Untitled (Piano, Water, and Sea), Lionel Wendt | Mia

hazy image of a piano with abstract ripples of water running vertically down the left side — Untitled (Piano, Water, and Sea), c. 1935
Lionel Wendt
Gelatin silver print
The Martin and Brown Endowment Fund 2018.28.2
Not on View
This work by the Sri Lankan photographer Lionel Wendt, who was originally trained in music and law in the United Kingdom in the 1920’s, displays his interest in and experimentation with portraiture, theater, and photography. Untitled (Male Torso with Statue) is a toned and dark gelatin silver print in which a well-lit white marble sculpture of the ancient Greek god Apollo is juxtaposed with a Sri Lankan man’s torso, posed in a similarly theatrical manner. The work speaks to the artist’s interest in classical art and homoeroticism as well as his familiarity with soft-focused pictorial photography and experimental works that draw influences from Surrealism, an art movement in which the subconscious mind and dream analysis have essential roles.

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Details

Title: Untitled (Piano, Water, and Sea)
Dated: c. 1935
Artist: Lionel Wendt
Nationality: Sri Lankan
Artist Life: 1900 - 1944
Role: Photographer
Gallery: Not on View
Department: Asian Art
Dimension: 11 5/16 × 14 7/8 in. (28.73 × 37.78 cm) (image, sheet)
Credit: The Martin and Brown Endowment Fund
Accession Number: 2018.28.2
Medium: Gelatin silver print
Country: Sri Lanka
Century: 20th century
Rights: No Copyright - United States
Classification: Photographs
Object Name: Photograph
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Curator Approved: This record has been reviewed by our curatorial staff but may be incomplete. These records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@artsmia.org.

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