Object Type
This plaster cast of an architectural detail from an ancient Roman building was acquired by the architect Decimus Burton, either in Rome or London. It is a moulding of egg and dart, after a Roman original in Rome. Reproductions of classical architectural details were much sought after by architects in the early 19th century. Sir John Soane (1753-1837), for example, owned a large and important collection of casts, which were used as sources for his own designs.

People
Decimus Burton (1800-1881) was the tenth son of James Burton (1761-1837), a successful speculative builder and developer in London and south-east England. He received practical training in his father's office, and also attended the Royal Academy Schools. He began practising as an independent architect relatively early, briefly as a public architect, but then he increasingly concentrated on private commissions. He travelled extensively, both in North America and Europe.

Materials & Making
Plaster casts were especially sought after during the 19th century, when reproductions of great works of sculpture and architecture were thought crucial for the training of artists. A separating substance was applied to the surface of the work to be reproduced, and a plaster mould made from that. The mould would then be used to make any number of additional plaster copies. These were often sold to artists, and later in the century to art colleges for study purposes.