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Upload Date

3-26-2025

Department

Classics

Label Text

This bronze statuette depicts the bust of a hooded figure. An inscription on the bottom reads “S.M. Grappa,” perhaps the artist of the piece. Deterioration over time has made the edges on the bottom uneven, along with a change in color to a darker looking bronze. The figure features a face with eyes, a nose, and a mouth under the headdress. The facial expression makes the emotions of the figure unclear and open to interpretation. The length of the hood and the darkened color of the bronze create a darker tone, especially when displayed on a dark background. One photograph features the lights fully on and a white background, and the other with the lights dimmed and a dark background. What emotions do each image provoke? What is the figure? Could it be a nun, saint, or Mary herself? Which photograph is more fitting? The answers to these questions lie in the mystery of perspective.

Camera Settings: Aperture

The dark background photo features camera settings with a 1/4 shutter speed, a F16 f-stop, and a 100 ISO. The white background photo was taken with a 1/5 shutter speed, a F18 f-stop, and a 125 ISO.

Camera Settings: Shutter Speed

The dark background photo features camera settings with a 1/4 shutter speed, a F16 f-stop, and a 100 ISO. The white background photo was taken with a 1/5 shutter speed, a F18 f-stop, and a 125 ISO.

Camera Settings: ISO

The dark background photo features camera settings with a 1/4 shutter speed, a F16 f-stop, and a 100 ISO. The white background photo was taken with a 1/5 shutter speed, a F18 f-stop, and a 125 ISO.

Lighting

The dark background photo features camera settings with one LED light placed in front of the object, all the others turned off, and the camera tilted slightly down. The white background photo was taken with all LED lights being used, and a straight facing camera.

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