What is lost in lost-wax casting?
In a lost-wax process, a wax form helps create a mold and is then removed before metal takes its place. A documented Benin maker’s example separates the roles of wax, clay, core material, and finished metal. The familiar label “bronze” alone does not identify the exact alloy of every object.
Questions you could explore
- Which parts shape the object but do not remain in the finished work?
Start reading
- Pitt Rivers Museum, University of OxfordThe Kingdom of Benin: Metalworking and The Lost Wax Casting Process
Pitt Rivers Museum documents a commissioned Benin plaque and the maker’s casting stages.
- The Metropolitan Museum of ArtAfrican Lost-Wax Casting
The Met explains lost-wax methods and distinguishes bronze, copper, and brass.
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