Bronze statuette (possibly of Victory?)

The bronze figure, rendered in a compact scale, shows a winged form that scholars interpret as an allegorical Victory, a common motif in neoclassical decorative arts. Its modest size suggests it was intended for private display rather than monumental public commissions.

Laffon employed the photographic processes available in the early 1860s, likely the collodion wet‑plate method, to capture the statuette with clarity and even lighting. The composition centers the object against a neutral background, emphasizing its three‑dimensional form and surface detail.

The photograph was produced in 1863–64 and entered the Victoria and Albert Museum’s collection after the institution purchased 500 images from Laffon through the dealer Monsieur E. Cappe in 1864. These works were originally catalogued within the National Art Library’s holdings for educational use.

At the time, the museum was pioneering the systematic acquisition of photographs to supplement traditional visual resources for artists, students, and curators. Female photographers like Laffon contributed significantly to this effort, although their contributions have only recently been recognized.

Laffon’s photograph is among the few surviving examples of her work, illustrating the early role of women in professional photography and the museum’s historic commitment to documenting objects through the new medium of photography.