The Art and the Bronze

Birth of "Fantasies" sculpture in bronze by Jean-Paul FLOCH

The bronze has been worked since 2000 BC. It is one of the most resistant materials and is produced by combining copper and tin. The corrosion does not affect this alloy which keeps all its initial qualities, freshness and vivacity over the millenniums. The bronze ensure that the pieces will last in time despite everything. And for the client, the bronze is an investment which will defy the toll of the years. It is surprising to see how the production of the sculptures has remained practically unchanged till today despite the progress of the civilization.

Initial sculpture:

The original material is clay. The piece is modelled by expert hands, since the artist works on the human body for 30 years! The initial sculpture is made of clay and after it is modelled in plaster. Jean-Paul FLOCH finishes all his sculptures in plaster in order to achieve a well-finished product and reproduce with great precision the smoothness of the skin.

Once the sculpture is finished, it is sent to the foundry.

Molding:

The foundry creates an initial elastomer molding from the original sculpture made by the artist.
This is a delicate operation which demands excellent manual skills as well as a great deal of experience in order to respect the original spirit of the piece. The last wax technique, also called "à la cire perdue" will be used to obtain the highest fineness and to respect the smallest details. The elastomer molding makes possible to obtain an empty wax which has the very same aspect than the original model. Later, the foundry workers will plate the waxed piece with a layer made by the successive coats of ceramic. This is the process for obtaining the cast which will receive the tapping.

Bronze tapping:

This is the most spectacular part of the work done by the foundry workers. The molten bronze is distributed inside the fireproof cast after its firing using the gravity effect. The bronze is heated up to 1300ºC. After removing a thin layer which forms on the surface, the metal is placed inside the melting pot and then it is casted into the cast. A combination of experience and savoir-faire is essential to guarantee the quality of this task.

Bronze engraving:

The engraving task takes several hours of work and a professional with excellent skills. This activity will provide to the final piece a polishing and it will highlight the smallest detail.
The engraving task is an artistic trade which requires at least 3 years of training. The engraving is done with a burin. Some engravers use up to 300 burins or gravers which they have designed by their own.

Patina :

The patina gives to bronze its particular aspect.
The workshop of the professional who applies the patina looks like a chemist laboratory.
The application is made with a paintbrush.
Lastly, the desired patina is obtained. This is the last step of the work. By applying some hot products, the piece reaches its final colour. In this case, such as in the previous tasks, the artist is always welcome. The artist and the foundry workers decide the final aspect of the piece.
The colour of the patina may be also chosen by the client, depending on the final location of the piece.

Once the bronze sculpture is finished:

A bronze sculpture is always an extraordinary piece. The sculptures’ works are always produced in limited series and they are numbered from 0 to 8. Because of the manual tasks performed, there will never be two identical pieces. A bronze sculpture is always a unique piece. Besides, it is rewarding to own and be able to contemplate a piece made by a famous sculptor. It is an excellent and everlasting investment!