{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O1042759"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1042759/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2020MN3678/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2020MN3678/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2020MN3678","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O1042759/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O1042759","accessionNumber":"209-1957","objectType":"Photograph","titles":[{"title":"Crystal Palace: the Byzantine Court","type":"generic title"}],"summaryDescription":"","physicalDescription":"Stereograph from the International Exhibition of 1862 depicting Crystal Palace: the Byzantine Court and the black marble fountain.  Lettered on the back with group title, individual title and the number 3 and an inscription about the view. ","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"William England","id":"AUTH320231"},"association":{"text":"photographer","id":"x43821"},"note":"possibly.  An exhibition set of views was produced by the London Stereoscopic and Photographic Company in 1862, taken by their chief photographer, William England. "}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[{"name":{"text":"London Stereoscopic and Photographic Company","id":"A5970"},"association":{"text":"maker","id":"x40240"},"note":""}],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"card","id":"x30344"}],"techniques":[{"text":"photography","id":"AAT54225"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Stereoscopic photograph","categories":[{"text":"Photographs","id":"THES48910"},{"text":"Great Exhibition","id":"THES48945"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"PDP","id":"THES48595"},"images":["2020MN3678"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"LVLF","id":"THES49656"},"free":"","case":"X","shelf":"546","box":"G"}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"photograph","id":"AAT46300"}],[{"text":"stereograph","id":"AAT127197"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"London","id":"x28980"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1862","earliest":"1862-01-01","latest":"1862-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":"probably"}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"7.9","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"Size of each image","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"7.6","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"Dimensions taken from departmental notes","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"In the centre is the black marble fountain, from Heisterbach on the Rhine, and around it are some of the Royal Effigies from Fontevrault Abbey","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"Inscribed on the back"}],"objectHistory":"The Byzantine Court at the Great Exhibition\r\n\r\nFor eleven hundred years, Byzantine architecture flourished, but so much of it was destroyed by the stern fanaticism of the early Christians, that scarcely a perfect building remains to attest its beauty. Isolated parts remain incongruously combined with ruder structures, and from such isolated portions enough has been preserved to construct one of the most beautiful Courts of the Crystal Palace. Its splendid mosaic, its endless variety of ingenious interlacing ornaments, its solidity, and at the same time the elegance of its structure, afford ample scope for comparison with the architecture by which it was superseded. The black marble fountain is an exact counterpart of one at Heisterbach on the Rhine, and the recumbent figures are from Fontevrault Abbey, consisting of the celebrated effigies of Henry II. And his queen Eleonora, and of Isabella wife of King John. \n\n(Text by London Stereoscopic and Photographic Company).\n\n","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Stereograph from the International Exhibition of 1862 depicting Crystal Palace: the Byzantine Court and the black marble fountain, by the London Stereoscopic and Photographic Company.  Great Britain, 1862.","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"The Great Exhibition, the brainchild of Prince Albert, the Consort to Queen Victoria, was conceived during the  the 1840s and opened in Hyde Park on 1 May 1851. After a quiet beginning it proved to be a vast success in the six months that it ran and was, up to that time, the greatest peacetime movement of persons ever witnessed. Over six million people visited between May and October. On the last day, 11 October 1851, no fewer than 53,000 people visited the Exhibition. \r\nIt was housed in the beautiful Crystal Palace, an inspired design by Joseph Paxton, based on his building of the great glasshouses at Chatsworth. \r\nAfter the Exhibition, there was great debate about what to do with the Crystal Palace. It could not stay in Hyde Park and was eventually, in 1854, rebuilt at Sydenham in south London. There the Exhibition was re-created anew. \r\nWild claims have been made regarding stereoviews of the Crystal Palace. Many are claimed to be of the Exhibition in Hyde Park when in fact, apparently none are known to exist. \nViews do exist, however, of the Crystal Palace as reconstructed at Sydenham. An especially fine series was produced by T.R. Williams. De la Motte also produced fine views. Exterior views usually illustrate the two distinctive towers (for water storage), which didn't even exist at the Hyde Park site. An entirely separate exhibition set was produced by the London Stereoscopic and Photographic Company for the 1862 exhibition; these were taken by their chief photographer, William England. This exhibition was held in a purpose-built building at South Kensington, known as the 'Brompton Boilers' because of its two large domes, and promptly demolished afterwards."}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[{"text":"Crystal Palace","id":"x32313"}],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[{"text":"1862","id":"V912"}],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"stereoscope","id":"AAT162919"},{"text":"stereoscopic","id":"AAT162872"},{"text":"stereograms","id":"AAT127197"},{"text":"fountains","id":"AAT6179"},{"text":"marble","id":"AAT11484"},{"text":"Byzantine","id":"AAT21446"}],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["209-1957"],"accessionNumberNum":"209","accessionNumberPrefix":"","accessionYear":1957,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-15","recordCreationDate":"2009-06-30","availableToBook":false}}