Artwork
Winged figure slaying a bull in terra cotta
Winged figure slaying a bull in terra cotta 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. A 19th-century photograph depicts a winged figure slaying a bull, rendered in terra cotta.
About this work
Overview
A 19th-century photograph depicts a winged figure slaying a bull, rendered in terra cotta. The image is part of a series documenting objects from the Campana Collection, originally housed in the Musée Napoléon III (now the Louvre).
Subject & Meaning
The photographed subject—a winged figure overpowering a bull—likely draws from mythological or symbolic themes common in terra cotta artworks of the time, though specific interpretation depends on the original piece's context, now unavailable.
Technique & Style
The photograph, by Louise Laffon, employs techniques characteristic of mid-19th-century photography, with attention to capturing the sculptural details of the terra cotta piece for educational and archival purposes.
History & Provenance
Acquired by the V&A in 1864 as part of a 500-work purchase from Laffon, facilitated by agent Monsieur E. Cappe, the photograph was initially used for educational and administrative support within the museum.
Context
Part of the V&A's pioneering effort to leverage photography for artistic and educational enrichment, this work reflects the museum's early recognition of photography's utility, as championed by Director Henry Cole.
Legacy
As one of Laffon's documented works for the V&A, the photograph contributes to the recognized contribution of female photographers in the museum's early photographic collections, previously overlooked.
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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