Composition Mould
OriginEngland or America
MediumWood
DimensionsBase = 11" (L) x 4 3/8" (W) x 3/8" (T); Main leaf = 7 3/4" (L) x 3 1/4" (W) x 7/16" (D); Leaf tip = 2 3/8" (L) x 1 1/4" (W) x 3/8" (D)
Credit LineGift of Mr. & Mrs. Elias Nassim
Object numberAF-X2023.3073
DescriptionIt is a wood carving of a full acanthus leaf (with 8 individual lobes separated by the center stem) and a separate ovoid furled leaf tip (carved into 7 segments) that goes at the top of the leaf.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.
