PLATE LXXVII.
A YOUTH AT A STREAM.
A STATUE BY FOLEY, A.R.A., CAST IN BRONZE BY HATFIELD.
In his life of John Bacon, the distinguished sculptor, Mr. Allan Cunningham alludes to bronze-castingas one of the many branches of art to which that distinguished artist applied his talents. “ Then and longafterwards,” he remarks, “ an air of secrecy and mystery was observed concerning the art of casting in metal;and a process at once simple and easy was taught to be regarded as something magical. Of the materialswhich composed the external and internal mould—the mode of rendering them safe for receiving the liquid,burning metal—the melting of the copper—the quantities of alloy, and the proper degree of heat,—the workingartists spoke in a mysterious language, resembling in no small degree those conversations on alchemy sohappily ridiculed by Ben Jonson . The veil has been raised a little of late from the mystery of bronze-casting.In the splendid foundries of Chantrey and Westmacott colossal statues, twelve feet high, are cast at a coupleof heats; and the whole process is exhibited to any one whom curiosity or chance may happen to conductto the artist’s studio when the moulds are ready and the metal melted.”
The composition of bronze for different purposes—such as medals, bell-metal, gun-metal, and works offine art—is, indeed, now well understood by artists and manufacturers. The subject is referred to in avaluable “ Manual of Metallurgy,” by Mr. John Arthur Phillips ; and there are some interesting notes on thesubject by Mr. Robert Hunt, in the “ Art-Journal ” for May 1852 (p. 149). From these sources we learnthat all the ancient Greek coins are bronzes, containing tin and copper only; while the earlier Roman coinsconsist of an alloy of copper, tin, and lead. Occasionally, zinc and silver were mixed with copper in thecoins of the ancients. Mr. Phillips found that “ all the bronze weapons of antiquity, whether the Romansword or the British celt, were of similar composition, consisting of copper, 90; and of tin, 10.” Mr. Huntobserves, that “ in modern times the most celebrated works in bronze are those of the brothers Keller, atVersailles . These celebrated founders paid more attention to the composition of their bronze than was usualin the time of Louis XIV., or is general in the present day. The statues at Versailles are found by chemicalanalysis to consist of copper, 91*68 ; tin, 232; zinc, 4 - 93 ; and lead, 1*07. The zinc and the lead are addedto produce greater fluidity in the melted mass, and to improve the colour of the metal. The bronze statueof Louis XV. is composed of copper, 8245 ; zinc, 1030 ; tin, 4’10 ; lead, 3T5. In melting bronze, muchcare is required to prevent the tin, which is a volatile metal, from being lost. An incautious founder mightcommence his work with a bronze of the best proportions, and conclude with nearly pure copper, the tinhaving passed off as oxide of tin in the furnace.” Mr. Hunt cites the column of the Place Vendome in Paris as an instance in which this has actually occurred.
Whilst, however, the purely scientific elements of bronze-casting are no longer shrouded in mystery, thereare some artistic details of finishing and colouring, upon which the effect of works in this material chieflydepend. Mr. Hatfield, to whom the public are indebted for the very beautiful figure which we now engrave,may be regarded as having achieved a complete mastery over these details; and although perfectly justified indeclining to communicate them to the world during his lifetime, he will not, it is to be hoped, allow them tobe lost after his death.