'Santiago, Spain, Hospital, Pier of Altar in Chapel thumbnail 1
Image of Gallery in South Kensington
Request to view at the Prints & Drawings Study Room, room 512M , Case MX5, Shelf XM, Box 74

'Santiago, Spain, Hospital, Pier of Altar in Chapel

Photograph
1867 (photographed)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Charles Thurston Thompson was the V&A's first Official Museum Photographer, in charge of the Museum's photographic operations from 1856 until his death in 1868. In addition to photographing museum objects and objects on loan, he also photographed great works of art and architecture on dedicated photographic campaigns abroad. These photographs were made in 1867 during Thurston Thompson's photographic campaign in Spain and Portugal.

Photographs such as these were originally collected in the National Art Library and were used as reference material and inspiration for artists and scholars. They were also available for sale to the public through a dedicated sales stall on site at the Museum.

After Thurston Thompson's death, a selection of the photographs of the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostella in Spain was published in a bound volume by the Arundel Society, sanctioned by the Science and Art Department, (under the authority of which the V&A was originally established). Copies of these volumes were circulated among the national schools of art and design, and were also sold to the public. There are four copies of this volume in the V&A collection and National Art Library.

In addition to the four bound albums, the V&A also has a collection of loose plates, including many images not in the bound volumes. The various stamps and presentation formats demonstrate the multiple ways photographs circulated not only throughout the museum, but to the larger community of scholars, artists and connoisseurs.







Object details

Categories
Object type
Title'Santiago, Spain, Hospital, Pier of Altar in Chapel (popular title)
Materials and techniques
Albumen print
Brief description
Photograph by Charles Thurston Thompson, 'Santiago, Spain, Hospital, Pier of Altar in Chapel', albumen print, 1867
Physical description
A mounted sepia-coloured photograph showing a view of an elaborately carved pier of an altar with the base of sculptures visible at the top of the frame. There is a printed label on the bottom of the mount.
Dimensions
  • Mount height: 330mm
  • Mount width: 270mm
Marks and inscriptions
  • ''SANTIAGO, SPAIN. Hospital; pier of Altar in the Chapel.' (label on mount)
  • 'VICTORIA AND ALBERT MUSEUM / LIBRARY' (blind stamp, mount)
  • 'A.s-p. SANTIAGO: Hosptial.' (typed label, mount)
Subject depicted
Place depicted
Summary
Charles Thurston Thompson was the V&A's first Official Museum Photographer, in charge of the Museum's photographic operations from 1856 until his death in 1868. In addition to photographing museum objects and objects on loan, he also photographed great works of art and architecture on dedicated photographic campaigns abroad. These photographs were made in 1867 during Thurston Thompson's photographic campaign in Spain and Portugal.

Photographs such as these were originally collected in the National Art Library and were used as reference material and inspiration for artists and scholars. They were also available for sale to the public through a dedicated sales stall on site at the Museum.

After Thurston Thompson's death, a selection of the photographs of the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostella in Spain was published in a bound volume by the Arundel Society, sanctioned by the Science and Art Department, (under the authority of which the V&A was originally established). Copies of these volumes were circulated among the national schools of art and design, and were also sold to the public. There are four copies of this volume in the V&A collection and National Art Library.

In addition to the four bound albums, the V&A also has a collection of loose plates, including many images not in the bound volumes. The various stamps and presentation formats demonstrate the multiple ways photographs circulated not only throughout the museum, but to the larger community of scholars, artists and connoisseurs.





Bibliographic reference
Thompson, Charles Thurston. The Cathedral of Santiago de Compostella in Spain: Showing especially the sculpture of the Portico de la Gloria by Mestre Matteo. A series of twenty photographs recently taken by the late Mr. Thurston Thompson. Under the Sanction of the Science and Art Department, for the Use of Schools of Art and Amateurs. London: Arundel Society for Promoting the Knowledge of Art and Bell and Daldy, 1868.
Collection
Accession number
58333

About this object record

Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.

You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.

Suggest feedback

Record createdJuly 1, 2009
Record URL
Download as: JSONIIIF Manifest