{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O62345"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O62345/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2007BN5676/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2007BN5676/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"low","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2007BN5676","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":null},"record":{"systemNumber":"O62345","accessionNumber":"W.15:1, 2-1986","objectType":"Dummy board","titles":[{"title":"Dummy board of a V&A warder","type":"generic title"}],"summaryDescription":"Dummy boards are life-size, flat, wooden figures painted and shaped in outline to resemble figures of servants, soldiers, children, and animals. The taste for using illusionistic painted figures as a form of house decoration probably originated in the trompe l’oeil, or life-like interior scenes painted by Dutch artists in the early 17th century. Dummy boards continued to be produced into the 19th century. They were placed in corners and on stairways to surprise visitors, or in front of empty fireplaces in the summer. Most were made by professional sign-painters, who also produced the hanging street signs prevalent until the late 18th century.\r\n\r\nThis rare 20th-century example was painted especially for a display at the Victoria and Albert Museum in 1977–78 entitled <i>It's not really there, it's painted.  Trompe l'oeil: an artist at work</i>, in which the designer John Ronayne gave trompe l’oeil painting demonstrations. The figure is a portrait of one of the security staff, wearing the V&A warder's uniform at the time: white shirt, grey jacket, navy blue trousers, and black cap.","physicalDescription":"A life-size cut-out painted figure of a V&A warder, Mr Davies, standing with his arms folded. He wearing the warders' uniform of grey jacket and black trousers and cap.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Ronayne, John","id":"A19587"},"association":{"text":"painter","id":"AAT25136"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"chipboard","id":"AAT14208"},{"text":"plywood","id":"AAT12849"}],"techniques":[{"text":"painting","id":"x30598"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Oil on chipboard, braced with plywood","categories":[{"text":"Clothing","id":"THES48975"},{"text":"Paintings","id":"THES48917"},{"text":"History of the V&A","id":"THES252692"}],"styles":[{"text":"20th century","id":"x36294"}],"collectionCode":{"text":"FWK","id":"THES48597"},"images":["2007BN5676"],"imageResolution":"low","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"005","id":"THES341506"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"006","id":"THES344157"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Dummy board","id":""}],[{"text":"Stand","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Great Britain","id":"x32019"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1977","earliest":"1977-01-01","latest":"1977-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"171.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"42","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Depth","value":"4","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"taken from catalogue","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"This is a portrait of a V&A warder, said by Anthony Burton in 1986 to be Mr Davies, painted by John Ronayne for the V&A Christmas display, 'It's not really there, it's painted. Trompe l'oeil: an artist at work' (December 1977-January 1978).  The display was suggested and organised by John Ronayne, who also gave trompe l'oeil painting demonstrations. After the display it was stored at Bethnal Green, and was formally accessioned in 1986. Ronayne Design later designed V&A galleries including the Sacred Silver and Stained Glass, completed in 2005 and the silver galleries.","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Dummy board of a V&A warder, oil paint on chipboard, British, 1977","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Graham, Clare. Dummy Boards and Chimney Boards. Shire Album 214, Aylesbury: Shire Publications Ltd, 1988. 32 p., ill. ISBN 085263921X."}],"production":"For V&A display","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[{"text":"Victoria and Albert Museum","id":"x32782"}],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[{"text":"security","id":"AAT226324"}],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["W.15:1-1986","W.15:2-1986"],"accessionNumberNum":"15","accessionNumberPrefix":"W","accessionYear":1986,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE","Stand","Dummy board"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-08-13","recordCreationDate":"2001-08-28","availableToBook":false}}