{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O78700"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O78700/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AM6515/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AM6515/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2006AM6515","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London/John Thomson","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O78700/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O78700","accessionNumber":"PH.330-1982","objectType":"Photograph","titles":[{"title":"An Old Clothes Shop, Seven Dials","type":"assigned by artist"},{"title":"Street Life in London","type":"series title"}],"summaryDescription":"<b>Object Type</b><br>The photographer John Thomson (1837-1921) used the 'Woodburytype' process patented in 1864 for the images in <i>Street Life in London</i>, including this photograph. This was a type of photomechanical reproduction using pigmented gelatin, usually of a rich purple-brown colour. The process was complicated but remained popular until about 1900 because of the high quality and permanence of the finished images.<br><br><b>Subject Depicted</b><br>This photograph was taken in St Giles, an area of London with many second-hand shops where the poorest people bought and sold their clothes. The owner of this shop had been ill, and so her stock was limited. Second-hand clothes shops were often dirty and likely to harbour diseases, but this particular shop was unusually clean.<br><br><b>Real or Posed?</b><br>The people in the pictures were arranged or posed by Thomson to form interesting compositions. However, the results were often naturalistic because the subjects and surroundings were always authentic.","physicalDescription":"Photograph","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Thomson, John","id":"A8914"},"association":{"text":"photographer","id":"AAT25687"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[],"techniques":[{"text":"photography","id":"AAT54225"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Woodburytype","categories":[{"text":"Photographs","id":"THES48910"},{"text":"Scotland","id":"THES262877"},{"text":"Europeana Fashion Project","id":"THES265804"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"PDP","id":"THES48595"},"images":["2006AM6515"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"LVLF","id":"THES49656"},"free":"","case":"X","shelf":"37","box":"A"}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"photograph","id":"AAT46300"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"London","id":"x28980"},"association":{"text":"photographed","id":"x30151"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1877-1878","earliest":"1877-01-01","latest":"1878-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Given by Mrs D. Crisp","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"11","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"unmounted","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"9","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"Dimensions checked: Measured; 04/10/2000 by PaperCons","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"Taken in London by John Thomson (born in Edinburgh, 1837, died in London, 1921)","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"An Old Clothes Shop, Seven Dials","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"British Galleries:\nPHOTOGRAPHS FROM 'STREET LIFE IN LONDON'<br>\nThese photographs were first published in 12 instalments in 1877-1878 in a series entitled 'Street Life in London'. John Thomson had earlier photographed in China and recognized London as a remarkable new subject. Together with journalist Adolphe Smith he wrote commentaries on each image. 'Street Life' is among the earliest and most evocative examples of social documentary photography.","date":{"text":"27/03/2003","earliest":"2003-03-27","latest":"2003-03-27"}}],"partNumbers":["PH.330-1982"],"accessionNumberNum":"330","accessionNumberPrefix":"PH","accessionYear":1982,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":["2019LP6822","2019LP5519","2019LV7053"],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-12","recordCreationDate":"2003-03-27","availableToBook":false}}