{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O1797217"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1797217/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2025PF9805/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2025PF9805/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"low","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2025PF9805","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":null},"record":{"systemNumber":"O1797217","accessionNumber":"LOAN:AMERICASFOUNDATION.2640-2024","objectType":"Framed Photograph","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"","physicalDescription":"Framed photograph of David Bowie in <i>The Elephant Man</i>, by Anton Corbijn. Black and white three-quarter-length portrait photograph of David Bowie in character as the Elephant Man, wearing a loincloth, and standing in front of a backcloth with his hands clasped in front of him. Mounted in a white card mount and framed in a black metal frame.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Anton Corbijn","id":"A15677"},"association":{"text":"photographers","id":"AAT25687"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[{"name":{"text":"Frame Designs","id":"AUTH411499"},"association":{"text":"manufacturers","id":"AAT25230"},"note":"frame"}],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"printing ink","id":"AAT187371"},{"text":"paper (fiber product)","id":"AAT14109"},{"text":"cardboard","id":"AAT14224"},{"text":"glass","id":"AAT10797"},{"text":"wood","id":"AAT11914"},{"text":"metal","id":"AAT10900"}],"techniques":[{"text":"photography","id":"AAT54225"},{"text":"printing","id":"AAT53319"},{"text":"framing","id":"AAT240903"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Printed photograph on paper, card mount, glazed metal frame with wood back and metal fixtures","categories":[{"text":"David Bowie Archive","id":"THES394093"},{"text":"Entertainment and leisure","id":"THES48959"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"T&P","id":"THES48602"},"images":["2025PF9805"],"imageResolution":"low","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"001","id":"THES343891"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"photographs","id":"AAT46300"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"London","id":"x28980"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":"frame"},{"place":{"text":"Chicago","id":"x30479"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":"photograph"}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1980","earliest":"1980-01-01","latest":"1980-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[{"object":{"text":"DBA/5/18/11","id":"ARC258217"},"association":""},{"object":{"text":"DBA/4/1/3","id":"ARC259961"},"association":""},{"object":{"text":"S.443-2024","id":"O1775208"},"association":""}],"creditLine":"Lent by the V&A Americas Foundation through the generosity of Jones/Tintoretto Entertainment Company LLC","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"62","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"47","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Depth","value":"2","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"Anton Corbijn is a Dutch photographer and film director. In an interview with the Guardian, he recalled that in 1980:\n\r\n'I was working as the main photographer at the NME and had just moved into a squat in east London. The NME’s Angus MacKinnon was going to interview David [Bowie] in Chicago but they wouldn’t allow a photographer. Thankfully, my parents had given me money to buy a cooker so I spent it on a flight and just turned up at the interview. It cost £800, a lot of money for me at the time, but these things pay off if you make life an adventure. Bowie’s assistant said: “What are you doing here? We had a deal – no photography.” Luckily, when David had visited Holland once, I had left my portfolio at his hotel. The next day, I was given it back with a note saying “thank you”. I thought it was just a “piss off” really. But when I told the assistant, she looked in her notebook and realised she’d scribbled down: “Best photographer in Holland – Anton Corbijn.” So I was in with a chance. She told David and he gave me permission. It was very kind, as he wasn’t actually allowed to be photographed in stage costume.'\n\nCorbijn went to Chicago to capture David Bowie in rehearsals and backstage for the role of John Merrick in the play <i>The Elephant Man</i>at the Blackstone Theatre. The play ran at the Blackstone Theatre for a month during August 1980, before moving to the Booth Theatre on Broadway from September 1980 to January 1981. ","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Framed photograph of David Bowie, taken by Anton Corbijn during the run of <i>The Elephant Man</i> in Chicago, 1980","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[{"text":"David Bowie","id":"N7019"}],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[{"text":"Play: The Elephant Man (1981)","id":"AUTH401637"}],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["LOAN:AMERICASFOUNDATION.2640-2024"],"accessionNumberNum":"2640","accessionNumberPrefix":"LOAN:AMERICASFOUNDATION","accessionYear":2024,"otherNumbers":[{"type":{"text":"David Bowie Archive Number","id":"THES394108"},"number":"1980.0157.0020"}],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-07-22","recordCreationDate":"2025-02-21","availableToBook":true}}