Mould
19th century (made)
Artist/Maker | |
Place of origin |
This fine example of the carver's art is a mould for decorative relief, of the kind used to adorn panelling, ceilings, fireplaces and door surrounds. The shallow carving indicates that this mould was for making a fairly flat band, probably to decorate a panel or frame. Although the vines depicted here are reminiscent of the neo-classical motifs of the 18th century, it is more likely that this mould was carved during the 19th century when the neo-classical syle was revived.
Different mixtures of whiting, glue and gum arabic, known as 'composition', were pressed into the boxwood mould to make crisp, detailed mouldings that were light and easy to apply to a ceiling or wall. For larger mouldings paper pulp or some kind of textile were added to provide body. The development of moulded composition ornament brought about a decline in the number of professional woodcarvers needed for decorating interiors. Skilled carvers, however, were still very much in demand for the production of perfect moulds.
This piece is part of a large collection of moulds and carvings once owned by George Jackson & Sons, a London firm specialising in decorative plasterwork. Established in 1780, Jackson's were reputed to have produced neo-classical mouldings for interiors designed by the Adam brothers, such as those at Croome Court in Worcestershire. Later Jackson projects included work on the Royal Pavilion at Brighton, Buckingham Palace and several Cunard liners.
Different mixtures of whiting, glue and gum arabic, known as 'composition', were pressed into the boxwood mould to make crisp, detailed mouldings that were light and easy to apply to a ceiling or wall. For larger mouldings paper pulp or some kind of textile were added to provide body. The development of moulded composition ornament brought about a decline in the number of professional woodcarvers needed for decorating interiors. Skilled carvers, however, were still very much in demand for the production of perfect moulds.
This piece is part of a large collection of moulds and carvings once owned by George Jackson & Sons, a London firm specialising in decorative plasterwork. Established in 1780, Jackson's were reputed to have produced neo-classical mouldings for interiors designed by the Adam brothers, such as those at Croome Court in Worcestershire. Later Jackson projects included work on the Royal Pavilion at Brighton, Buckingham Palace and several Cunard liners.
Object details
Categories | |
Object type | |
Materials and techniques | Carved boxwood |
Brief description | Boxwood mould, carved with a trail of alternate vine leaves and bunches of grapes, London, 19th century |
Physical description | Boxwood mould carved with a trail of vine leaves and bunches of grapes |
Style | |
Credit line | Given by Clark and Fenn Ltd. |
Production | The firm from which the V&A acquired this mould, George Jackson & Sons Ltd, was based in London until its move to Mitcham, Surrey in 1988. |
Subjects depicted | |
Summary | This fine example of the carver's art is a mould for decorative relief, of the kind used to adorn panelling, ceilings, fireplaces and door surrounds. The shallow carving indicates that this mould was for making a fairly flat band, probably to decorate a panel or frame. Although the vines depicted here are reminiscent of the neo-classical motifs of the 18th century, it is more likely that this mould was carved during the 19th century when the neo-classical syle was revived. Different mixtures of whiting, glue and gum arabic, known as 'composition', were pressed into the boxwood mould to make crisp, detailed mouldings that were light and easy to apply to a ceiling or wall. For larger mouldings paper pulp or some kind of textile were added to provide body. The development of moulded composition ornament brought about a decline in the number of professional woodcarvers needed for decorating interiors. Skilled carvers, however, were still very much in demand for the production of perfect moulds. This piece is part of a large collection of moulds and carvings once owned by George Jackson & Sons, a London firm specialising in decorative plasterwork. Established in 1780, Jackson's were reputed to have produced neo-classical mouldings for interiors designed by the Adam brothers, such as those at Croome Court in Worcestershire. Later Jackson projects included work on the Royal Pavilion at Brighton, Buckingham Palace and several Cunard liners. |
Collection | |
Accession number | W.557-1989 |
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Record created | March 17, 2006 |
Record URL |
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