{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O18167"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O18167/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AR9844/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AR9844/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2006AR9844","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006AE9539","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2017JU6220","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O18167/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O18167","accessionNumber":"E.575-1985","objectType":"Architectural sketch","titles":[{"title":"The Great Exhibition building","type":"generic title"}],"summaryDescription":"<b>Object Type</b><br>These sketches are Joseph Paxton's first thoughts for the building for the Great Exhibition of 1851, later known as the Crystal Palace.  He drew them during a Midland Railway board meeting in Derby. The two sketches show the side elevation and cross section. They are mounted with a telegram that was sent to Paxton's wife confirming acceptance of the plan.<br><br><b>Design & Designing</b><br>Within a week, the sketches were converted into proper drawings and presented to the Commission board.  Paxton's design was accepted by the Royal Commissioners for the Great Exhibition partly because all the other architects' schemes had been rejected. Time was running out and Paxton's idea of building a glass and iron structure from prefabricated sections meant that the building could be constructed quickly.<br><br><b>Place</b><br>Paxton had successfully designed and built glass houses at Chatsworth, in Derbyshire, where he had been head gardener. These sketches for a building made of glass and iron were based on the lines of the Lily House at Chatsworth. Paxton used many of the same principles for both buildings. The Crystal Palace was the first structure to use iron on such a large scale.","physicalDescription":"The two images on the blotting paper show the fundamental idea for the Great Exhibition building, later known as the Crystal Palace.  A week after he created the rough sketch, Joseph Paxton has his horticultural staff draft proper drawings.  \nAs these designs were later accepted for use, the telegram to Mrs. Paxton announcing this fact is mounted on the sketch.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Paxton, Joseph (Sir)","id":"A8725"},"association":{"text":"maker","id":"AAT251917"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[],"techniques":[],"materialsAndTechniques":"Pen and ink on pink blotting paper, mounted on a sheet of woven paper with a telegram form","categories":[{"text":"British Galleries","id":"THES48985"},{"text":"Designs","id":"THES48968"},{"text":"Great Exhibition","id":"THES48945"},{"text":"Architecture","id":"THES48993"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"PDP","id":"THES48595"},"images":["2006AR9844","2006AE9539","2017JU6220"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"122F (VA)","id":"THES49220"},"free":"","case":"WN","shelf":"","box":"3"}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"designs","id":"AAT102051"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Derby","id":"x31922"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"11/06/1850","earliest":"1850-06-11","latest":"1850-06-11"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[{"object":{"text":"E.941-1983","id":"O186594"},"association":"Reproduction"}],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"39.1","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"unframed","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"28","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"unframed","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"Dimensions checked: Measured; 08/07/1999 by LH","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"Drawn in Derby by Sir Joseph Paxton (born in Milton Bryant, Bedfordshire, 1801, died in Sydenham, Kent, 1865)","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"First sketch of Crystal Palace, Great Exhibition 1851, by Paxton","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[{"text":"Crystal Palace","id":"x32313"}],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"Architecture","id":"AAT54156"},{"text":"Great Exhibition Building","id":"x31430"}],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"British Galleries:\nThis first sketch for what was to become one of the most famous buildings of its time, was drawn on blotting paper by the architect Joseph Paxton, while he was attending a Midland Railway board meeting in Derby. The two sketches of the side elevation are mounted with a telegram to Mrs Paxton confirming that his design had been accepted. The sketches were converted into engineering drawings within a week.","date":{"text":"27/03/2003","earliest":"2003-03-27","latest":"2003-03-27"}}],"partNumbers":["E.575-1985"],"accessionNumberNum":"575","accessionNumberPrefix":"E","accessionYear":1985,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":["2019LP7365","2019LP4866","2019LU4053"],"recordModificationDate":"2025-05-09","recordCreationDate":"1999-12-15","availableToBook":false}}