Artwork
Enamelled earthenware bas-relief medallion of Saint Onofrio
Enamelled earthenware bas-relief medallion of Saint Onofrio is a photographic photography by the Impressionist artist Louise Laffon. It dates from 1864 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
Overview
The Victoria and Albert Museum began collecting photographs in 1852, becoming the first institution to do so, and displayed them publicly by 1858. This early adoption positioned photography as a central resource for the museum’s educational and curatorial activities.
Subject & Meaning
Photographs were gathered to broaden the visual material available to artists, students, and museum staff, supplementing existing reproduction techniques. They served as study aids across the museum’s departments, enhancing understanding of artworks and design.
Technique & Style
The museum’s photographic collection included works produced by its own staff, such as Isabel Agnes Cowper, as well as images sourced from independent photographers. These varied in format and method, reflecting the evolving practices of mid‑nineteenth‑century photography.
History & Provenance
Among the external contributions, Louise Laffon, a pioneering French female photographer, created a series of images of objects from the Campana Collection at the Musée Napoléon III. In 1864 the V&A acquired 500 of these photographs through the agent Monsieur E. Cappe.
Context
The inclusion of female photographers like Cowper and Laffon highlights the museum’s early recognition of women’s roles in the photographic field, a contribution that has only recently been acknowledged in its institutional history.
Artist & collection
Artist
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.
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