William de Morgan Polychrome Tile Panel with Cupid and Faun

• Lead Statuary and Objects - Lead is a soft, heavy, with a low melting point, making it suitable for detailed moulding. Because of its durability and resistance to corrosion it is suitable for outdoor applications, which has led to its extensive use in garden statues and objects since Roman times.
  
  It develops a silver-grey to lead-grey patina over time.
  
  For garden statuary and objects, it is also a less expensive material to use, than bronze or stone.
  
  However its softness is also a disadvantage as garden statuary made from lead is easily damaged, especially if moulded as a hollow, as for example, in a human or animal form.
• Polychrome - Made or finished in many colours. For furniture, it is used to indicated a painted finish.
• Cupid Motif - The Cupid motif, which features the Roman god of love and desire, Cupid, was a popular decorative element in classical ornamentation. Cupid was often depicted as a winged, naked baby with a bow and arrow, and was often used to symbolize love and desire.
  
  In classical art and architecture, Cupid motifs were often used as decorative elements on furniture, such as on the legs of chairs and tables, as well as on architectural elements such as friezes and pediments. They were also used as decorative elements in frescoes, mosaics, and other forms of art.
  
  During the Renaissance, Cupid motifs were often incorporated into the decoration of palaces, churches and other grand buildings, as they were seen as symbols of love and fertility. Cupid motifs were also commonly used in the decorative arts of the Baroque period, often appearing in the form of putti, which are small winged cherub figures.
  
  In addition to their decorative use, Cupid motifs were also believed to hold symbolic meaning, as they were thought to evoke feelings of love, desire, and fertility.

This item has been included into following indexes:

• tiles - other makers 149