Garden sculpture "Heron", bronze
Garden sculpture "Heron", bronze
Quick info
limited, 99 copies | numbered | signed | bronze | hand chased and patinated | size 58 x 94 x 51 cm (h/w/d) | weight approx. 28 kg
Detailed description
Garden sculpture "Heron", bronze
He sunbathes with his wings spread wide apart. Sculpture in bronze, cast using the Lost-Wax-Process, chiselled and patinated by hand. Limited to 99 numbered and signed copies. Size 58 x 94 x 51 cm (h/w/d). Weight approx. 28 kg.
About Ernst Günzkofer
Ernst Günzkofer (born in 1938) is a trained stonemason. But he discovered art early on in his career and became very successful at it. When he was almost thirty years old, he won gold and bronze medals for his sculptural works at the Federal Garden Show in Karlsruhe, Germany, in 1967, and further prizes were to follow (such as the Bavarian State Prize in 1988).
Many of his figurative-realistic small sculptures, regardless of whether they depict humans or animals, impress with their inherent tension, which gives the solid bronze unmistakable dynamism.
In addition to his numerous small sculptures, Günzkofer also created large fountain installations. In his hometown of Prien you can find several of them, for example, a "Lesende" (eng.: reading woman) at the local school Ludwig-Thoma-Gymnasium and a "Rübezahl" (eng.: woodwose) near the local bank.
An alloy of copper with other metals (especially with tin) used since ancient times. It is an ideal metal for high-quality artistic castings, capable of enduring for millennia.
When casting bronze, the artist usually applies the lost-wax technique which is dating back more than 5000 years. This is the best, but also the most complex method of producing sculptures.
First, the artist forms a model of their work. This model is embedded in a liquid silicone rubber mass. Once the material has solidified, the model is cut out, leaving a negative mould. Liquid wax is then poured into the negative mould. After cooling down, the wax cast is removed from the mould, provided with sprues and dipped into ceramic mass. The ceramic mass is hardened in a kiln, where the wax melts away (lost mould).
Finally, the negative mould is ready, into which the 1400° C hot molten bronze is poured. After the bronze had cooled down, the ceramic shell is broken apart, reavoling the sculpture.
Next, the sprues are removed, the surfaces are polished, patinated and numbered by the artist or by a specialist, following their instructions. Thus, each casting is an original work.
For lower-quality bronze castings, the sand casting method is often used, which, however, does not achieve the results of a more elaborate lost-wax technique in terms of surface characteristics and quality.
Term for an art object (sculpture, installation) that, according to the artist’s intention, is produced in multiple copies within a limited and numbered edition.
Multiples enable the "democratization" of art by making the work accessible and affordable for a wider audience.