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Bas-relief portion of a frieze of Hercules the conqueror in terra cotta

Louise Laffon

1864

photographic

From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum

Impressionism Realism Late 19th Century Mythology

Dominant colour

Bas-relief portion of a frieze of Hercules the conqueror in 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

Louise Laffon made this terra cotta bas-relief photo in 1863-64. It shows Hercules as conqueror. She worked in photography when it was still new. This piece sits in the Victoria and Albert Museum’s early photo collection. The museum started collecting photos in 1852 to help artists and students. That’s why they keep it. Look up the Victoria and Albert Museum next.

The story of this work

Overview

The Victoria and Albert Museum holds a terra cotta bas-relief portion of a frieze depicting Hercules the conqueror, created by Louise Laffon in 1864. Part of a series of 100 albumen photographs documenting sculptures from the Campana Collection at the Musée Napoléon III (now the Louvre), the image was among 500 works purchased by the museum that year. Laffon’s photographs were originally displayed with gilded mounts bearing the gender-neutral mark "L. Laffon" and the studio name "Photographie Lord Byron." The series included marble, terracotta, and bronze sculptures, reflecting the museum’s…

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