Nominated for the Da Vinci International Award Milan.
Sculpture is an unconventional art form that is little known to the general public. I will try to explain how the Madonna came to life.
This Madonna was inspired by the ancient sculptures of Etienne Bourdelle and the chubby women of his disciple Antoniucci Volti.
Fifty kilos of clay will be necessary to create, elaborate and above all finalise the sculpture by finding the parts to be removed so that it becomes a vestige, such as this bun with the enormous hair at the back of the head and some unimportant details of her face.
An elastomer mold will allow her to be cast in bronze, a blue patina will sublimate her face on a three-metre high stainless steel mast thrown towards the sky.
Prototype of the bust of the Madonna in clay.
Once the clay has been fired at a thousand degrees, here are the different stages at the foundry.
Making the elastomer mould for casting the wax
Repairing the wax
The grappling of the wax
Coating the wax with plaster
Firing the plaster
Melting the bronze inside the plaster (which will melt the wax)
Stripping the plaster
Cutting the plaster to release the bronze
Sandblasting the bronze to remove the excess
Chasing the bronze to make it identical to the clay piece
Stamping the piece with the founder's signature
Numbering of the piece 1/8 (the number must not exceed 12)
First layer of oxidation.
Final Patina.
Manufacture of the cloud and the body in stainless steel.
Test fitting of the head before final patina.
Final assembly of the head on the body.
Guillaume Roche stainless steel sculptor