{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O1092917"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1092917/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2009CE2418/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2009CE2418/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2009CE2418","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O1092917/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O1092917","accessionNumber":"68703","objectType":"Photograph","titles":[{"title":"model of the proposed South Kensington Museum buildings, completed according to the plans of Henry Scott, front elevation","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&A and a seminal figure  behind the Museum’s early uptake of photography to document the arts.\r\n","physicalDescription":"A photograph of a model for a building mounted on card.","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","id":"AAT133274"},{"text":"photography","id":"AAT54225"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Albumen print","categories":[{"text":"Photographs","id":"THES48910"},{"text":"Architecture","id":"THES48993"},{"text":"History of the V&A","id":"THES252692"}],"styles":[{"text":"documentary","id":"x37881"}],"collectionCode":{"text":"PDP","id":"THES48595"},"images":["2009CE2418"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"LVLF","id":"THES49656"},"free":"","case":"X","shelf":"601","box":"A"}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"photograph","id":"AAT46300"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"England","id":"x28826"},"association":{"text":"photographed","id":"x30151"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1869","earliest":"1869-01-01","latest":"1869-12-31"},"association":{"text":"photographed","id":"x30151"},"note":""},{"date":{"text":"1870","earliest":"1870-01-01","latest":"1870-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"7.4","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"image","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"34.4","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"image","note":""},{"dimension":"Height","value":"34.4","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"mount","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"47.0","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"mount","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"'Architecture etc, England & Wales / IIaa / London:  South Kensington / Victoria & Albert Museum / DESIGN FOR COMPLETING THE SOUTH KENSINGTON MUSEUM, 1870 CROMWELL ROAD'","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"ink, printing, pencil, mount"},{"content":"library stamp","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"blindstamp, upper centre mount"}],"objectHistory":"","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Photograph by Isabel Cowper, model of the proposed South Kensington Museum buildings, completed according to the plans of Henry Scott, front elevation, albumen print, 1869","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[{"text":"South Kensington Museum","id":"x32782"}],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[{"text":"Henry Young Darracott Scott","id":"A34045"}],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"museums","id":"AAT5768"},{"text":"paper models","id":"THES253943"}],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["68703"],"accessionNumberNum":"68703","accessionNumberPrefix":"","accessionYear":null,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-05-14","recordCreationDate":"2009-07-01","availableToBook":false}}