1861-1944

Aristide Maillol was close to Auguste Rodin, who valued him much, as one of the most important French sculptors of his generation. His path to sculpture was quite unusual: around 1895, when he was only in his mid-thirties, he seriously began to employ with sculptural works in wood and clay. He was a self-study; he had initially studied painting at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris and initially appeared primarily as a painter and graphic artist significantly influenced by Paul Gauguin. However, he had early broadened his artistic means of expression by focusing on ceramic art, weaving, and knotting - Maillol's first major solo exhibition was a collection of tapestries and miniature sculptures. Since the turn of the century, he concentrated on sculpture more and more.

On the one hand, Maillol's sculptures, are strongly related to classical sculpture by their emphasis on symmetry and balance, but on the other hand, they make the first step towards abstraction and have become the model for the next generation of sculptors. His central theme is the feminine nude, which, although developed from the living model, receives individual traits of the artist works, that is the harmonically self-contain and always sensuous femininity.

Among Maillol's most famous works are the large-scale sculptures "The Three Nymphs" in the Jardin des Tuileries in Paris and, especially famous among the German art lovers, "The River," a reclining female nude, which can be admired in front of the Hamburg Kunsthalle.

Designation for an art object (sculpture, installation), which is produced according to the will of the artist in multiple copies in a limited and numbered edition.

Artist's multiple contributed to "democratization" of art as the work was made available and affordable for a wider audience.

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