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, 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. It made these photographs available to the public through direct sales and publications which were used by schools and amateurs alike.

This copy of the photograph is bound in a 1869 Arundel Society album featuring reproductions of decorative plate chiefly from Portugal, Germany and Italy.

It is not known if this photograph was taken by Thurston Thompson, but it is likely, as the photographs of the Portuguese objects in the album have been definitely attributed to him. The lack of contextuality of these photographs suggest Thurston Thompson’s belief in his role as a documentary photographer. His point of departure was generally the object he photographed, as opposed to his own photograph.