Bronze Sculptors and Their Influence

Bronze sculptors take one of the most popular metals and a lot of talent to create an intriguing piece of artwork. Popular throughout history, this combination of copper and tin has been utilized for everything from household cookware to weapons of war because of its versatility and durability. These days, artists take this durable metal alloy and commonly utilize a lost-wax casting technique to bring the world all types of artwork. They create pieces for the home, office, or other types of businesses including government buildings.

The diversity of styles is often evident in each of the bronze sculptors’ pieces. Each piece that is created depicts popular imagery, subjects, and craftsmanship of the day. New and old styles often meet side by side in museums and in galleries. Those styles show a timeline in history representing the beauty, struggles, and every day aspects of a specific era.

Who are some of those popular bronze sculptors? What did those artists offer the world?

Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux is still considered one of the best French bronze sculptors of all times. Born in 1827, he built a reputation as an artist completing work for such people as Princess Mathilde and Napoleon III. Later in life, Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux became a teacher with such pupils as Jean-Louis Forain and Jules Dalou. Some of his work includes pieces like The Dance, Ugolin et ses fils, and Girl with Shell.

Born in 1854, Alfred Gilbert was an English artist known for participating in what is called the New Sculpture movement. Alfred Gilbert experimented with many innovative metallurgical techniques, and was also considered a goldsmith. One of his most well-known pieces is seen by tourists throughout London today. Piccadilly Circus is a fountain depicting the angel Anteros. Other popular works include Mother and Child, Perseus Arming, and the Queen Alexandra Memorial.

Hilaire-Germain-Edgar De Gas, often referred to as Edgar Degas, was a diverse artist born in 1834. Often considered a founder of the Impressionism movement, Edgar Degas preferred the term “realist”. Regardless of his style, Edgar Degas was considered an artist with many talents including drawing, painting, and sculpting. Most of the statues created by Edgar Degas were not discovered until after his death. Among the pieces credited to Edgar Degas are The Spanish Dance, and the Little Dancer of Fourteen Years.

The American, Marshall Maynard Fredericks was born in 1908. Many of this artist’s masterpieces stand as monuments to his exceptional craftsmanship. Marshall Maynard Fredericks won many awards here at home as well as abroad. A few of his works include Boy and Bear, Leaping Gazelle, and Freedom of the Human Spirit. In addition to Fredericks’ masterpieces are his many humanitarian awards.

Many people can appreciate the time and effort put forth when it comes to this often understated artistic movement. The influences of these bronze sculptors of the past are evident in the works of today’s artists. The masterpieces left behind by these great artists stand as a testament to the influence of the past on modern masterpieces. Whether as monuments or museum pieces, the techniques and skill evident with sculptures will remain standing for generations to come, pleasing the heart and the eye of viewers around the world.