The Mask of Greatness

Peter Malone associates death masks with faded glory' and teams them with busts and architectural mouldings to great effect in his home

- HANNAH NEWTON

Peter Malone's fascination with death masks began at the tender age of six, when he found himself face to face with Oliver Cromwell's death mask at Southampton's Bargate Museum.

The deep crags and crevices of the Lord. Protector's face made a lasting impression on Peter, inspiring him to build the collection that now fills the walls of his Georgian home in Bath, which he shares with his wife, Helen. The couple met at art school, where Peter studied illustration (his work includes Christmas stamps for the Royal Mail, children's books and illustrations in The New Yorker). Helen has since moved into conservation and is now a senior conservator at a national museum in London.

The practice of making death masks can be traced back to Ancient Egypt, and plaster moulds of the dead continued to be made throughout the 1800s, their popularity gradually waning in the early 20th century. Peter is particularly fascinated by casts of 'dignitaries and worthies', and likens his search for them as being a bit like big game hunting'. He talks of how his obsession has led him all over Europe - from the depths of Parisian flea markets to museums and libraries - on the trail of specific faces, and to research their history. Helen adds that her husband doesn't see 'wear or tear, he sees faded glory'.