Bas-relief portion of a frieze of a battle with griffons and amazons in terra cotta

The relief illustrates a mythic clash, pairing the winged, lion‑headed griffons with the warrior women of Greek legend. The composition reflects 19th‑century fascination with classical themes and exotic creatures, offering a narrative tableau that could be examined for its iconography and stylistic choices.

Laffon’s photograph captures the shallow relief in clear detail, employing the wet‑plate collodion process common in the 1860s. The image renders the subtle modelling of the clay surface, emphasizing the interplay of light and shadow that defines the figures’ forms.

The V&A began acquiring photographs in 1852 and was the first museum to exhibit them in 1858, under the direction of Henry Cole. In 1864 the museum purchased 500 prints from Laffon’s series of objects from the Campana Collection, acquired through the agent Monsieur E. Cappe.

Laffon, the third woman admitted to the Société Française de la Photographie, contributed to the museum’s educational mission by providing visual documentation of artworks that could be used by students and staff. Her work exemplifies the early integration of photography into museum practice.

The photograph stands as evidence of the V&A’s early commitment to photography as a tool for art education and highlights the significant, though often overlooked, role of female photographers in the development of museum collections.