The Gunter born 1927 in Danzig, grass is regarded as a prominent representative of German literature. In addition, he made a name as a sculptor, painter and printmaker. Not without its own irony, he said of himself: "As an artist, I am a trained as a writer of unskilled artists."

After Steinmetz Education Grass studied sculpture at the Academy in 1948 to 49 and 1953, at the Dusseldorf Academy of Fine Arts in Berlin. As a writer Grass 1959 with the first part of the so-called "Danzig Trilogy", "The Tin Drum", known. Since the early 60s Grass developed an ever stronger political commitment, the sustainable reflected in his books. In the 80's created numerous graphic works, which were published in the two-volume work "drawing and writing." Right here occur self-citations out particularly and underline its social criticism.

The trained painter painted what he was: lyrically poetic, idiosyncratic equitably. In grass' images, all three basic types of poetry are shaped into one: drama, epic, and lyric poetry.

Gunter Grass is the recipient of numerous awards, including the prestigious Nobel Prize in literature. His diverse oeuvre was already shown on numerous exhibitions at home and abroad.

"I guess the artist, and the sculptor Gunter extraordinarily grass. What he produced for half a century, I like it very much and almost always." (Marcel Reich-Ranicki)

"Grass' secret lies in the precarious and unique balance that he to produce has managed between its anarchic imagination and his superior wisdom of art." (Hans Magnus Enzensberger)

An alloy of copper with other metals (especially with tin) used since ancient times.

Bronze casting:

When casting bronze, 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.

Sculpture "The Book Reader" by Ernst Barlachs is shown here as an example:

First, the artist forms a model of his sculpture. It is embedded in a liquid silicone rubber composition. Once the material has solidified, the model is cut out. The liquid wax is poured in the negative mould. After cooling down, the wax casting is removed from the mould, provided with sprues and dipped into ceramic mass. The ceramic mass is hardened in a kiln, and 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 comes to light.

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-grade bronze castings, the sand casting method is often used which, however, does not achieve the results of more complex lost wax technique in terms of surface characteristics and quality.

Related links:
Sand casting