Myth, Man & Metal
Bronze Sculpture
of Ancient Greece and Rome
Video Lecture by
Prof. Carol C. Mattusch,George Mason
University
Myth,Man & Metal is based on The Fire of Hephaistos Exhibition originated at the Harvard
Art Museums
|
"A feast of the unfamiliar ... skillful use of graphics and overlays provides
deep food for thought ... This unique video fills a gap in art resources and deserves the greatest opportunity for availability
and distribution"
- Bulletin of the Joint Association
of Classical Teachers
|
Taking the craft of making large bronze statues back to its mythological beginnings, Dr. Carol Mattusch, curator
for the exhibition,"The Fire of Hephaistos", gives us a fascinating view of an ancient industry.
Dr. Mattusch begins with tales of Hephaistos (Vulcan to the Romans), the patron god of metalworkers, describing
his creativity in making jewelry, armor, weapons and magical objects. The second part, Bronze The Preferred Medium, traces
the origins of casting large bronze statues and discusses archaeological discoveries found under the sea as well as buried
in the earth. The practice of adorning statues with jewelry, gilding them with gold and adding color and design with inlaid
metals is illustrated in part 3, Pandora's Legacy.
The fourth part, Puzzles from the Past, explains the lost wax process of casting bronze. Scenes of an ancient
foundry painted on a Greek cup from antiquity are juxtaposed with scenes in a contemporary foundry , where artists cast bronze
sculpture using the ancient methods. The last section of the video lecture, Seeing Ghosts, takes the viewer to the laboratory
at the Straus Center for Conservation at Harvard University. We watch as scientists and art historians use the latest technological
equipment to demonstrate through metal analysis that statues once thought to be unique works of art are actually products
of an assembly line.
Myth, Man & Metal presents material directly connected to Mythology, Ancient History, Art History and
Classical Archaeology. In addition, its subject matter will be of great interest to artists and art classes.
|
