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Roundel, Badge of a pelican, Palace of Necessidades, Lisbon

Charles Thurston Thompson

1866

photographic

From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum

Impressionism Realism Late 19th Century

Dominant colour

Roundel, Badge of a pelican, Palace of Necessidades, Lisbon is a 1866 photographic by Charles Thurston Thompson, a Impressionism work, held at Victoria and Albert Museum.

Who painted this?: Charles Thurston Thompson
When & what style?: 1866 · Impressionism
Where can I see it?: Victoria and Albert Museum

About this work

This 1866 photograph shows a roundel badge featuring a pelican. It was made by Charles Thurston Thompson as part of a project led by museum director Henry Cole. The photo was taken during a trip to Iberia to document royal palace objects. It shows how early museums used photography to build their collections. Look up the Victoria and Albert Museum.

The story of this work

Overview

A sepia-toned photograph mounted in an album shows a sculptural roundel depicting a pelican, part of a set of 71 images documenting objects from Lisbon’s Royal Palaces. Produced by Charles Thurston Thompson in 1866, the photograph is one of many made during a campaign sponsored by the South Kensington Museum to record works of art and design. Each image in the album carries a printed label, reflecting the photographer’s documentary approach.

Read the full account in the museum source.