Line Viala (Nude study), Paris
1934
Medium
gelatin silver photograph
Measurements
22.9 × 17.2 cm (image and sheet)
Credit Line
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
Gift of Krystyna Campbell-Pretty AM and Family through the Australian Government’s Cultural Gifts Program, 2023
© Florence Henri / Licensed by the Copyright Agency, Australia
Gallery location
Special Exhibitions Gallery
Ground Level, NGV International
About this work
In the 1930s Florence Henri made numerous photographs of female nudes. These works often feature modern women who appear bold, confident and at ease in their own skin and sexuality. In this photograph, Henri uses dramatic lighting to create deep shadows that contour and highlight the form of actress Line Viala’s body. Henri’s use of a blank canvas as a plain backdrop further accentuates the model as the sole focus of the image. Perhaps Henri’s choice of a blank canvas backdrop is also a subtle reference to the traditionally male-dominated realm of nude female painting.
Artwork Details
Place/s of Execution
Paris, France
Inscription
inscribed in pencil on support l.l.: Paris 1934
inscribed in pencil on support l.r.: Florence Henri.
Accession Number
2023.11
Department
International Photography