A HUGE cake sculpture is being celebrated by Portuguese artist Joana Vasconcelos and is set to open at the Waddesdon estate this summer.

The fully immersive Wedding Cake sculpture measures 12 metres in height and comprises three tiers.

Clad with ceramic tiles, Vasconcelos' work celebrates festivity and marriage and is her most ambitious commission to date, described by the artist as “a temple to love”.

Commissioned by the Rothschild Foundation, the major project is inspired by the highly decorative ceramic traditions of Lisbon, where the artist lives and works, and is set to occupy a prime position in an idyllic grove of trees alongside the 19th-century Dairy, built by Baron Ferdinand de Rothschild.

The installation is emblematic of Vasconcelos’ practice, in which she manipulates scale to dramatic effect and combines materials that reflect international influences on Portuguese culture over centuries, from Chinese and Japanese ceramics to Brazilian carnival.

The Viúva Lamego manufactory, which has been in operation in Sintra for 170 years, was commissioned to supply the ceramics for the project.

Their standard 14 x 14 cm tiles determined the size of the overall structure of the work, with its 11-metre diameter being the smallest circle that can be made with whole tiles.

This combination of materials and exploration of scale and technique is a perfect fit for the Waddesdon estate, famous for its ceramics and traditional entertaining artefacts.

This includes the ornaments of the house, designed to complement the opulent collections inside and the carefully landscaped gardens, with its fancy buildings in the grounds such as the Dairy, Flint House, and the Aviary.

Pippa Shirley, director of Waddesdon, said: "Waddesdon was built to entertain, so what better way to mark the continuity today of that spirit of hospitality, artistic creativity and Rothschild family patronage than through the commission of this magical object, an emblem of love and celebration. Projects like this require a leap of faith from both artist and patron, and we are proud to have been a partner in this innovative work.”

Visitors are invited to look at the work from the outside and enjoy the surroundings from the different levels or balconies and rise to the top, completing the artwork with their presence.

Lord Rothschild added: “We are delighted to be collaborating again with Joana Vasconcelos, whose work is already magnificently represented at Waddesdon by her giant candlesticks, Lafite.

"The vision, imagination and ambition exemplified in the Wedding Cake is a perfect match for the passion which drove Baron Ferdinand, the creator of Waddesdon, to build the Manor and the Dairy, where he intended that his many friends would be surprised and delighted at every turn.

"I am sure that the Wedding Cake will have just as great an impact on visitors and wedding guests today."