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Bas-relief depicting the Virgin and Child by Donatello in red terra cotta

Louise Laffon

1864

photographic

From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum

Impressionism Realism Late 19th Century Religious

Dominant colour

Bas-relief depicting the Virgin and Child by Donatello in red terra cotta is a 1864 photographic by Louise Laffon, a Impressionism work, held at Victoria and Albert Museum.

Who painted this?: Louise Laffon
When & what style?: 1864 · Impressionism
Where can I see it?: Victoria and Albert Museum

About this work

This photo shows a terra cotta bas-relief of the Virgin and Child by Donatello. Louise Laffon made it in 1863–64 while Impressionism and Realism were rising. The Victoria and Albert Museum kept early photos like this to help artists and students. It’s one of the rare female-made pictures in the museum’s first photo collection. Henry Cole pushed the V&A to collect photos early on. Look up the artist Louise Laffon next.

The story of this work

Overview

A photograph by Louise Laffon from 1864 depicts a bas-relief of the Virgin and Child by Donatello, executed in red terra cotta. The image is part of a series of 100 albumen prints documenting sculptures and terracottas from the Campana Collection at the Musée Napoléon III. The Victoria and Albert Museum acquired 500 prints from Laffon’s series through an agent in Paris. Surviving mounts from the original presentation bear the gender-neutral stamp "L. Laffon" alongside her studio’s name, "Photographie Lord Byron."

Read the full account in the museum source.

About the artist

Artist

Louise Laffon

Louise Laffon (1828–1885), was a French photographer and painter. She was one of the first female professional photographers in France. She had a studio in Paris between 1859 and 1876.

See the richer artist page