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Glossary: Terms and topics in this section

Anna Coleman Ladd and Francis Derwent Wood

A number of artists were associated with the production of facial prostheses for servicemen whose injuries were so severe that they required partial masks to give the appearance of a ‘complete face’.

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HMS Warspite

One of Royal Navy’s most famous ships of the Twentieth Century, HMS Warspite served with distinction in both world wars. The Queen Elizabeth class super dreadnoughts marked the climax of the naval race between Britain and Germany since the launch of HMS Dreadnought in 1905. Mounting eight 15 inch/381mm guns, the Queen Elizabeths were the first oil-fired British battleships capable of a speed of 23 knots. They possessed an almost perfect combination of gun power, armour protection and speed. At the Battle of Jutland in 1916, Warspite was hit 13 times after her steering gear jammed and she circled in front of the German fleet. Thanks to her excellent construction damage was not severe. more...

Lost wax casting

Depending on the final form of an object and the type of metal or glass to be cast, the lost wax casting process has numerous variations and refinements. In its simplest form, a wax model of the object to be cast is produced and is invested in a mould that is usually made of a plaster type mix. Depending on the material to be cast, this mix recipe will differ. A wax extension is left protruding from the top of the mould, usually in the form of an upturned cone shape. The whole mould is then turned upside down and placed in a burn-out kiln where the mould is heated until the wax model inside melts and runs out of the extension and cone; hence the wax is ‘lost’. Whilst still hot, the mould is removed from the kiln, packed in wet sand (in case the mould cracks) and the molten metal or glass is poured into the cavity left by the wax via the cone and extension cavity in the top of the mould. Once the molten material has cooled, the mould is smashed from the cast at which point the sculpture can be cleaned and dressed as required.