Image of Gallery in South Kensington
Request to view at the Prints & Drawings Study Room, room 512M , Case MX13B, Shelf X, Box 362A

Photograph

1866 (photographed)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Sir Henry Cole, the first director of South Kensington Museum (now the V&A) understood the importance of photography as an extension of the resources of the Museum. He saw a role for photography in terms of documenting and promoting the Museum’s collection, as well as a tool for art education. In 1856, When Cole appointed his brother-in-law, Charles Thurston Thompson, as Museum Photographer, the first museum photographic service was born.

Under Cole’s direction, the Museum sourced photographs from a wide range of suppliers and sponsored photographic campaigns abroad. In 1866, Thurston Thompson traveled to Iberia armed with a registry of desirable items for photographing. Included among the list were objects from the collections of the Royal Palaces in Lisbon. The lack of contextuality of these photographs points to Thurston Thompson’s belief in his role as a documentary photographer.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Albumen print
Brief description
Photograph by Charles Thurston Thompson, Salver, Palace of Necessidades, Lisbon, albumen print, 1866
Physical description
A mounted sepia-coloured photograph of a highly ornate metal circular tray with medallion in centre, bound in album with 80 other photographs, each with printed label.
Dimensions
  • Album cover height: 55cm
  • Album cover width: 47cm
Subject depicted
Association
Summary
Sir Henry Cole, the first director of South Kensington Museum (now the V&A) understood the importance of photography as an extension of the resources of the Museum. He saw a role for photography in terms of documenting and promoting the Museum’s collection, as well as a tool for art education. In 1856, When Cole appointed his brother-in-law, Charles Thurston Thompson, as Museum Photographer, the first museum photographic service was born.

Under Cole’s direction, the Museum sourced photographs from a wide range of suppliers and sponsored photographic campaigns abroad. In 1866, Thurston Thompson traveled to Iberia armed with a registry of desirable items for photographing. Included among the list were objects from the collections of the Royal Palaces in Lisbon. The lack of contextuality of these photographs points to Thurston Thompson’s belief in his role as a documentary photographer.
Collection
Accession number
58558

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