Untitled

Thompson employed the wet‑plate collodion process, typical of mid‑nineteenth‑century photography, producing a clear yet slightly softened image that captures the sculpture’s texture. The photograph’s muted tonal range and faint yellowing of the paper background reflect its age and the archival practices of the period.

The photograph originated in the National Art Library’s effort to compile visual references for the museum’s cast collection. Over time, as the museum’s photographic holdings grew, the image was transferred to the appropriate curatorial department, where it has been catalogued alongside other reference materials to support research and education.

These reference photographs were arranged chronologically according to the year each cast entered the museum’s collection, providing a visual inventory for scholars. Their recent rediscovery and systematic cataloguing form part of a broader initiative to reunite dispersed photographic records with the V&A’s primary collections, enhancing accessibility for curators and researchers.