{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O143193"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O143193/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2008BU0936/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2008BU0936/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2008BU0936","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O143193/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O143193","accessionNumber":"SD.333","objectType":"Watercolour","titles":[{"title":"Tombs of the Caliphs, Cairo. about 1880-1900","type":"generic title"}],"summaryDescription":"Object Type: Paintings illustrating exotic architecture became more frequent in the 19th century. British architects studied outside Europe as they searched for ideas for a new building style.  These traditional forms were also threatened with obliteration by `the march of progress' and drawings had to be made to record them before they were destroyed.\r\nIn his desire to preserve the exotic domestic architecture of Cairo, particularly the interiors, Dillon painted accurate pictures of them as a record and as a kind of advertisement for his campaign. He included their inhabitants in appropriate costume, to give scale and to make them more appealing.\r\n\r\nPeople: Frank Dillon (1823-1909) was part of the circle that had surrounded Owen Jones. Like many of those design reformers he wished to encourage interest in the decorative art and architecture of other cultures. He was actively concerned with efforts to preserve Islamic monuments of Cairo. He also travelled in Portugal, Spain and Morocco, as well in Japan where he studied and painted traditional Japanese interiors.","physicalDescription":"Watercolour drawing","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Dillon, Frank (RI)","id":"A8342"},"association":{"text":"painter (artist)","id":"AAT25136"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"watercolour","id":"x33202"}],"techniques":[{"text":"watercolour drawing","id":"x37878"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Water- and bodycolour over pencil, heightened with white, on blue \r\npaper","categories":[{"text":"Paintings","id":"THES48917"},{"text":"Historic Cairo","id":"THES273264"}],"styles":[{"text":"British School","id":"x30967"},{"text":"Orientalism","id":"x31272"}],"collectionCode":{"text":"PDP","id":"THES48595"},"images":["2008BU0936"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"LVLD","id":"THES49658"},"free":"","case":"SC","shelf":"11","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"watercolour","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Cairo","id":"x28776"},"association":{"text":"painted","id":"x30138"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"ca. 1800-1900","earliest":"1795-01-01","latest":"1900-12-31"},"association":{"text":"painted","id":"x30138"},"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":"30.2","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"45.2","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"Signed Frank Dillon RI","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":""}],"objectHistory":"According to Rodney Searight: - `Bt Holder, Oct.1973, £22:50'.","historicalContext":"The title apparently derives from an inscription on the former mount.  Several similar subjects are recorded: at the RA, the Dudley Gallery and RI, in the artist's sale, and engraved in Ebers, Vol.I, [1878], p.300. The view is of the Eastern Cemetery of Cairo and the principal tombs represented are, to left, the Khanqah and Tomb of Khawand Tughay, centre, the Tomb of Khawand Tulbay and, to right, the Tomb of Amir Azrumuk.","briefDescription":"Watercolour, Tombs of the Caliphs, Cairo, about 1880-1900, by Frank Dillon","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[{"text":"Cairo","id":"x28776"},{"text":"Khanqah and Tomb of Khawand Tughay","id":"x41467"},{"text":"Mausoleum of Khawand Tulbay","id":"THES274049"},{"text":"Tomb of Amir Azrumuk","id":"x41469"},{"text":"Northern Cemetery (Cairo)","id":"THES381041"}],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"Tombs","id":"AAT5926"}],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["SD.333"],"accessionNumberNum":"333","accessionNumberPrefix":"SD","accessionYear":null,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-09","recordCreationDate":"2008-01-10","availableToBook":false}}