{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O128147"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O128147/"}},"images":null,"see_also":null},"record":{"systemNumber":"O128147","accessionNumber":"IS.92-2006","objectType":"Photograph","titles":[{"title":"A group of widows in a temple at Ayodhya","type":"generic title"}],"summaryDescription":"This image shows a group of widows seated on the floor in a temple at Ayodhya. They are singing devotional songs and some of the women are playing small hand-cymbals. Popular calendar prints hang from the two pillars in the centre of the temple.\r\n\r\nThe American photojournalist Frank Monaco (1917-2007) did not take up photography until the early 1950s. He visited India many times between 1965 and 2004 and took  a series of photographs which document temples and the busy life in and around the temple sites. In his images Monaco manages to capture people worshipping and performing ritual ceremonies within the temple complex and beyond without being intrusive.","physicalDescription":"This black and white photograph shows a group of widows seated on the floor in a temple at Ayodhya. They are singing devotional songs and some of the women are playing small hand cymbals. Popular calender prints hang from the two pillars in the centre of the temple.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Monaco, Frank","id":"A5988"},"association":{"text":"photographer","id":"AAT25687"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"photographic paper","id":"AAT14190"}],"techniques":[{"text":"photography","id":"AAT54225"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Black and white photograph","categories":[{"text":"Hinduism","id":"THES48941"},{"text":"Photographs","id":"THES48910"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"SSEA","id":"THES48598"},"images":[],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"005","id":"THES403841"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"photograph","id":"AAT46300"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"India","id":"x29790"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1950s-1960s","earliest":"1950-01-01","latest":"1969-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""},{"date":{"text":"1990s","earliest":"1990-01-01","latest":"1999-12-31"},"association":{"text":"printed","id":"AAT53319"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Given by Frank Monaco","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"20","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"image","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"29.2","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"image","note":""},{"dimension":"Height","value":"24","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"photographic paper","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"30.4","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"photographic paper","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"Name of photographer stamped on the back"}],"objectHistory":"","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"'A group of widows in a temple at Ayodhya', black and white photograph by Frank Monaco, India, 1950s-1960s, printed in 1990s","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"This print made in the 1990s. In a letter written to the museum after Frank Monaco’s death in 2007, his nephew, Oliver Morse wrote:\r\n\r\n‘We believe that Frank visited India 16 times during the last 25 years of his life. His papers show that he went there for two weeks in February 2004, and we think that this was his final visit. From the 1950s up until about the year 2000 his camera of choice was the Leica. This remained his favourite camera, but in about 2000 he also started using a digital camera. At this time he also took with him on his trips a second separate digital camera loaded with colour film. This enabled him to photograph the same scene in colour within the same 5 minute period….’\r\nLetter dated January 15th 2008 is in the Registered file: 1999/709\r\n\r\nIn a further letter dated 19th January 2008, his other nephew, Jonathan Morse, found a list of dates in his diary which he believes were the dates that Frank travelled to India.\r\n\r\nThe 19 dates are noted in the Registered file: 1999/709","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[{"text":"India","id":"x29790"}],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"temple","id":"AAT7595"},{"text":"widows","id":"x37538"},{"text":"pillars","id":"AAT1571"}],"contentConcepts":[{"text":"religion (concept)","id":"x37580"}],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["IS.92-2006"],"accessionNumberNum":"92","accessionNumberPrefix":"IS","accessionYear":2006,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-09","recordCreationDate":"2006-10-02","availableToBook":true}}