Combat of Tritons, bas-relief in terra cotta

The bas-relief depicts a dynamic struggle between two tritons, mythological sea deities often shown with human torsos and fish tails. Laffon’s photograph captures the sculptural detail and movement of the original, preserving its narrative intensity. The choice to photograph this subject suggests an interest in classical mythology as a subject for artistic study, aligning with the museum’s goal of providing visual references for design and sculpture students.

Laffon employed the gelatin silver process, a relatively new technique at the time, to produce a sharp, tonally rich image. Her approach is precise and documentary, avoiding dramatic lighting or compositional embellishment. The photograph’s clarity and neutrality reflect its function as an educational resource rather than an expressive work, aligning with the museum’s utilitarian use of photography in the 1860s.

The photograph was acquired by the Victoria and Albert Museum in 1864 through the Parisian agent E. Cappe, as part of a bulk purchase from Laffon’s series on the Campana Collection. Laffon, one of the earliest recognized female photographers in France, was commissioned to document antiquities for the Musée Napoléon III. The V&A’s acquisition underscores its active international network for sourcing visual materials to support artistic education.

In the 1860s, photography was emerging as a tool for art education, not fine art. The V&A, under Henry Cole, led in collecting photographs to supplement drawing instruction and design studies. Laffon’s work fits within this institutional framework, where images of sculpture and decorative arts were valued for their accuracy. Her role as a woman in this field was rare but not isolated, as the museum employed several female photographers for administrative and scholarly tasks.

This photograph exemplifies the V&A’s pioneering role in institutional photography and the quiet but vital contributions of female photographers like Laffon. While the original bas-relief remains in the Louvre, Laffon’s image preserves its form for study and continues to illustrate how photography served as a bridge between art production and pedagogy in the 19th century.