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

Thurston Thompson's photograph was part of a campaign led by Henry Cole, the first director of the South Kensington Museum (now the Victoria and Albert Museum), to document objects in royal palace collections during a trip to Iberia.

The straightforward, unadorned style of the photograph reflects Thurston Thompson's documentary approach, prioritizing clear representation of the object over contextual or artistic considerations.

The photograph was commissioned during a period when museums were beginning to utilize photography to expand their collections and promote art education, with the South Kensington Museum sourcing images from various suppliers and sponsoring photographic expeditions abroad.