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Bas-relief of enamelled flying angel

Louise Laffon

1864

photographic

From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum

Impressionism Realism Late 19th Century

Dominant colour

Bas-relief of enamelled flying angel 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 is an early photograph from 1863-64. It’s a bas-relief—a shallow sculpture—of an angel with enamelled surfaces. Louise Laffon made it during a time when photography was new and museums were just starting to collect it. What’s wild is this came out right when the Victoria and Albert Museum began showing photographs. They wanted artists and students to use photos as visual tools, not just pretty pictures. Check out the Victoria and Albert Museum next.

The story of this work

Overview

A bas-relief by Louise Laffon from 1864 depicts an enamelled flying angel, part of a series of albumen photographs documenting sculptures from the Campana Collection at the Musée Napoléon III in Paris. The work was acquired by the Victoria and Albert Museum in four separate purchases totaling 500 prints. Laffon’s photographs were originally mounted on gilded cards bearing the gender-neutral signature "L. Laffon" and the studio name "Photographie Lord Byron." The series included representations of marble, terracotta, and bronze sculptures from the collection.

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