Two enamelled heads of seraphines

The photograph employs the wet‑collodion process typical of the 1860s, yielding a high‑contrast, finely detailed image that emphasizes the reflective enamel and sculptural form. The composition presents the heads side by side, allowing comparative study of their decorative motifs and craftsmanship.

The picture originates from a series commissioned by the Victoria and Albert Museum in the 1860s. It was taken by Louise Laffon, a French photographer and one of the first women admitted to the Société Française de la Photographie. In 1864 the museum acquired 500 of Laffon’s photographs, including this view of the seraphine heads, through the dealer Monsieur E. Cappe.

At the time, the museum’s founding director Henry Cole promoted photography as a tool for education and documentation, integrating images into the National Art Library’s resources. Laffon’s work complemented the museum’s own photographic service, expanding the visual catalogue of objects drawn from collections such as the Campana holdings at the Musée Napoléon III.

The photograph remains a reference point for researchers examining nineteenth‑century enamel work and the early use of photography in museum practice. It also highlights the contribution of women photographers like Laffon to the development of institutional visual archives.