Volume I: Evidence of Process Steps

Volume I is designed to help the reader identify and investigate the physical evidence present on a bronze sculpture. It is divided into nine chapters that correspond to the different aspects of the creation of a bronze, more or less in chronological sequence of the fabrication steps. It goes into more detail on the variety of casting processes described in this general introduction; discusses the properties of the different copper alloys encountered in artistic castings; and characterizes defects, repairs, assembly techniques, tool marks, as well as plating and other surface decoration techniques. Each chapter follows a similar “What? / Why? / How?” format. The first section lays out how distinctive features are produced, and thus sheds light on what to look out for and also possible misinterpretations. That is followed by FAQs that address why such evidence might be interesting and/or useful to investigate. A checklist at the end outlines the primary methods of investigation and analytical techniques that are relevant to the investigation of this topic, and points to the more in-depth discussions of these techniques in volume II. The definitions of terms included in the Vocabulary are hyperlinked upon their first mention in each chapter.