Not currently on display at the V&A

Lord Thurlow

Mould
19th century (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This plaster mould was used in the production of a wax portrait relief.

The process of making a portrait in wax would begin with a model in plasticine or soft wax. A plaster mould such as this object would then be made and filled with molten wax. The mould would have been immersed in hot water to stop it from being porous to the molten wax and the inner face would have been lubricated with oil to ease removal. The relief would then be hand-finished by the artist.

The mould depicts Lord Edward Thurlow (1731- 1806), a British lawyer and politician who served as Lord Chancellow for fourteen years.


Object details

Category
Object type
TitleLord Thurlow
Materials and techniques
Plaster
Brief description
Plaster mould, depicting Lord Thurlow (second from left), English, by Catherine Andras (1775-1860), 19th century
Physical description
Plaster mould.
Dimensions
  • Height: 17.7cm
  • Length: 57.5cm
  • Depth: 4.4cm
Dimensions are for the entire frame.
Credit line
Rupert Gunnis Bequest
Object history
Rupert Gunnis Bequest.
Subject depicted
Summary
This plaster mould was used in the production of a wax portrait relief.

The process of making a portrait in wax would begin with a model in plasticine or soft wax. A plaster mould such as this object would then be made and filled with molten wax. The mould would have been immersed in hot water to stop it from being porous to the molten wax and the inner face would have been lubricated with oil to ease removal. The relief would then be hand-finished by the artist.

The mould depicts Lord Edward Thurlow (1731- 1806), a British lawyer and politician who served as Lord Chancellow for fourteen years.
Bibliographic references
  • Trusted, Marjorie (ed.), The Making of Sculpture. The materials and techniques of European Sculpture London, 2007, p. 29, pl. 38.
  • Pyke, E. A Biographical Dictionary of Wax Modellers Oxford, Clarendon Press, 1973, p. 4.
Collection
Accession number
A.119-1965

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Record createdMarch 17, 2004
Record URL
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