{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O1107283"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1107283/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2008BV6890/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2008BV6890/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"low","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2008BV6890","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":null},"record":{"systemNumber":"O1107283","accessionNumber":"SP.139","objectType":"Engraving","titles":[{"title":"Gufas (Quffas) on the Tigris at Baghdad","type":"assigned by artist"}],"summaryDescription":"Durint the First World War, William Charles Cain (1893-1962) was sent to India and Mesopotamia (the area bordering the Tigris and Euphrates rivers) as a War Artist. Afterwards he established his reputation in London and Paris with etchings and paintings based on material drawn from these countries. Sixteen etchings of Mesopotamia held in the Victoria and Albert's Searight Collection show his interest in several different aspects of the country, including life in the villages on the banks of the Tigris/Euphrates river, the various water craft, the houses, mosques and shaykh's tombs and the women performing their daily tasks. In this example shown here he makes subtle use of the drypoint technique to achieve striking effects, notably the reflections on the river's surface, and the dramatic contrast of dazzling light and dense shadow on the buildings. In the foreground are two quffas, which are traditional, circular boats in use on the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, made of wicker and coated with bitumen to provide a waterproof skin.","physicalDescription":"Drypoint engraving depicting a view in Mesopotamia ","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Charles William Cain","id":"AUTH322846"},"association":{"text":"artist","id":"AAT25103"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"paper","id":"AAT14109"}],"techniques":[{"text":"engraving","id":"AAT53225"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Drypoint engraving ","categories":[{"text":"Prints","id":"THES48903"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"PDP","id":"THES48595"},"images":["2008BV6890"],"imageResolution":"low","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"LVLD","id":"THES49658"},"free":"","case":"SC","shelf":"48","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Engravings","id":"AAT41340"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Mesopotamia","id":"x44779"},"association":{"text":"drawn","id":"x30545"},"note":"probably"},{"place":{"text":"Britain","id":"x32019"},"association":{"text":"printed","id":"AAT53319"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"ca. 1920s","earliest":"1915-01-01","latest":"1933-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Purchased with the assistance of the National Heritage Memorial Fund, Art Fund, Shell International and the Friends of the V&A","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"30","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"42.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"Dimensions taken from departmental notes","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Drypoint engraving by Charles William Cain depicting a view in Mesopotamia, entitled 'Gufas (Quffas) on the Tigris at Baghdad'.  British School, ca. 1920s.","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[{"text":"Mesopotamia","id":"x44779"},{"text":"Middle East","id":"x44417"}],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["SP.139"],"accessionNumberNum":"139","accessionNumberPrefix":"SP","accessionYear":null,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-05-02","recordCreationDate":"2009-07-01","availableToBook":false}}