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'Andromeda' by Lawrence Macdonald

Unknown

1854

photographic

From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum

Impressionism Realism Early 19th Century

Dominant colour

'Andromeda' by Lawrence Macdonald is a 1854 photographic by Unknown, a Impressionism work, held at Victoria and Albert Museum.

Who painted this?: Unknown
When & what style?: 1854 · Impressionism
Where can I see it?: Victoria and Albert Museum

About this work

This image shows two black-and-white photos of a draped figure lying on the ground. The figure looks like a person wrapped in cloth, with one arm raised. The background is rough and dark, making the figure stand out. These photos were likely taken to study a painting or sculpture, not as art themselves. The tools around them—like the color checker and ruler—are used by photographers to match lighting and colors. Next, check out the Victoria and Albert Museum to see the original artwork this photo was made for.

The story of this work

Overview

A stereoscopic daguerreotype from 1854 depicts Lawrence Macdonald’s 1842 sculpture of Andromeda, originally created for the Marquess of Abercorn and shown at the Great Exhibition in 1851. The image appears through two rectangular openings in a black mount, now glazed within a later passe-partout frame, with no surviving original casing noted on the back.

Read the full account in the museum source.