{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O1255932"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1255932/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2018LG8336/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2018LG8336/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"low","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2018LG8336","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":null},"record":{"systemNumber":"O1255932","accessionNumber":"AR.14:6-1983","objectType":"Photograph","titles":[{"title":"Portrait of Major William Christopher James","type":"generic title"},{"title":"Willie James","type":"assigned by artist"}],"summaryDescription":"Rupert Potter (1832-1914), father of the children's author and illustrator Beatrix Potter, was himself an art practitioner and collector. In the 1860s he became fascinated with the new art of photography and was elected a member of the Photographic Society of London and contributed to its annual exhibitions.  A close friend of the painter and illustrator, Sir John Everett Millais (1829-1896), Rupert would often assist Millais by photographing backgrounds for paintings and sitters for portraits. Beatrix Potter recounted one particularly memorable sitting in July 1884 when her father photographed the former prime minister, William Ewart Gladstone (1809-1898), for Millais' second portrait of him, completed in 1885: ' Papa has been photographing old Gladstone this morning at Mr. Millais'… They kept off politics of course, and talked about photography. Mr. Gladstone talked of it on a large scale, but not technically. What would it come to, how far would the art be carried, did papa think people would ever be able to photograph in colours?' (Journal, Monday 28th July 1884).. \n\nThe Millais family lived mostly in London but spent long summer holidays at Annet Lodge near Bowerswell, Perthshire. Here, Millais executed many of his best-known paintings and enjoyed the company of likeminded friends, including the Potters who also spent extended summers in Perthshire, first at Dalguise, then later at Eastwood, a large house on the bank of the Tay in Dunkeld. Rupert photographed several pleasant summer afternoons in the company of the Millais family.  Major William Christopher James married Effie Millias, eldest daughter of Sir John Everett Millais and his wife Lady Euphemia Chalmers Gray (1828-1897).  Effie and William's son, Willie James, was the model for Millais’ famous painting, Bubbles (1886).\n\r\n","physicalDescription":"Sepia photograph of a man standing against a doorway, the interior with a staircase and window partially visible. The man has a moustache and stands with his hands in his pockets.  He wears a tweed jacket, tie, long wool socks and tweed plus-fours.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Rupert Potter","id":"A19569"},"association":{"text":"photographer","id":"x43821"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"photographic paper","id":"AAT14190"}],"techniques":[{"text":"albumen process","id":"AAT133274"},{"text":"photography","id":"AAT54225"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Albumen print on paper","categories":[{"text":"Photographs","id":"THES48910"},{"text":"Portraits","id":"THES48906"},{"text":"Scotland","id":"THES262877"},{"text":"Tourism & Travel","id":"THES250702"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"PDP","id":"THES48595"},"images":["2018LG8336"],"imageResolution":"low","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"002","id":"THES317922"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"photograph","id":"AAT46300"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Dalguise House","id":"x43404"},"association":{"text":"photographed","id":"x30151"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1880","earliest":"1880-01-01","latest":"1880-12-31"},"association":{"text":"photographed","id":"x30151"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Given by Joan Duke","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"164","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"104","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"'Willie James / Dalguise / 1880'","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"Pencil inscription by Rupert Potter on verso"},{"content":"'PHOTOGRAPHED BY / RUPERT POTTER.'","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 stamp on verso"}],"objectHistory":"Photographed by Rupert Potter at Dalguise House in 1880. Given to the Museum by Joan Duke in 1983.","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Portrait of Major William Christopher James at Dalguise House in Perthshire; albumen print by Rupert Potter, 1880.","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"Unique","id":"THES48864"},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[{"text":"Dalguise House","id":"x43404"}],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[{"text":"Major William Christopher James","id":"AUTH321043"}],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["AR.14:6-1983"],"accessionNumberNum":"14","accessionNumberPrefix":"AR","accessionYear":1983,"otherNumbers":[{"type":{"text":"V&A Archive number","id":"THES54576"},"number":"AAD/1983/14/6"}],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-03-10","recordCreationDate":"2012-10-08","availableToBook":true}}