{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O1092663"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1092663/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2010EH3066/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2010EH3066/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2010EH3066","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O1092663/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O1092663","accessionNumber":"67559","objectType":"Photograph","titles":[{"title":"South Kensington Museum - Educational Collections.  Gallery containing examples of materials for iInstruction in Art","type":"popular title"}],"summaryDescription":"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.  \r\n\r\nOriginally 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.\n\nIsabel Cowper was the sister of the South Kensington Museum's first official photographer, Charles Thurston Thompson (1816-1868) and of the  Superintendent of the Museum, Richard A. Thompson.  Little is known about Cowper, but in her letter of resignation in 1891, she refers to herself as the Museum's 'Official Photographer', having taken up the position after the death of her brother.  As such, she is an important part of the early history of V&amp;A and a seminal figure  behind the Museum’s early uptake of photography to document the arts.\r\n","physicalDescription":"A mounted albumen print of an exhibition space with display cases and framed prints covering the walls (some of the human muscular system and some female nudes).  There are globes in the foreground and a sign over a door in the background:  'EDUCATIONAL COLLECTIONS'.  On the mount is a descriptive label.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Cowper, Isabel Agnes","id":"A11378"},"association":{"text":"photographer","id":"x43821"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[{"name":{"text":"Department of Science and Art of the Committee of Council on Education","id":"AUTH320544"},"association":{"text":"commissioned by","id":"x28662"},"note":""}],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"photographic paper","id":"AAT14190"}],"techniques":[{"text":"albumen process","id":"AAT133274"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Albumen print","categories":[{"text":"Photographs","id":"THES48910"},{"text":"History of the V&A","id":"THES252692"},{"text":"Architecture","id":"THES48993"}],"styles":[{"text":"Victorian","id":"AAT21232"}],"collectionCode":{"text":"PDP","id":"THES48595"},"images":["2010EH3066"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"LVLE","id":"THES49657"},"free":"","case":"DR","shelf":"71","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"photograph","id":"AAT46300"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"South Kensington Museum","id":"x32782"},"association":{"text":"photographed","id":"x30151"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1868-1869","earliest":"1868-01-01","latest":"1869-12-31"},"association":{"text":"photographed","id":"x30151"},"note":"probably"}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"154","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"image","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"127","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"image","note":""},{"dimension":"Height","value":"331","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"card","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"238","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"card","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"South Kensington Museum - Educational Collection. / Gallery containing examples of materials for instruction in Art. No.9063","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"Label under image."},{"content":"London: Victoria and Albert Museum. / Educational Collections","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 bottom left."}],"objectHistory":"","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Photograph by Isabel Cowper, South Kensington Museum (the 'Brompton Boilers'), Educational Museum, albumen print, 1868-69","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Julius Bryant, ed. <u>Art and Design for All. The Victoria and Albert Museum</u> London: V&A Publishing, 2011. ISBN: 9781851776665."}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[{"text":"South Kensington Museum","id":"x32782"}],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"museums","id":"AAT5768"},{"text":"galleries (display spaces)","id":"AAT240057"},{"text":"globes","id":"AAT28089"},{"text":"exhibit cases","id":"AAT77356"}],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"Gallery 100 ‘A History of Photography’, 2014-2015, label text:\r\n\r\nIsabel Agnes Cowper (1826?–1911)\r\nThe South Kensington Museum’s Educational Collection\r\nAbout 1870\n\r\nThe 1857 Museum included an Educational Collection, photographed here by Cowper. Materials used for ‘instruction in art’ reflect the idea that art could be taught as a practical discipline through the observation of laws and principles. The Museum also held scientific collections and educational material used in the instruction of science. In 1899, the collections were divided into the ‘Art Museum’ (the V&A) and what is now the Science Museum. \n\r\nAlbumen prints\r\nMuseum nos. 67:559, 67:060\r\n","date":{"text":"06 03 2014","earliest":"2014-03-06","latest":"2014-03-06"}}],"partNumbers":["67559"],"accessionNumberNum":"67559","accessionNumberPrefix":"","accessionYear":null,"otherNumbers":[{"type":{"text":"Negative number (V&A Archive Guard Book reference)","id":"THES251758"},"number":"9063"}],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-05-14","recordCreationDate":"2009-07-01","availableToBook":false}}