The V&A cast collection
The collecting of plaster casts reached the height of its popularity in the mid to late 19th century. The V&A was a…
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David's fig leaf, perhaps by D. Brucciani & Co., about 1857
In 1857 a plaster cast of Michelangelo’s ‘David’ was presented by the Grand Duke of Tuscany to Queen Victoria, who …
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Auguste Rodin working methods
Rodin's working methods combined a passionate response to the human body, and a delight in free, spontaneous drawin…
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Plaster & plaster casts: materiality and practice - Conference report
Report for 'Plaster and Plaster Casts: Materiality and Practice' held at the Sckler Centre 12-13 March 2010.…
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The history of the Cast Courts
This essay, written by Malcolm Baker, was part of a masterpiece series that focussed on various collections in the …
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Behind the scenes: Inside the plaster casts of Trajan's Column
The cast of Trajan's Column taken from the original 1st century AD monument, represents sculpture from the earliest…
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Sand cast aluminium
During the RCA/V&A Conservation Course, I wrote a Materials and Techniques essay on Metal Casting. As research, I spent three days in Taylor's Foundry.
The Gloucester Candlestick: manufacture & decoration
The ‘Gloucester candlestick’, dating from 1104–13, belonged to the Church of St Peter in Gloucester (now Gloucester Cathedral). As metalwork was commonly melted down and reused, the survival of this candlestick is both remarkable and significant, showcasing techniques and craftsmanship in the Romanesque style which might otherwise have been lost. The candlstick was cast in three parts using the lost wax method. The Gloucester Candlestick is decorated with a menagerie of real and fantastic creatures. Winged dragons support the drip pan, apes clamber along the stem and hybrid animals bite, grab and pull for position among foliage and flowers along the base.
'The Laughing Child' & 'The Crying Child', after François Roubiliac, about 1750
Pairs of the Laughing and Crying Child in bronze are highly unusual .This pair is almost certainly British, and probably dates from about 1750. The most likely author of the heads is the French sculptor Louis François Roubiliac (1702-62).
A gift in your will
You may not have thought of including a gift to a museum in your will, but the V&A is a charity and legacies form an important source of funding for our work. It is not just the great collectors and the wealthy who leave legacies to the V&A. Legacies of all sizes, large and small, make a real difference to what we can do and your support can help ensure that future generations enjoy the V&A as much as you have.
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Strongman's Plasters
Set of 30 assorted, latex free childrens plasters in a handy fun printed metal tin
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