English silver-gilt Ewer belonging to the Duke of Rutland
Photograph
ca. 1869 (photographed), 1869 (published)
ca. 1869 (photographed), 1869 (published)
| 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, 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.
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.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | English silver-gilt Ewer belonging to the Duke of Rutland (generic title) |
| Materials and techniques | Albumen print from wet collodion glass negative |
| Brief description | Photograph, possibly by Charles Thurston Thompson, English silver-gilt Ewer belonging to the Duke of Rutland, albumen print, ca. 1869 |
| Physical description | A sepia-coloured mounted photograph bound with 19 other photographs in album with introductory text and table of contents. This photographs depicts a metal vessal with ornate handle with the form of a snail . |
| Dimensions |
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| Object history | This is one of 20 photographs bound in an album published by the Arundel Society. Founded in 1848, the aim of the socieity was to promote a greater knowledge of art through the publication of literary works and reproductions. Following from Henry Cole's determination to make the South Kensington Museum's collection of reproductions as comprehensive as possible, the Museum in 1866 entered into an arrangment with the Arundel Society to publish and sell reproductions, including fictile ivories and photographs of objects exhibited at the Museum. In addition, the arrangment included the publication and sale of a series of books entitled 'Examples of Art Workmanship of Various Ages and Countries'. These books, which appeared between 1866 and 1875, consisted of a short introduction and photographic illustrations. This photograph is from the publication dedicated to 'Decorative Plate, chiefly Portuguese, German and Italian', published in 1869. |
| 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, 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. |
| Bibliographic reference | 'Examples of Art Workmanship of Various Ages and Countries: Decorative Plate. Chiefly Portugeuse, German and Italian'. London: The Arundel Socieity for Promoting the Knowldge of Art, 1869. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | 67452 |
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| Record created | June 30, 2009 |
| Record URL |
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