Sculpture "Owl with Young Bird", bronze

Jochen Bauer's Bird of Wisdom convinces with its modern emphasis on clear lines and forms and yet is a delicate symbol of motherly care.

Sculpture made of fine bronze, cast by hand using the Lost-Wax-Process. Elaborately patinated by hand and partially polished. Limited edition of 299 copies, numbered and signed. Size 20 x 14.5 x 12 cm, weight 2 kg.

Producer: ars mundi Edition Max Büchner GmbH, Bödekerstraße 13, 30161 Hanover, Germany, [email protected]

About Jochen Bauer

Born in 1951, sculptor and painter

The sculptor Jochen Bauer, born in 1951 in Coburg, Germany, was one of Germany's leading porcelain modellers for almost 30 years. From 1999 until today he has devoted himself to sculpture and painting as a freelance artist.

With his outstanding technique, he is regarded in the industry as one of the great talents whenever it comes to translating a concept into the third dimension. In his own work, he prefers naturalistic motifs, which he implements with perfect craftsmanship and a good eye for flowing (body-)shapes and expressive poses.

"The source of my creative activity is nature, the examination of ecological contexts..."

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.

> Bronze sculptures

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.

A plastic work of sculptural art made of wood, stone, ivory, bronze or other metals.

While sculptures made of wood, ivory, or stone are carved directly from the material block, 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.