Museum Cleaning Victoria & Albert Museum,
Photograph
1931 (made)
1931 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Emil Otto Hoppé was one of the most active art and documentary photographers of his time. Born in Munich, Hoppé moved to London in his early 20s where he began to exhibit as an amateur photographer. He opened his first photography studio in 1907, expanding to a larger studio by 1911. Hoppé became a renowned portrait photographer. His sitters included many luminary personalities from the arts, literature, and politics such as George Bernard Shaw, Thomas Hardy, T.S. Eliot, Vaslav Nijinsky, Queen Mary, King George, and other members of the Royal Family. Hoppé was also known as a talented landscape and travel photographer. He journeyed across Britain and Ireland to study people from all walks of life, but also as far as Cuba, Sri Lanka and New Zealand to expand his body of work. This collecton of 80 photographs depict London in the 1920s and 30s, including famous landmarks such as Big Ben, St Pauls Cathedral and boats on the river Thames. There are also snapshots of day to day life in the city, often captured by Hoppé with a mix of poignancy and humour. A large portion of the pictures depict the V&A, such as cleaners in the galleries, a blind winder, the 1930s equivalent of ‘Opinions’ afternoons, and lectures. There are also images of the Natural History Museum and the Royal College of Art.
Object details
| Category | |
| Object type | |
| Title | Museum Cleaning Victoria & Albert Museum, (generic title) |
| Materials and techniques | Gelatin silver print |
| Brief description | Photograph by Emil Otto Hoppé of Museum Cleaning Victoria & Albert Museum, London, 1931 |
| Physical description | Photograph depicts two cleaners cleaning a Gallery of the Victoria and Albert Museum. In the foreground of the photograph is the museum floor. Central to the photograph is a plinth with a glass encased museum object. A cleaner stands either side of the plinth. The cleaner on the right side of the photograph is sweeping the floor with a broom, side profile, wearing a suit and cap. Behind him on the right side of the photograph is a chair and museum objects on the wall in the background. The second cleaner is on the left side of the image, sweeping floor, back to camera, white shirt, vest and cap. In the background is a museum object, two large glass cabinets on the gallery wall. On the reverse of the image is written 'Victoria and Albert Museum' and the numbers 19669-35. |
| Dimensions |
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| Gallery label | Photography Centre 2018-20:
Emil Otto Hoppé (1878–1972)
Staff and Visitors at the Victoria and Albert Museum
1931
These photographs show museum life in full swing at the V&A almost a century ago. The images include: a cleaner dusting a 16th-century marble statue of the Greek hero Jason, a troop of men in uniform cleaning the floors, women in fur coats bringing ceramics to a curator for assessment, and avid listeners filling a lecture room.
Gelatin silver print
Given by the American Friends of the V&A through the generosity of Graham Howe
Museum nos. LOAN:AMERICANFRIENDS.720:43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 49, 50, 51, 52, 54, 56, 57, 59-2017 |
| Credit line | Gift of the American Friends of the V&A |
| Place depicted | |
| Summary | Emil Otto Hoppé was one of the most active art and documentary photographers of his time. Born in Munich, Hoppé moved to London in his early 20s where he began to exhibit as an amateur photographer. He opened his first photography studio in 1907, expanding to a larger studio by 1911. Hoppé became a renowned portrait photographer. His sitters included many luminary personalities from the arts, literature, and politics such as George Bernard Shaw, Thomas Hardy, T.S. Eliot, Vaslav Nijinsky, Queen Mary, King George, and other members of the Royal Family. Hoppé was also known as a talented landscape and travel photographer. He journeyed across Britain and Ireland to study people from all walks of life, but also as far as Cuba, Sri Lanka and New Zealand to expand his body of work. This collecton of 80 photographs depict London in the 1920s and 30s, including famous landmarks such as Big Ben, St Pauls Cathedral and boats on the river Thames. There are also snapshots of day to day life in the city, often captured by Hoppé with a mix of poignancy and humour. A large portion of the pictures depict the V&A, such as cleaners in the galleries, a blind winder, the 1930s equivalent of ‘Opinions’ afternoons, and lectures. There are also images of the Natural History Museum and the Royal College of Art. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | PH.265-2021 |
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| Record created | March 14, 2018 |
| Record URL |
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