Composition Mould
OriginEngland or America
MediumCementitious material; Paint/Stain
DimensionsMold: 4 1/2" (L) x 3 7/8" (W) x 15/16" (T).
Credit LineGift of Mr. & Mrs. Elias Nassim
Object numberAF-X2023.3419
DescriptionIt is a cementitious mould that is painted/stained. It is a profile of a woman (from the chest up) with a roman hairstyle secured with a fillet. The impression is repousse made with a form and there are 6 cut edges of the form around her head. She is looking to the right and her hair is caught up in a bun at the back.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.
