The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1873-06-12
something About Bronzes.

SomSInlng About BrO1zeS.
This time-defying substance, COM
pounded of metals chemically allied,
-that in a fused state flowed easily into
molds, was invented by the Phonicians.
An Improvement upon this primitive
mixture was made in Egypt, perfeeting
its quality of hardness. By the time
of Alexander the Great, bronze had
been adopted by fine art and had reach
ed the hight of renown. Six hundred
works were ordered by Alexander of
his fayorite artist. Lysippus. Many of
these bronzes were afterward, by COM
mand of Nero, who wished to touch all
somber things into exciting If not de-
structive flame, brilliantly gilded.
Among them was the image of the pa
tron of their accomplishment, the IA
nous statue of Alexander. From first
to last the material of bronze, that is,
its ingrediential material, has differed
but slightly The basis is copIRr, and
the alloys are tin, lead, zinc, silver, and
gold. OF late, am told, Partisan ar
lists add, with singular effectiveness in
securing liquid quality of tint, that
metal of she future, aluminium Differ
enees between the bronzes of antiquity,
the English bell-metal, the spectrum
metal of rejecting telescopes, French,
Florentiae, and Oriental bronze consist
chiefly in the proportions of combina-
ton. The secret of some Of the earlier
combinations has not been penetrated
by moderns. 1t is to this mystery of
lest art that the antique bronze of
Japan owes its exceeding costliness.
The somber, rich, and precious depth
of tint admired in the ancient temple
vases of Japan is absolutely inimitable,
and their beauty hardly needs the en-
hancement of the inlaid gold and silver
with which they are frequently elabora-
ted Differences in combination occa-
sion differences of color and these col
ors are associated with various eras,
countries, and schools of art. In Athens
the wonderful bronzes OF Myron were of
pale silvery tint the " candidum" of
Corinth nearly white the Hepaticone
quecento bronze and in modern Floren-
tine. The casting of bronze requires
great skill, and the larger works are
usually done in parts. Size is not limi-
ted in this art, and its finest achieve
ments include in this respect all the in
termediary from the tablet-ring of an
Egyptian mummy to the baptistry gates
of Ghiberti from the japanese butter
fly poised on the sacred vase with such
aerial grace that it is said actually to
have been cast from the life - to the
majestic figure upholding a burning
lamp over the sea and striding the
masts of ships. in the proud harbor of
Rhodes.
The process of melting metal into a
mold necessitates a mold made of clay
and sand, which receives shape from an
image of wax, or an image of plaster
coated with wax. The beautiful figures
of modern French bronze receive from.
these waxen models that admirable tex
ture called chaire, which initiates the
luster of the natural flesh surface
luster intimately associated with the
fine lozenge-shaped reticulation of the
skin.
Antiquarians have an ample field for
study in the domain of bronze. Not
only does its moneta contribute largely
to the suggestive science of numismat-
les, but special questions of deep inter
est in the history of our race have been
answered by bronzes exhumed from
buried cities. Armor and surgical IN
struments found at Pompem bronzes
discovered by Layard in the ruins of
Nineveh; the lion from the palace Of
Khorsabad, unearthed by Botta, and
vying in vigor with the Byzantine lions
of Venetian st. Marks the thousand
bronzes of Rhodes and Delphi and Co
lossus, all such relics have to the
student an interest apart from their ar
tistic value.-M y Independent.