Architectural molding fragment from Charleston, South Carolina

Source catalog description

This description refers to material held by Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. Visual details below describe the original material.

A molding fragment from Charleston, South Carolina. The fragment is from a horizontal architectural element of a building. The fragment’s body is composed of two layers: light brown aggregate filler layer at the back and a white cementitious material towards the decorative surface. The decorative surface is a plaster washed with paints that are beige, gray, and brown tones. There is a small patch of reddish brown hair embedded in a corner of the filler layer on the back of the fragment. The fragment’s profile is thin at the top and bottom and widens at the top center. At the top is small cavetto above a deep step formed with cymba reversa moldings on either side. The fragment terminates at the bottom with a medium and small cavetto moldings.

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