Coade stone vestal
Coade Stone, England, 1802
Stamped Coade & Seally Lambeth 1802
Eleanor Coade (1733–1821) was a visionary entrepreneur and one of the few women to achieve lasting success in the male-dominated world of 18th-century sculpture and architectural ornament. In 1769, she perfected a secret formula for an artificial stone—now known as Coade stone—remarkable for its durability, crispness of detail, and resistance to weathering. From her Lambeth manufactory, she oversaw the production of statuary, garden ornaments, and architectural elements for many of Britain’s leading architects and designers, including Robert Adam, John Soane, and John Bacon. Today, her work survives in some of the finest English country houses and royal palaces
Vestal Virgins were priestesses of Vesta, goddess of the hearth,
in ancient Rome. Chosen as young girls, they lived under strict
vows of chastity and tended the eternal flame in the Temple of
Vesta—believed to ensure Rome’s safety and continuity.
Their role conferred great honour and rare independence,
including legal privileges typically denied to women. Vestals
symbolised purity, devotion, and civic duty, making them potent
emblems of idealised femininity in neoclassical art.
In sculpture, they are typically shown with calm composure and
veiled drapery, echoing their sacred and secluded lives at the
heart of Roman religious tradition.
Stamped Coade & Seally Lambeth 1802
Eleanor Coade (1733–1821) was a visionary entrepreneur and one of the few women to achieve lasting success in the male-dominated world of 18th-century sculpture and architectural ornament. In 1769, she perfected a secret formula for an artificial stone—now known as Coade stone—remarkable for its durability, crispness of detail, and resistance to weathering. From her Lambeth manufactory, she oversaw the production of statuary, garden ornaments, and architectural elements for many of Britain’s leading architects and designers, including Robert Adam, John Soane, and John Bacon. Today, her work survives in some of the finest English country houses and royal palaces
Vestal Virgins were priestesses of Vesta, goddess of the hearth,
in ancient Rome. Chosen as young girls, they lived under strict
vows of chastity and tended the eternal flame in the Temple of
Vesta—believed to ensure Rome’s safety and continuity.
Their role conferred great honour and rare independence,
including legal privileges typically denied to women. Vestals
symbolised purity, devotion, and civic duty, making them potent
emblems of idealised femininity in neoclassical art.
In sculpture, they are typically shown with calm composure and
veiled drapery, echoing their sacred and secluded lives at the
heart of Roman religious tradition.
£ 18,450.00