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Top of an altar piece depicting the Holy Family in enamelled terra cotta

Louise Laffon

1864

photographic

From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum

Impressionism Realism Late 19th Century Religious

Dominant colour

Top of an altar piece depicting the Holy Family in enamelled 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

The story of this work

Overview

The photograph is a sepia-toned albumen print mounted on gilded card, depicting a bas-relief arch-shaped altar piece in enamelled terra cotta featuring the Holy Family. Produced by Louise Laffon in 1864, it was part of a series of 100 photographs documenting sculptures from the Campana Collection at the Musée Napoléon III. The V&A acquired multiple sets of these images, including this example, through the Parisian studio *Photographie Lord Byron*, where Laffon used the gender-neutral moniker "L. Laffon." The work reflects the museum’s early integration of photography for educational and…

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