{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O82798"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O82798/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2014HF8976/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2014HF8976/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2014HF8976","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006AV5969","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006AM7049","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O82798/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O82798","accessionNumber":"PH.246-1979","objectType":"Photograph","titles":[{"title":"Isambard Kingdom Brunel and the launching chains of the <i>Great Eastern</i>","type":"generic title"}],"summaryDescription":"This famous portrait was taken as part of a series of photographs by Robert Howlett that documents the construction of the massive steamship <i>The Great Eastern</i> on the banks of the Thames. It is a powerful image in which the British engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel (1806-1859), who was the ship’s creator, projects all the confidence and ambition of the Victorian era. Howlett portrays Brunel in his ‘stove-pipe’ hat and stacked-heel boots to give him height and presence. His formal clothes are dishevelled and muddied from the site. The backdrop is dominated by the chains of the stern checking drum. This controlled the slow slide of the ship down to the water’s edge, where it was launched by being lifted on the tide.","physicalDescription":"Photograph","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Howlett, Robert","id":"A6507"},"association":{"text":"photographer","id":"AAT25687"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[],"techniques":[{"text":"photography","id":"AAT54225"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Albumen print from wet collodion on glass negative","categories":[{"text":"Photographs","id":"THES48910"},{"text":"Portraits","id":"THES48906"},{"text":"Transport","id":"THES48881"}],"styles":[{"text":"19th","id":"x41031"}],"collectionCode":{"text":"PDP","id":"THES48595"},"images":["2014HF8976","2006AV5969","2006AM7049"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"LVLF","id":"THES49656"},"free":"","case":"X","shelf":"41","box":"A"}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"photograph","id":"AAT46300"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Great Britain","id":"x32019"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1857","earliest":"1857-01-01","latest":"1857-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Purchased, 1979.","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"590","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":"Royal portrait mount"},{"dimension":"Height","value":"287","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":"Object Height"},{"dimension":"Width","value":"232","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":"Object Width"}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Albumen print. Howlett, Robert. Isambard Kingdom Brunel and Launching Chains of the 'Great Eastern' 1857; 1857; Howlett, Robert. Isambard Kingdom Brunel and Launching Chains of the 'Great Eastern' 1857","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"Hoozee, Robert (ed.), <i>British Vision. Observation and Imagination in British Art 1750-1950</i>, Brussels : Mercatorfonds ; Ghent : Museum voor Schone Kunsten, 2007","id":"AUTH354952"},"details":"27","free":""}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[{"text":"Brunel, Isambard Kingdom","id":"N2778"}],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"chain","id":"AAT14625"}],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"Gallery 100, ‘History of photography’, 2011-2012, label text :\r\n\r\nRobert Howlett (1830-58)\r\nIsambard Kingdom Brunel and\r\nthe Launching Chains of ‘The Great Eastern’\r\n1857\r\nThis portrait is part of a series of photographs\r\ndocumenting the construction of the massive\r\nsteamship The Great Eastern on the banks of the\r\nRiver Thames. It is a powerful image in which Brunel\r\n(1806–59), the ship’s creator, projects the confidence\r\nand ambition of the Victorian era.\r\n\r\nAlbumen print\r\nMuseum no. Ph.246-1979\r\n","date":{"text":"07 03 2014","earliest":"2014-03-07","latest":"2014-03-07"}}],"partNumbers":["PH.246-1979"],"accessionNumberNum":"246","accessionNumberPrefix":"PH","accessionYear":1979,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-12","recordCreationDate":"2003-07-28","availableToBook":false}}