Composition Mould

MediumCementitious material

DimensionsImpression: 3 13/16" (L) x 2 1/2" (W) x 1/2" (D) at the top edge. Overall: 6" (L) x 3 1/2" (W) x 1 1/16" (T).

Credit LineGift of Mr. & Mrs. Elias Nassim

Object numberAF-X2023.2657

DescriptionIt is a cementitious mold of an acanthus leaf. It is a whole leaf with a central stem without a tip. On each side of the central stem are two complete leaf segments with three pointed tips in each segment.Label TextThis antique composition mould represents a trade that was practiced in Virginia during the Revolutionary period and into the 19th century. It depicts a common design found in upper class homes and public buildings. Composition was a substitute for more laboriously produced ornamental plaster and carved wood and stone.

It is thought that the Adam brothers (Robert Adam 1728-1792) and John Adam (1721-1792)) played a major role in the initial manufacture of composition ornament on a grand scale. The Adam style demanded a large amount of delicate low-relief ornament. These moulds are for the production of such ornament in plaster, or in composition, usually a combination of whiting, glue, rosin and oil. The finished ornament was used on furniture and other objects as well as in the decoration of rooms.