{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O1781388"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1781388/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2025PC0228/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2025PC0228/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2025PC0228","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2025PC0227","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O1781388/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O1781388","accessionNumber":"PH.1013-2024","objectType":"photograph","titles":[{"title":"Untitled ","type":"assigned by artist"},{"title":"women holding ball with skull emblem","type":"alternative title"}],"summaryDescription":"This photomontage is attributed to the Hungarian artist Elemérné Marsovszky, also known as Ada Ackermann or her alias Photo Ada. Little is known of her life, but it is believed that she owned and worked as a studio photographer in Budapest until her disappearance in 1944, coinciding with the arrival of the Nazi party arrived. Her provocative, inciteful collages draw on the symbolism and propaganda of the new century, from rapid urbanisation, technological advancements and the cult of physical health, to anxieties associated with the rise of Fascism in Europe. \n\nIn this photocollage, Marsovszky places a group of beautiful slim women in gym wear against an abstracted, dizzying backdrop of the Eiffel tower, evoking a bomb exploding. The women are exercising a large ball, to which Marsovszky has added a terrifying emblem of a skull.  The result is that the women look like they are gleefully reaching towards their death.\n\nMarsovszky’s technique and compositions are akin to other Eastern and Central European artists of her generation, such as the Constructivists El Lissitzky, Alexandr Rodchenko, and Varvara Stepanova. Her narrative and socio-political interests compare to the satirical and nonsensical work of Dada and Surrealist artists such as Hannah Hoch, Raoul Hausmann and Eileen Agar; artists operating around the same time with works similarly conceived as critical social commentary.  Marsovszky presents skilled and formal compositions, referencing a strong eye for detail, geometry and graphic design. Her works are reminiscent of political posters of the era, with deep associations between mass production, industrialisation and consumption.","physicalDescription":"Photo-montage of a group of women in gym wear against an abstracted backdrop of the Eiffel tower. The women are exercising a large ball, to which the artist has added an emblem of a skull.  ","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Marsovszky, Elemérné","id":"AUTH404410"},"association":{"text":"artist","id":"AAT25103"},"note":"This collage is attributed to Elemérné Marsovszky, a Hungarian artist who produced surreal collages, photograms and photomontages in the 1930s. Elemérné Marsovszky, also known as Ada Ackermann or her alias Photo Ada, was a Hungarian artist who produced surreal collages, photograms and photo montages in the 1930s. Little is known of her life, but it is believed that she owned and worked as a studio photographer in Budapest until her disappearance in 1944, coinciding with the arrival of the Nazi party in spring that year.  Research into her life is ongoing.  "}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"paper","id":"x30308"}],"techniques":[{"text":"collage","id":"AAT138699"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Unique vintage collage ","categories":[{"text":"Woman Artist","id":"THES387590"},{"text":"Woman photographer","id":"THES380381"},{"text":"Collages","id":"THES49040"}],"styles":[{"text":"modernist","id":"AAT21474"},{"text":"photo montage","id":"x36157"},{"text":"photography","id":"AAT178594"}],"collectionCode":{"text":"DOP","id":"THES291628"},"images":["2025PC0228","2025PC0227"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"LVLF","id":"THES49656"},"free":"","case":"X","shelf":"969","box":"D"}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"photograph","id":"AAT46300"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Hungary","id":"x28910"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1930s","earliest":"1930-01-01","latest":"1939-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Purchase funded by the Photographs Acquisition Group","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"22.23","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"13.97","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"23/07/2024","earliest":"2024-07-23","latest":"2024-07-23"},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Photographic collage by Elemérné Marsovszky, 1930s","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"Unique","id":"THES48864"},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[{"text":"Paris","id":"x29068"}],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"These collages are attributed to Elemérné Marsovszky, a Hungarian artist who produced surreal collages, photograms and photomontages in the 1930s. Little is known of her life, but it is believed that she worked with the architect Virgil Bierbauer and owned a photography studio in Budapest until her disappearance during the 1944 Nazi invasion. Her provocative, inciteful collages reference the symbolism of Constructivist ‘agitprop’ art, with strong graphic compositions and depictions of urbanization and industrialization. Marsovszky’s source material indicates a denunciation of rising fascism in Europe, including a portrait of the Swiss clown Grock, known to be a Nazi sympathizer, and a group of women reaching towards the emblem of a skull. This critical commentary leads us to believe that Marsovszky probably kept these works hidden from public view during her lifetime. ","date":{"text":"26/11/2025","earliest":"2025-11-26","latest":"2025-11-26"}}],"partNumbers":["PH.1013-2024"],"accessionNumberNum":"1013","accessionNumberPrefix":"PH","accessionYear":2024,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-03-25","recordCreationDate":"2024-05-30","availableToBook":false}}