The Sculpture Process – Rodin Museum Paris
The Thinker
On a current working visit to Paris Tim Mooney visited the Rodin Museum and Gardens and recorded the Museum’s interesting display and commentary on the process and stages involved in traditional sculpture.
The following photos are taken through glass thus the somewhat inferior quality.
This translation from French is exactly as it appears in English on mounted cards in front of each stage example.
The first pic shows the entire display. Individual close ups and commentary follow.
The glass showcase in the Rodin Museum showing the sculptor's steps.
The sculptor produces a model generally in plaster
After covering the model with a protective layer the Founder produces a cast using a flexible membrane made rigid by an external case.
The mould is used to produce the first copy of the model in fireclay which forms the core of the work in bronze. The core is fitted with iron rods in order to hold it in place in the mould.
The surface of the mould is scratched (drawing thickness) in order to create a free space between it and the first mould which will be filled by the wax then afterwards by the bronze.
The molten wax is poured into the mould containing the fireclay core until the free space is filled. This produces a copy consisting of the fireclay core covered with a coating of wax the thickness of which corresponds to the thickness of the future bronze. This copy is then retouched by hand. The signature of the artist, the number of the copy and the foundry name are engraved.
Creation of a network of wax channels (feed system) intended to evacuate the wax (wax tap) and the air (vents) and the input routing system for the molten metal pouring (stream).
Production of a second mould, the casting mould, by coating the copy in wax and fireclay (chamotte) . When this solidifies the mould is heated in order to evacuate the wax it contains and the core is held in place by metal rods.
The casting mould is covered with an external coating consisting of refractory cement and chamotte. Drying follows by baking just before casting removes any trace of humidity.
The mould is heated to high temperatures before receiving the molten bronze casting 1200 degrees which fills the space left empty by the wax. When the metal cools the mould is broken and the exact reproduction of the wax model appears.
The network of feed channels is cut off, the refractory core is extracted and the operations of engravings and finishings are carried out on the surface of the bronze. The work is finished and all that remains to be produced is the patina through oxidisation of the surface.
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