The artwork titled “Untitled Film Still #13,” created by Cindy Sherman in 1977, belongs to the Feminist Art movement and is a part of the “Untitled Film Stills” series. This photograph captures a moment reminiscent of cinematic storytelling, characteristic of the genre.
In the artwork, a woman, defined by striking, deliberate styling reminiscent of mid-20th-century film imagery, reaches for a book on a high library shelf. The black-and-white composition, combined with the subject’s stylized attire and pose, evokes the aesthetic and thematic qualities of classic cinema. The artist’s use of shadow and light enhances the dramatic effect, embodying the broader themes of identity and gender roles that are central to Sherman’s oeuvre. This particular still, like the rest of the series, challenges the viewer to interrogate constructed narratives and the portrayal of women in visual culture.
