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(Above photo - Italian Bronze Nude Female Harp Player Classical Art )
Bronze is a popular material for making sculptures, especially those intended to withstand the ravages of outdoor weather. A typical bronze sculpture is a 3D piece of art produced by casting molten bronze in a mould. The artist then leaves the bronze to solidify to form the sculpture.
By definition, bronze is a metal composed of 88 per cent copper and 12 per cent tin. The two metals are heated together before being allowed to cool. Bronzes from the past might have had a different copper-to-tin ratio or even been made from brass, a copper-zinc alloy.
(Above photo - Anatomical Study Flayed Male Bronze Statue after Houdon L corche Casting )
Sculptors prefer bronze because it is a hard, malleable metal that doesn't break easily. It is easy to cast and produces greater detail and consistency when it cools down. During solidification, bronze expands slightly, making it possible to capture every detail in the mould.
Besides, it is possible to reuse the mould, depending on how it's made. Therefore, it's possible to reproduce bronze sculptures.
Finally, artists love bronze because of its rich colouring. When exposed to the elements, it develops a protective patina over time. That's why older bronze pieces look intense.
(Above photo - Bronze Stags Signed Moigniez Pair Stag Moose Elk Statues )
The primary method of making bronze sculptures is casting in a mould. Bronze moulds could be produced in a foundry before being used to launch a sculpture. The sculptures are primarily created using lost-wax casting or investment casting. It uses wax moulds, which ensure the transfer of fine details to the statue.
Early forms of lost-wax casting involved a model in wax and creating a mould around it. The wax then melted and poured into the mould to create a hunk of bronze. Given the bronze sets, it can be challenging to use this method to make large pieces.
Therefore, the best way to make more giant bronze sculptures is using the hollow lost-wax casting method. It may involve a clay model coated in wax and put in a mould. Thus, the original clay model gets lost in the process. A sculptor may also use a method that preserves the original clay model. Whichever method one picks, it is possible to make a sculpture in pieces or whole.
Large bronze sculptures require the artist to make separate parts before bringing them together. It may also involve creating more miniature figurines and slowly scaling them up until they end up with a life-size bronze sculpture.
(Above photo - Art Deco Bronze Snaker Charmer Statue by Colinet )
Once a sculpture is ready, it must be finished. A sculptor must have the surface chased to make it smooth. Any imperfections, including air bubbles and filled up. After that, the sculptor patinates or applies varnish to the bronze. Alternatively, the sculptor could use a mixture of acid and wax for a rich hue.
Patination is essential because it helps the sculptor choose the bronze's colour. Applying patina to specific elements or details of the sculpture helps emphasize fine details. Alternatively, a bronze sculpture should get silvered or gilded. It all depends on what the sculptor wishes to achieve.
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With its ability to capture fine, intricate details, and the strength and malleability to allow outstretched limbs, it&#;s no surprise that bronze has historically been the most popular medium for sculpture over the centuries. Since its discovery during the Bronze Age (between BC and BC), bronze has been used for everything from detailed funerary objects in ancient China and large-scale equestrian monuments of emperors in Ancient Rome to small statuettes of mythological scenes during the Renaissance and delicate figurines of animals during the Art Deco period. Today, these small bronze sculptures and decorative pieces captivate art lovers and entice collectors. But how can a collector tell if one is authentic?
Bronze is a type of metal used to cast sculptures. Consisting of mostly copper (around 90%) and tin (about 10%), this metal alloy creates desirable properties for the artist, including strength and machinability (or how easily a metal can be cut or filed).
Bronze sculptures can be made using a variety of techniques, including the popular lost-wax method, sand-casting, and centrifugal casting. The basic principle for each is creating a type of mold that holds the form of the future statue and then introducing the molten bronze.
The newly created statue is then cooled, filed, and polished to a desired state of finish before it&#;s given a patina, a type of chemical coloring that yields a distinct hue.
A lesser quality type of sculpture would be created with bonded bronze, also known as cold-cast bronze. This type of &#;bronze&#; is created from polyester, epoxy, and resin. Bronze powder and paint are then applied to the surface of the cast sculpture to give it the look of a real bronze sculpture. It&#;s important to note that these are not considered real bronze sculptures.
Between the 16th and 18th centuries, bronze statuettes and figurines from Florence, Italy, were highly desired. While typically sought after for their red-gold lacquered appearance, patrons also loved the mythological characters.
From the House of Valois in the mid-s until the end of the monarchy in during the French Revolution, small bronze statuary was popular with the aristocracy. They desired petit copies of famous popular sculptures for their personal collections. The subject matter varied from classical myths to contemporary French performing arts, like opera, ballet, and theater.
In the s, delicate slender figurines of the female form and a variety of equally lean animals like greyhounds, cats, peacocks, and gazelles became extraordinarily popular. The desire was always for symmetry and simplistic lines that were grounded in geometric forms which were pleasing to the eye.
True authentic bronze sculptures will have been created during the artist&#;s lifetime (and with some exceptions their estate as well), made from the original mold or maquettes. They&#;re also usually limited in number or unique as dictated by the artist.
Ideally, the work you already own or are interested in purchasing will have a detailed provenance from a respected dealer or auction house, itemizing all the owners of the work stretching back to the artist.
There Are A Few Ways To Test If Your Sculpture Is Truly Made Of Bronze.
One of the most popular metals used to imitate bronze in sculpture is cast iron, as it&#;s more affordable. The easiest way to distinguish between the two is to take a small magnet and hold it up to the statue. If it sticks, there&#;s a high probability that the metal used is cast iron and not bronze, as bronze has very low magnetic properties and iron has very strong properties.
At the end of the 19th century, a more economical metal alloy called regulus was developed. It consisted of tin and antimony but no copper. At first glance, regulus and bronze may appear indistinguishable, but a simple scratch test can reveal your sculpture&#;s true identity. Take a metallic object like a dull knife and gently scratch a small, discrete area of the sculpture. If the area appears yellow, it&#;s likely bronze, but if it appears more white, then you might have a statue made of regulus.
If you tap bronze with another object, the bronze object should ring for a few seconds before fading away, similar to a bell. Whereas a faux-bronze sculpture will generate a dull sound with no reverberations.
The majority of the tips shared in this article offer just enough knowledge of bronze to help you differentiate mass-produced reproductions from real bronze sculptures and figurines. If you are buying or selling, it is always advisable to consult an expert appraiser. High-quality fakes and forgeries are extremely difficult to detect. That&#;s why it&#;s best to consult an expert appraiser at a reputable auction house with highly trained professionals and appraisers like Joshua Kodner.
Joshua Kodner regularly hosts both in-person and online auctions. To participate, simply attend one of our scheduled auctions in Dania Beach, Florida, or place a bid online from the comfort of your home. You can trust that every art object is genuine and authenticated by our staff.
To read about the latest trends and news in the art market, be sure to read our other blog posts.
Contact us to discuss your requirements of Wrought Copper Sculpture. Our experienced sales team can help you identify the options that best suit your needs.