Marble Bust of the Emperor Adrian

The photograph is an example of early photographic techniques used for documenting artworks. It reflects the museum's early adoption of photography as a tool for education and artistic reference, aligning with the broader movement of Realism.

The Victoria and Albert Museum began collecting photographs in 1852, making it a pioneer in this area. Laffon's work was acquired by the museum in 1864 through the agent Monsieur E. Cappe, as part of a series of photographs of objects from the Campana Collection.