Draped Nude', salted paper print from wet collodion glass negative, 1850s
Physical description
A mounted sepia-coloured photograph of a seated woman draped in fabric with her right breast exposed. Her gaze is downward and an Oriental carpet is visible in the foreground. The photograph is mounted onto a grey mount which has been inserted into a modern mount.
Dimensions
  • Mount width: 471mm
  • Mount height: 571mm
Gallery label
  • Roger Fenton (1819–69) Gallery 100, 2016-17: Roger Fenton Semi-Draped Nude 1855–60 Pioneering British photographer Roger Fenton first experimented with the camera in 1851. His studio carpet is visible in the foreground of this photograph. The sitter was likely a professional artists’ model. The rich texture of the fabric draped over her body is enhanced by the matte qualities of the salted paper process, one of the earliest forms of photographic printing. Salted paper print Purchased with the assistance of Paul F. Walter Museum no. Ph.486-1979
  • Unknown exhibition label. Probably pre-1995: This portrait is attributed to Fenton because his studio carpet is visible in the foreground. It originated in an album of photographs by, attributed to and associated with Fenton which has been sold off at Christie's - South Kensington over the period 1977-86. Possibly Fenton chose to use the properties of matte, soft salted paper as a means of rendering the dress fabrics to their best advantage.
  • Partially Draped Nude, 1850s Roger Fenton, British, 1819-69 Salter paper print from wet collodion glass negative Ph 486-1979 Purchased with the kind assistance of Paul F. Walter, New York "The quality of early photographs, their tonal and textural range suggests that sensuality is one of the enduring qualities of photography. Coupled with a graceful yet profoundly human subject, Fenton's groundbreaking use of photography lay not only in his impressive technical ability but his capacity to orchestrate a scene without overpowering the sense of the model." Charlotte Cotton, V&A, 2000(2000)
Credit line
Purchased with the kind assistance of Paul F. Walter, New York, 1979
Object history
This object was originally purchased at auction by Paul F. Walter, a private collector of photography from Christie's, London in around 1979. It was part of an album of photographs which was sold off at Christie's, South Kensington over the period 1977-86.
Subjects depicted
Nudes
Oriental Rugs
Associated object
PH.105-1984 (Group)
Bibliographic reference
Taken from Photography Department index card catalogue
Collection
Prints, Drawings & Paintings Collection
Accession number
PH.486-1979

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Record createdJune 30, 2009
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1051695/partially-draped-nude-photograph-roger-fenton/
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