{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O170992"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O170992/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2010ED1079/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2010ED1079/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2010ED1079","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O170992/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O170992","accessionNumber":"B.61-2005","objectType":"Painting","titles":[{"title":"Boys Playing at Peg-top","type":"assigned by artist"}],"summaryDescription":"Tops were traditionally one of the most popular playthings in the UK, sometimes giving rise to crazes as to exact type or appearance.  Part of their appeal was in their portability (most children's tops were relatively small in size) and availability, since a basic version could be produced quite cheaply and easily by hand, although it was clearly a skilled job to produce a well-balanced one.  But the important requirement for playing with a top is a clean, dry flat surface, and the boys depicted by Paye have found an ideal site in the paved cloisters.  The area was evidently frequently used by the boys of the school for recreation, according to 'The Annals of Westminster School' by John Sergeaunt (London: Methuen, 1898).","physicalDescription":"Painting of a group of children in the cloisters of Westminster School.  In the centre stands a fair-haired boy wearing a white shirt and waistcoat with brown knee breeches: he has just released a spinning top across the floor.  To the right of him, another boy crouches with a larger top, and is apparently in conversation with a boy in a red coat, who is leaning over him.  By the wall are two more boys, the taller dressed in a teal-coloured suit, and the smaller in brown; in the background are two seated girls in white dresses, the taller with a blue-trimmed hat pinned up at one side.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Paye, Richard Morton","id":"A23659"},"association":{"text":"artist","id":"AAT25103"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"oil colour","id":"AAT15050"},{"text":"canvas","id":"AAT14078"}],"techniques":[{"text":"painting","id":"x30598"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Oil on canvas","categories":[{"text":"Children & Childhood","id":"THES48980"},{"text":"Games","id":"THES48947"},{"text":"Dolls & Toys","id":"THES48967"},{"text":"Children's clothes","id":"THES48979"},{"text":"Education & Learning","id":"THES252542"},{"text":"Play","id":"THES274366"},{"text":"Paintings","id":"THES48917"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"YVA","id":"THES48593"},"images":["2010ED1079"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"A","id":"THES304267"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Painting","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"England","id":"x28826"},"association":{"text":"painted","id":"x30138"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"ca. 1800","earliest":"1795-01-01","latest":"1804-12-31"},"association":{"text":"painted","id":"x30138"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"71.75","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"91.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"As supplied by Christie's","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"Bought at auction: Christie's sale of British Pictures 1500-1850","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Oil painting by Richard Morton Paye, of boys playing with tops in the cloisters of Westminster School; UK, ca. 1800","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"Unique","id":"THES48864"},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"children","id":"x31526"},{"text":"tops (toys)","id":"AAT180400"}],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["B.61-2005"],"accessionNumberNum":"61","accessionNumberPrefix":"B","accessionYear":2005,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-01-19","recordCreationDate":"2008-10-29","availableToBook":true}}