Victorian Intaglios in Plaster

The Devon and Exeter Institution holds a wonderful collection of eleven magnificent Victorian Intaglios in plaster.

Intaglios were originally used as seals, these carvings or cuttings are moulded out of white plaster, marble dust or wax. The original 19th-century intaglios were also made from wood or stone. Designs usually depict ancient scenes from Greece or Italy. They were also collected as souvenirs from European Grand Tours in 1830.The Grand Tour was the traditional trip of Europe undertaken by the upper-class.