Bronze is a rich medium that allows artists to cast figures in incredible detail for their viewers and patrons. Many artists choose bronze over other materials because it is malleable yet accentuates detail. Condensing a short history of bronze sculpture through the ages is challenging as the material has been around for thousands of years.
The Bronze Age
Bronze sculptures were one of the first artistic expressions besides fabrics and stone carvings. Throughout history, bronze has varied in composition. It has typically been composed of copper and small amounts of other materials like arsenic, iron, nickel, and lead. The earliest known usage of bronze is from 4500 B.C. when ancient people used bronze to create weapons and tools. Artists quickly took to the medium to create statues. The oldest bronze statue discovered is known today as Dancing Girl, and it comes from the Harappan civilization in 2500 B.C.
Bronze Going Global
You can see bronze in Greek sculptures. The medium spread as time went on and ancient cultures traded materials and traditions. For example, China employed bronze casting during the Shang Dynasty to create ritual vessels. Kingdoms in Egypt and India soon began using the material as well. These cultures also used bronze to forge musical instruments and weapons.
Bronze Today
For a long time, artists had stopped using bronze in art. Instead, historians found bronze in advanced weapons and artillery. The renaissance revitalized bronze as an artistic medium and pushed forward alternate methods for casting. Many of these traditions still exist today and have further developed through the Industrial Revolution. These traditions have become even more refined as time has gone on. With the rise of alternate mediums, bronze has not been as popular in art, but the practice continues.
A short history of bronze sculpture is not actually short as the craft still exists today and is performed by artists like me, Jesse Nusbaum. I strive for realism with my bronze pieces, and I hope that with each one of them, you can see the time and care behind their creation. This bronze rhino statue is just one of the many pieces that I hope you might be interested in learning about.
