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Archival description
*Not available / given The Glasgow School of Art Teaching materials
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Plaster Casts

  • PC
  • Collection
  • 19th century-20th century

Collection of plaster casts comprising human figures, architectural fragments, plaster friezes, plaster reliefs, marble reliefs, tondos and busts.

Casts were used as an important teaching aid by the School, from the late 19th century onwards. The casts are generally based on classical statuary and were originally sourced from Greek, Roman and later Italian and medieval periods. Whilst not totally unique (most art schools in the UK and across Europe owned their own collections, purchased from established suppliers in London, Paris etc.), their continued existence within their original setting gives them an added significance. Importantly, the Glasgow School of Art's photographic archive contains many period images of how these casts have been used by staff and students since they were first introduced.

The majority of GSA's plaster cast collection was located in the School's Mackintosh Building at the time of a fire in the building on 23rd May 2014. As a result the majority of the collection suffered damage, of varying degrees, and all casts were subsequently surveyed by a conservator. Six casts were lost in the fire and eleven larger casts have undergone remedial conservation in 2016-17. The majority of the remaining casts have undergone cleaning before being repositioned around GSA's campus during 2019.

*Not available / given

Ship block printing display case

Wooden display case showing process of wood and linoleum block printing, featuring ship design. Loose paper GSA label once attached to back of case with writing "Design. B-Block Printing". Due to information in archival documentation, display case can be dated pre-1943. This item was damaged in the fire in GSA's Mackintosh Building on 23rd May 2014 and was conserved in 2018.

*Not available / given

Enamel display case

Display case showing techniques of enamelling, step by step examples, and materials used. Due to information in archival documentation, display case can be dated pre-1943. This item was damaged in the fire in GSA's Mackintosh Building on 23rd May 2014 and was conserved in 2018.

*Not available / given

Etching display case

Display case showing process of etching and materials used. Back of display case has GSA label with writing "Etching B, 19.1.58". Due to information in archival documentation, display case can be dated pre-1943. This item was damaged in the fire in GSA's Mackintosh Building on 23rd May 2014 and was conserved in 2018.

*Not available / given