Decorative Plasterwork in Great Britain

Citation

(2011), "Decorative Plasterwork in Great Britain", Structural Survey, Vol. 29 No. 3. https://doi.org/10.1108/ss.2011.11029caa.020

Decorative Plasterwork in Great Britain

Article Type: Recent publications From: Structural Survey, Volume 29, Issue 3

This pioneering and scholarly study of decorative plasterwork now reprinted by Donhead was first published in 1975. With its meticulous listing of over 300 plasterers it represented an immense step forward in its presentation of the art and craft of the plasterer. Geoffrey Beard unearthed large quantities of buried evidence relating to individual craftsmen; a survey that had never been undertaken in such detail before. In his extensive new Introduction, Richard Ireland discusses the influence of this book on the restoration of Uppark House and how both the documentary research and resulting practical on site experience has considerably improved our understanding of how this material was composed and used. He states that it has “led to an increased awareness of the value of a holistic approach and resulted in a more sympathetic and appropriate treatment across all aspects of the manner of conservation and restoration of historic plasterwork.” The introduction is extremely valuable in its own right for providing an account of the materials and methods that have been investigated and applied in the intervening years since this publication appeared. While for plasterwork professionals and historians this book is a real gem, it will also be of interest to everyone who delights in this fascinating art form. The book is priced at £38.00 in hardback (ISBN 978 1 873394 91 5) and is available direct from www.donhead.com