Sculpture "Happy Elephant" (2004), bronze
Sculpture "Happy Elephant" (2004), bronze
Quick info
ars mundi Exclusive Edition | limited, 299 copies | numbered | signed | bronze + diabase | handmade | hand-patinated | polished | height 41 cm | weight 11 kg
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Detailed description
Sculpture "Happy Elephant" (2004), bronze
The Dutch sculptor Evert den Hartog has taken up the challenge of combining weightlessness and earthiness. Den Hartog was artistically trained at the Academy of Fine Arts in Rotterdam from 1971 to 1976. Initially, he created ceramic sculptures until he discovered his passion for bronze as a material in the early 1980s. The range of themes in his works derives from the animal world and is rooted in ancient mythology in its multi-faceted selection of motifs. A tremendous joie de vivre and dynamism lies in all of den Hartog's works. The unmistakable Dutch humour sparkles from the objects and lends the bronze sculptures an unexpected lightness. Evert den Hartog presents his extensive oeuvre to a large audience in Dutch and German galleries.
His love-struck elephant dances like a prima ballerina on only one leg and seems to almost lift off the ground with bliss. With its trunk raised, this masterpiece brings its owner additional luck and takes away all worries. Sculpture in fine bronze, cast by hand using the Lost-Wax-Process, patinated and polished by hand. Limited world edition of 299 copies, individually numbered and bearing the Hartogs signature emblems. On a black diabase base, total height 41 cm. Weight 11 kg. ars mundi Exclusive Edition.
Customer reviews
Die Skulptur ist wunderbar und wohlbehalten angekommen. Der "Happy Elefant" ist ein Geburtstagsgeschenk für meine Frau. Sie hat schon hunderte von Elefanten gesammelt - aber dieser wird der Star der riesigen Sammlung sein. Die Preisschwankungen waren etwas schwer nachzuvollziehen
About Evert den Hartog
Evert den Hartog, born in 1949 in Groot-Ammers, Netherlands, received his artistic training at the Academy of Fine Arts in Rotterdam from 1971 to 1976. At first, he mainly created ceramic sculptures, until he discovered his passion for bronze in the early 1980s.
The themes of his works derive above all from the animal world, whose multifaceted motifs are rooted in ancient mythology. Evert den Hartog captures the creatures of the animal world in positions that seem to be weightless and light. The Dutch sculptor has taken up the mission of combining weightlessness and earthiness.
There is tremendous joie de vivre and dynamism in all of his works. The unmistakable Dutch humour radiates from the objects and gives the sculptures an unexpected lightness.
Den Hartog not only works as a sculptor, but he is also a renowned photographer. Similar to his sculpting, his favourite (but not the only) passion here are animals. He exactly knows how to capture the perfect moment. However, his animal sculptures are by no means realistic, as photography is. Instead, he works out the shape and form of his motifs in his sculptural works in a way that he never really strays far from the real model, but at the same time gives them an additional level of interpretation. This can be a moment of tension that he perfectly "freezes" (that is why the title of a publication about his work is "Frozen Moments"), but he also likes to add something playful to his animal sculptures.
In many Dutch cities such as The Hague and Rotterdam, his bronze sculptures can be found in parks and public places. In Dutch and German galleries, the artist presents his extensive oeuvre to a large audience. Bronze sculptures can also be found far from his home e.g. in Dallas, Djakarta and Kobe, Japan.
An alloy of copper with other metals (especially with tin) used since ancient times.
When casting bronze, the artist usually applies the lost-wax technique which is dating back more than 5000 years. It's the best, but also the most complex method of producing sculptures.
First, the artist forms a model of his sculpture. It is embedded in a liquid silicone rubber mass. Once the material has solidified, the model is cut out. The liquid wax is 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, whereby the wax flows out (lost mould).
Now we finally have the negative form, into which the 1400° C hot molten bronze is poured. After the bronze had cooled down, the ceramic shell is broken off and the sculpture is revealed.
Now the sprues are removed, the surfaces are polished, patinated and numbered by the artist himself or, to his specifications, by a specialist. Thus, each casting becomes 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 complex lost-wax technique in terms of surface characteristics and quality.
Graphic or sculpture edition that was initiated by ars mundi and is available only at ars mundi or at distribution partners licensed by ars mundi.
Term for an art object (sculpture, installation), which is produced in multiple copies in a limited and numbered edition according to the artist‘s will.
Artist's multiples have been called the most accessible and affordable art on the market.
A plastic work of sculptural art made of wood, stone, ivory, bronze or other metals.
While sculptures from wood, ivory or stone are made directly from the block of material, in bronze casting a working model is prepared at first. Usually, it is made of clay or other easily mouldable materials.
The prime time of sculpture after the Greek and Roman antiquity was the Renaissance. Impressionism gave a new impulse to the sculptural arts. Contemporary artists such as Jorg Immendorf, Andora, and Markus Lupertz also enriched sculptures with outstanding works.