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Bas-relief portion of frieze with theatrical masks in terra cotta

Louise Laffon

1864

photographic

From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum

Impressionism Realism Late 19th Century

Dominant colour

Bas-relief portion of frieze with theatrical masks 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

This photo shows a bas-relief from a frieze made of terra cotta. The masks hint at theater, but we can’t see the faces. Made in 1863–64 by Louise Laffon, it’s an early example of photography used for art study. The Victoria and Albert Museum snapped it up fast—it was one of the first museums to collect and show photographs back in 1858. She’s an overlooked woman behind the camera. Look up Louise Laffon.

The story of this work

Overview

A bas-relief portion of a frieze featuring theatrical masks was created in terra cotta by Louise Laffon in 1864. The work is part of a series of 100 albumen photographs depicting sculptures, including marbles, terracottas, and antique bronzes, from the Campana Collection at the Musée Napoléon III in Paris. The Victoria and Albert Museum acquired 500 prints from Laffon’s series in 1864 through the agent Monsieur E. Cappe. Some of Laffon’s original gilded mounts remain, marked with the gender-neutral stamp "L. Laffon" and her studio 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