Sculpture: Metal
Sculpture: MediumSubjects, Topics & Types:
- Metal Sculpture Description
- Copper, Bronze, Zinc
- Gold
- Silver
- Mixed Metals
- Metal Inlay
- Confusions
- Others...
Video: Metal Terminology
In the West metal sculpture are often called bronzes or bronze sculpture coming from a belief that all metal sculpture are in fact made of the alloy called bronze. This however is not always true and therefore problematic in the study of Himalayan art. Copper is often the main metal component of figurative sculpture although to a lesser extant there can be zinc, silver and gold. Very occasionally there are steel sculpture but these tend to be later and mostly from the Dolonnor region of southern Mongolia. Sculptural images can also have a decorative metal inlay, or inlay of different metals, highlighting a pattern on the robes or clothing design. It is common to find the eyes highlighted with pure copper, silver or gold, or the lips and urna at the forehead.
Jeff Watt 2-2019
(The images below are only a selection of examples).
