Ancient bronze statuary provides a sense of immediacy, a window directly back to the classical world. The wistful expression of a young Roman woman, the fixed jaw of a politician, and the tensed muscles of a Greek athlete appear startlingly lifelike, transfixing the viewer with their striking realism. Incredibly durable yet frequently destroyed for their valuable materials, ancient bronzes are comparatively rare discoveries. This book, richly illustrated with works from the J. Paul Getty Museum and other important collections, provides an engaging overview of classical bronzes. Enduring Bronze considers bronze throughout its long history, exploring its enormous appeal from antiquity to the present day. The book discusses the many roles bronze objects played in ancient Greece and Rome and analyzes discoveries made at ancient foundries and by contemporary scientists. It also examines references to bronze in mythology, Pliny’s histories, and other classical texts, as well as representations on vases and other artworks.
One of the world's leading authorities on ancient bronze sculpture, Carol C. Mattusch urges us to discard the terms "Greek original" and "Roman copy" and to adopt instead terms that distinguish unique works from those produced in series and those produced as variations on a theme. She discusses the dating of bronzes based on criteria of technique and style, and considers technical innovations in the art of portraiture. Most controversially, she offers evidence that Greek artists cast bronzes in series based on a single model. Mattusch points out that examples of series castings can be found among the statuettes and vessel attachments from the Geometric and Orientalizing periods. From the Classical period onward, statues also appear to have been cast in series. Certain styles and types of images that achieved widespread popularity during the Hellenistic and Roman periods were produced in large quantities and in several different places. This book will raise important new questions in the field of Classical bronze sculpture. How long might a single model remain in use and how far might casts from it be transported for production? What is the significance of an artist's signature on a work in a series and what influence was wielded by the potential buyer? And, given these issues, what should the criteria be for distinguishing Greek works from Roman ones? Classical Bronzes is generously illustrated, including an eight-page color insert.
In this full study of the statue, Victorious Youth - the first in nearly 20 years - the author takes into account the most recent art historical information and scientific data about the piece. Included is a complete conservation report.
The Villa dei Papiri at Herculaneum-buried during the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius in A.D. 79, then rediscovered in 1750-contained a large collection of bronze and marble statuary and busts. Before they were published or exhibited, the sculptures were restored so as to appear whole: it is thus that they helped to shape early modern tastes in classical sculpture. The book describes the nature of the ancient sculptures and their impact on the modern public. Their chance discovery affected the interpretation of the statues-their styles and subjects-over the course of the next 250 years. The ancient sculptures were copied extensively in reproductions of various sizes and patinas. The author traces the popularity of these copies in Europe and America. Also presented in the book is a technical study of the production techniques and materials of the sculptures, as well as of their modern restoration history. Scientific analyses and detailed photographs reveal both how the pieces were cast and pieced together in antiquity and how they were restored in the eighteenth century. Even though this collection has been known for two and a half centuries, this book covers for the first time the eclectic nature of the sculptures, their acutual condition, and their quality, pointing in some cases to mass production.
Freestanding bronze statuary was the primary mode of artistic expression in classical Greece, yet it was not until the nineteenth century that any original large statues of that period were unearthed. Although ancient literature has preserved information about the most famous Greek sculptors who worked in bronze, our perception of the art has been limited by the small number of extant originals from the sixth and fifth centuries B.C. there remain fewer than ten large cast bronze statues, a like number of bronze heads, an assortment of fragments, and some clay molds for casting. Carol Mattusch enriches our knowledge of this beloved but elusive art form in a comprehensive study of the style and techniques of bronze statuary during the Archaic (6th century B.C.) and Classical (5th century B.C.) periods.
Ancient bronze statuary provides a sense of immediacy, a window directly back to the classical world. The wistful expression of a young Roman woman, the fixed jaw of a politician, and the tensed muscles of a Greek athlete appear startlingly lifelike, transfixing the viewer with their striking realism. Incredibly durable yet frequently destroyed for their valuable materials, ancient bronzes are comparatively rare discoveries. This book, richly illustrated with works from the J. Paul Getty Museum and other important collections, provides an engaging overview of classical bronzes. Enduring Bronze considers bronze throughout its long history, exploring its enormous appeal from antiquity to the present day. The book discusses the many roles bronze objects played in ancient Greece and Rome and analyzes discoveries made at ancient foundries and by contemporary scientists. It also examines references to bronze in mythology, Pliny’s histories, and other classical texts, as well as representations on vases and other artworks.
The Villa dei Papiri at Herculaneum-buried during the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius in A.D. 79, then rediscovered in 1750-contained a large collection of bronze and marble statuary and busts. Before they were published or exhibited, the sculptures were restored so as to appear whole: it is thus that they helped to shape early modern tastes in classical sculpture. The book describes the nature of the ancient sculptures and their impact on the modern public. Their chance discovery affected the interpretation of the statues-their styles and subjects-over the course of the next 250 years. The ancient sculptures were copied extensively in reproductions of various sizes and patinas. The author traces the popularity of these copies in Europe and America. Also presented in the book is a technical study of the production techniques and materials of the sculptures, as well as of their modern restoration history. Scientific analyses and detailed photographs reveal both how the pieces were cast and pieced together in antiquity and how they were restored in the eighteenth century. Even though this collection has been known for two and a half centuries, this book covers for the first time the eclectic nature of the sculptures, their acutual condition, and their quality, pointing in some cases to mass production.
One of the world's leading authorities on ancient bronze sculpture, Carol C. Mattusch urges us to discard the terms "Greek original" and "Roman copy" and to adopt instead terms that distinguish unique works from those produced in series and those produced as variations on a theme. She discusses the dating of bronzes based on criteria of technique and style, and considers technical innovations in the art of portraiture. Most controversially, she offers evidence that Greek artists cast bronzes in series based on a single model. Mattusch points out that examples of series castings can be found among the statuettes and vessel attachments from the Geometric and Orientalizing periods. From the Classical period onward, statues also appear to have been cast in series. Certain styles and types of images that achieved widespread popularity during the Hellenistic and Roman periods were produced in large quantities and in several different places. This book will raise important new questions in the field of Classical bronze sculpture. How long might a single model remain in use and how far might casts from it be transported for production? What is the significance of an artist's signature on a work in a series and what influence was wielded by the potential buyer? And, given these issues, what should the criteria be for distinguishing Greek works from Roman ones? Classical Bronzes is generously illustrated, including an eight-page color insert.
In this full study of the statue, Victorious Youth - the first in nearly 20 years - the author takes into account the most recent art historical information and scientific data about the piece. Included is a complete conservation report.
The prominence of the Temple of Hephaistos, Greek god of metalworkers, situated on a hill to the west of the Agora, reflects the esteem in which bronzeworkers were held by the Athenians. Although many of the objects these craftsmen produced have now been melted down, the statues, lamps, and vessels that remain testify to the high standards of their craftsmanship. As well as illustrating some of the surviving finished products, the author discusses the techniques used to cast bronze and the level of skill involved in producing complex metal statuary.
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