Plaster Death Mask (Oliver Cromwell) 

Grey/brown plaster death mask of Oliver Cromwell with some patches of missing paint, facing the camera. Scale located to the right of the face.

Identification

  • Object Type: Plaster death mask 
  • Date: Unknown, came from a collection around early-mid 1800’s
  • Origin: Unknown, likely England
  • Owner: The McManus Museum, Dundee
  • Maker: Unknown
  • Measurements: 
    • Length: 24 cm
    • Width: 18 cm
    • Depth of plaster: 1 – 2.6 cm
    • Weight: 1.272 kg.
  • Materials: Plaster, paint, textile (thread, fibre)

Summary

A collection of plaster casts came to Albert institute from Watt institute sometime around 1824-1849. Watt institute had accepted casts as payment previously from Dundee phrenological society. Phrenological societies and their members would collect life and death masks, skulls and skull casts from individuals from across society in order to display material that confirmed their theory. 

Believed to be Cromwell based on other existing death masks of him; however, the McManus (owners of this object) have not identified the individual this has been made of. Cromwell died in London, 1658. After death, a body would have been embalmed, and then a wax mould would have been made immediately after that. That wax mould could then be used multiple times to create a plaster cast of the deceased’s face. 

Behind the scenes

Grey/brown plaster death mask of Oliver Cromwell with some patches of missing paint, facing the camera. Scale located to the right of the face.
Front of death mask prior to conservation treatment.
Back of the death mask of Oliver Cromwell. It is hollow, with the grey/brown paint around the edges, no paint on the inside.
Back of death mask prior to conservation treatment.

The conservator that treated this object is Holly, click on the profile to learn more.

Note: All images were taken by the conservator unless stated otherwise.

Holly, a white person in their early twenties with shoulder length red hair. She is looking to her right with a slight smile and wearing a grey button up with golden paisley designs. The photo is in black and white.

Related Objects

Click on the image to learn more.

Phrenology Collection

Front view of the plaster death mask - removed non-original yellow ochre pigment applied previously to unify the surface. Visible loses to original surface coating and exposed restored area on the right side of the figure's face. Colour and scale reference card included.
Death Mask
(Front view) Object prior to conservation treatment. Plaster cast bust of a girl with phrenological markings on the side of the cranial (on the right side of the image). The surface is painted a dark yellow brown, some of the white plaster is visible in areas of damage. Paper label attached with string around the neck reading “Dr Elliotson’s Daughters”.
Phrenology Bust of a Girl
Front view of human skull cast prior to conservation. White bloom can be seen over the surface of cast, and the surface is discoloured to a dark brown colour. The skull sits next to a paper scale.
Plaster Cast Skull