Claude CahunCrystal Heads, British Museum, London, June-July 1936 1936

This is a black and white photograph looking into a vitrine display of a group of exotic artefacts. The title is derived from Cahun’s identifying notes on the wallet for the negative in the collection of the Jersey Heritage Trust, which read: ‘Londres – juin – juillet 1936 / Exposition Surréaliste / British Museum / Têtes de cristal - / magasins –‘, indicating that the photograph was taken in the British Museum, London in summer 1936. Three carved faces ranged in a line stare out of the double-sided vitrine towards the viewer. The central head appears to be a human skull with sculptural additions, including a pair of blankly-staring large black eyes. The faces on either sides are carved and painted masks, as are the objects behind them, which are lined up to look out of the other side of the vitrine. The crystal head that titles the image is on a raised metal stand above the mask on the left side of the photograph… (read more)