Guidelines for the Technical Examination of Bronze Sculpture

**Table 11**
**The four main types of defects on a bronze sculpture**
Each defect type may in turn be divided into several subcategories (see [fig. 150](/visual-atlas/150/)).
TYPE of DEFECT	DESCRIPTION
Avoidable defects occurring BEFORE the casting	model mishandling (sagging of a wax model placed in an overheated environment, wear on the surface, etc.)
Avoidable defects occurring BEFORE the casting	misfortunes (core displacement, mold cracks, etc.)
Defects inherent to the process	shrinkage
	protrusions (sprues, etc.)
	seam lines
	holes (armatures, core pins, etc.)
Avoidable defects occurring AFTER the casting	downstream processing (incompetent or incomplete finishing)
Later damage	mechanical damage (reuses, lost parts, etc.)
	corrosion
	surface disfigurement (vandalism, harsh cleaning)

Table 11: The four main types of defects on a bronze sculpture