Bronze Sculpture

Figures A, B and C--You wouldn't know it by some of these figures, but bronze statues are an art form that dates back more than 6,000 years. Shidoni, the foundry that produces these statues, takes pride in doing things not the old-fashioned way, but the ancient way. The process starts with the artist's original artwork, which is made from wood, clay, stone or other metals.

It may surprise you to know that the process starts with rubber and wax. An original figure is covered in rubber to create a mold. When the mold dries, hot wax is painted on the inside, which gets it into every nook and cranny. Once the rubber is removed, the wax will be used to create the mold into which the bronze will ultimately be poured.

A ceramic mold is what actually contains the bronze. A slurry vat is utilized to create the many ceramic layers that comprise the final mold. The wax and ceramic coating are subjected to a large furnace, where the wax melts and runs out of the ceramic, thereby coining the term lost-wax method. Bronze is heated to nearly 2,000 degrees, poured into the ceramic, then cooled. Some welding, sandblasting and chemical treatments (to change colors) finish the time-tested process.