Art foundry “the Cyclops”:
L’atelier Lionel Fernandes make use of their services for the realization of ornamental bronzes or for the restoration of art objects. it is my great pleasure to introduce this art foundry.
What is a foundry of art? it allows the creation of art ornamental bronze, sculptures or art objects, by molding the metal. The created objects are diverse and varied: jewels, sculptures, door hardware and locks, lamps, ornamental bronze for fine furniture…etc. Five specialties are involved in the art foundry: mold, bronze smelt, chiseling, patina, and basing. Realization of sculptural work results from a close collaboration between the sculptor and every specialist in the foundry.
Supplemental information:
The bronze is a metal alloy composed of copper (85%), tin (12%) and lead (3%). This metal is both moldable and resistant to corrosion.
There are three main techniques of bronze object realization:
– Mold casting: this technique use a mold in stone, plaster or terracotta in order to extract objects with symmetric shape.
– Sand casting: this technique allows to stamp the original item in a mixture of fine sand and clay. The mold so created is dried in a steam room and prepared to receive the molten metal. The mold is then broken to uncover the art piece. This technique only allows to realize a single copy.
– Lost wax casting: This technique is the most common method for the reproduction of objects with complex shapes. In this case, the original model is directly created by the sculptor, in wax. This method allows to create one unique bronze sculpture with a high degree of accuracy.
The art of the founder rely on the good dosage between the different materials and the control of thermal treatments. When the bronze is cooled, the mold is broken to extract the art object. Then, the bronze-smelter deburr the piece to remove the roughness of the surface. The patina allows the interplay of light, shadow and colors. It is elaborated by a technician, with the indications of the sculptor. The application of products on the bronze creates a unique patina that give to the art object its colors, reflections and effects.