Bronze Ormolu
Bronze Sculpture Has a Long and Proud History
Bronze sculpture has been around for a long time. Besides bronzes longevity, artists particularly like this type of metal because it slightly expands before it sets. This allows the artist to apply the finest details to the piece. Bronze is not brittle and is very strong and ductile. This ductility contributes greatly to works that depict motion, especially in animals or humans.
One famous bronze artwork is the statue of Richard the Lion Heart. It is one of the few survivors of ancient art. Many others have been destroyed and melted down for making weapons of war. Interestingly, the material was sometimes used to actually sculpt scenes of the victors. There's just nothing like a bronze sculpture of yourself to say, "Hey, look at me. I kicked some B."
The Greek society was the first to use bronze to make life size statues. Unfortunately, there are only a few pieces that have stood the test of time. In other places in the world, like Egypt, one can find small, ancient, bronze figurines in the shapes of pharaohs, soldiers, beauty queens and other relics. The metal is very durable, and such a long history of surviving pieces is a real testament to the value of using bronze in sculpturing figures.
Modern artisans use a variety of methods to keep this art form alive and well. It requires highly skilled artists to work with bronze, and there are a number of discrete casting processes that have to be mastered, such as sand casting and centrifugal casting. When artists plan to create a large bronze sculpture, they usually create a miniature example of what they plan to create first. They also use a large number of measuring devices to scale the dimensions of a piece accurately, and to try to keep the weight as light as possible.
One method artists use to create a bronze sculpture bronze sculpture is the lost-wax method. It is an older method, but still commonly used by artists today. They sculpt the original piece in wax, wood or clay, then spend hours or even days perfecting the desired shape of the artwork. The waxed piece is then dipped in ceramic, then dipped in fine sand giving the detail. It is then dipped in coarser sand which will give strength to the piece. This process is repeated until the coating reaches one quarter of an inch in thickness. The artwork is heated to one thousand five hundred degrees Fahrenheit to melt the wax and set the ceramic mold. Molten bronze is then poured into the mold. Once this process is completed, the patina is applied for the perfect color. Sometimes ormolu is also used to coat the statue to display a gold finish. This method was borrowed from the eighteenth century French art form that was used in garnitures and clocks.
Last, but not least, a certificate containing information of the weight and size of the bronze sculpture is often issued. This is done to eliminate duplication. Pieces may also be numbered to identify them as part of a series. If you ever get a chance to see a bronze sculpture being created, be sure to take the time to check it out. It's a process with a long and proud history, and one that is worth witnessing.
About the Author
Bronze sculpture has a long history, from ancient times through popular use today. To see some wonderful examples of modern bronze sculpture, visit an online art gallery.
Very Large Rococo Boulle & Ormolu Bracket Clock complete with original bracket.
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