Works of Art Exhibited at Marlborough House, 1854: Bas-Relief by Maclise in Fictile Ivory

Photograph of a semi-circular model representing the first stage, infancy, of 'The Seven Ages of Man', a reference to Jacque's speech in 'As You Like It' by William Shakespeare (1564-1616). A rose climber frames the scene. At the centre of the sculpture is a woman standing and holding a small child with both arms. On the left, a woman kneels next next to a cradle and offers a rattle to the child, held by the other woman. On the right, a man sits on a bench, facing left. There is a tankard on table behind him.

As indicated by the title, the sculpture is made of fictile ivory. Fictile ivories are casts of objects made from ivory. The casts are usually made from Plaster of Paris. Fictile means something that can be, or is, moulded, and is pliable or flexible. The relief was displayed at Marlborough House in 1854. Various Objects d'Art were displayed at Marlborough House until a new museum was built in 1857 at Exhibition Road in Kensington, named the Victoria and Albert Museum.