Bronze figure from metallic screen Hereford Cathedral
Photograph
ca. 1861 (made)
ca. 1861 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Albumen print (photograph) of the figure of Christ standing. The albumen print is entitled 'bronze figure from metallic screen Hereford Cathedral by Skidmore Coventry' and 'G. G. Scott. Esq. R.A. Arch'. This figure was electroformed and fixed onto the Hereford Cathedral screen which was designed by the architect Sir George Gilbert Scott (1811-1878) and made by Francis Skidmore (1817-1896), metalworker, at his Coventry firm, Skidmore's Art Manufactures, in 1862.
This albumen print is a record of the figure before attachment to the Hereford screen and comes from the archive of designs and photographs from Skidmore's firm in the V&A. All the figures, including this one, on the Hereford screen were in fact made from electroformed copper, then a new and advanced technique which was cheaper than casting bronze. Electroforming was a way of making metal objects by using electricity in which a plaster model was immersed in a suitable liquid, and an electric current was passed through it, which resulted in a metal coating over the plaster. The object being electroformed can be a permanent part of the end product, as in this figure, or can be temporary and removed later, leaving only the metal form, the 'electroform.'
This albumen print is a record of the figure before attachment to the Hereford screen and comes from the archive of designs and photographs from Skidmore's firm in the V&A. All the figures, including this one, on the Hereford screen were in fact made from electroformed copper, then a new and advanced technique which was cheaper than casting bronze. Electroforming was a way of making metal objects by using electricity in which a plaster model was immersed in a suitable liquid, and an electric current was passed through it, which resulted in a metal coating over the plaster. The object being electroformed can be a permanent part of the end product, as in this figure, or can be temporary and removed later, leaving only the metal form, the 'electroform.'
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | Bronze figure from metallic screen Hereford Cathedral (manufacturer's title) |
| Materials and techniques | Albumen print on paper mounted on card |
| Brief description | Photograph of bronze figure by Francis Skidmore (1817-1896). |
| Physical description | Photograph of the figure of Christ standing with arms outstretched stuck to a card support. |
| Dimensions |
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| Marks and inscriptions | 'by Skidmore Coventry / G.G. Scott. Esq. R.A. Archt.' |
| Gallery label | This photograph, made by the albumen process, is a record of the figure of Christ, before attachment to the Hereford Screen. Although the title states 'bronze figure', it was in fact made from electroformed copper, then a new and advanced technique which was cheaper than casting bronze. It was manufactured at Francis Skidmore's firm and the photograph is from the factory's design archives.(Until 15 January 2010) |
| Credit line | Purchased with the assistance of the Friends of the National Libraries |
| Production | Attribution note: Photograph of plaster figure of Christ prior to electroforming it in copper and fixing it onto the Hereford Cathedral screen. Electroforming was the technique of making an exact facsimile of a model, sometimes a wax model but often an actual article of which reproductions are sought by depositing a thin layer of a metal such as copper or silver, by means of an electric current. |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Summary | Albumen print (photograph) of the figure of Christ standing. The albumen print is entitled 'bronze figure from metallic screen Hereford Cathedral by Skidmore Coventry' and 'G. G. Scott. Esq. R.A. Arch'. This figure was electroformed and fixed onto the Hereford Cathedral screen which was designed by the architect Sir George Gilbert Scott (1811-1878) and made by Francis Skidmore (1817-1896), metalworker, at his Coventry firm, Skidmore's Art Manufactures, in 1862. This albumen print is a record of the figure before attachment to the Hereford screen and comes from the archive of designs and photographs from Skidmore's firm in the V&A. All the figures, including this one, on the Hereford screen were in fact made from electroformed copper, then a new and advanced technique which was cheaper than casting bronze. Electroforming was a way of making metal objects by using electricity in which a plaster model was immersed in a suitable liquid, and an electric current was passed through it, which resulted in a metal coating over the plaster. The object being electroformed can be a permanent part of the end product, as in this figure, or can be temporary and removed later, leaving only the metal form, the 'electroform.' |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | E.402-2006 |
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| Record created | March 27, 2007 |
| Record URL |
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