Caryatids

Very elegant ladies in the Montpellier shopping district of Cheltenham, 32 in all, dating from 1870. Cheltenham's caryatids were sculptured by Rossi and used as patterns for the remainder.

Rossi won prizes at the RA, worked for Coade of Coade Stone fame, developed an artificial stone of his own and produced caryatids in St Pancras Church in London. He worked on royal portraits and major monuments in St Paul's but died poor - 2 marriages and 16 children might have had something to do with it! Oh yes!! 16 children - feeling faint already!