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Combat of Tritons, bas-relief in terra cotta

Louise Laffon

1864

photographic

From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum

Impressionism Realism Late 19th Century

Dominant colour

Combat of Tritons, bas-relief 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 a terra cotta bas-relief titled *Combat of Tritons* in 1863–64. It’s a photograph, not a sculpture, which is unusual for the time. The piece fits between Impressionism and Realism, two big movements of the day. This work is one of many early photos collected by the Victoria and Albert Museum. They started buying photos in the 1850s to help artists and students study. Look up the Victoria and Albert Museum next.

The story of this work

Overview

Louise Laffon’s 1864 photograph *Combat of Tritons* is an albumen print from a series documenting objects in the Campana Collection at the Musée Napoléon III. The image depicts a terra cotta bas-relief of tritons in combat, part of a set of one hundred photographs acquired by the Victoria and Albert Museum in five separate purchases totaling 500 prints. Laffon’s work was produced in Paris and marketed under the neutral signature "L. Laffon" at the Photographie Lord Byron studio. Surviving gilded mounts from the series reveal her deliberate use of a gender-neutral presentation.

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