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South Kensington Museum, Gallery 40, View across Octagon or Loan Court during construction

Photograph
19th century-20th century (photographed)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Photographs and photographers were present from the very beginning of the V&A's history and the Museum has an extensive collection of images from the 1850s through to the present which documents the construction and development of the V&A and the South Kensington site.

Originally collected by the National Art Library as part of a programme to record works of art, architecture and design in the interest of public education, these topographic and architectural views were valued as records and as source material for students of architecture and design. As well as being crucial records of the history of the V&A, and an important element within the National Art Library's visual encyclopaedia, these photographs are also significant artefacts in the history of the art of photography.

Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleSouth Kensington Museum, Gallery 40, View across Octagon or Loan Court during construction (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Albumen print
Brief description
Photograph by Bolas & Co., South Kensington Museum, Gallery 40, View across Octagon or Loan Court during construction, albumen print, late 19th century, early 20th century
Physical description
A sepia-coloured photograph of a domed and skylit interior space with arched alcoves and littered with construction debris. Pendant lamps [gas?] hang from the ceiling.
Dimensions
  • Image height: 23.5cm
  • Image width: 28.6cm
Subjects depicted
Place depicted
Summary
Photographs and photographers were present from the very beginning of the V&A's history and the Museum has an extensive collection of images from the 1850s through to the present which documents the construction and development of the V&A and the South Kensington site.

Originally collected by the National Art Library as part of a programme to record works of art, architecture and design in the interest of public education, these topographic and architectural views were valued as records and as source material for students of architecture and design. As well as being crucial records of the history of the V&A, and an important element within the National Art Library's visual encyclopaedia, these photographs are also significant artefacts in the history of the art of photography.
Collection
Accession number
E.1140-1989

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Record createdDecember 9, 2008
Record URL
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