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LOST
WAX METAL SCULPTING |
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| One
important reason for Kathmandu Valley's prosperity was its mastery
over metal craft early on in its development. Metal statues
of quality date back to the fourteenth century AD and, particularly,
the ability of the valley craftspeople to melt gold was appreciated
far and wide in the region. Gold was brought in from Tibet to
be turned into coins and jewelry. The method of metal casting
practised in the valley is called the Lost Wax Casting Method.
Images are created using simple procedures that result complex
and quality results. The process of this form of metal casting
is described below. |
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| A
wax image in exact size and details of the desired product is
created. The wax image is covered over with a fine layering
of clay and dried. Women often do the finer, more demanding
work that requires attention to detail. A thick layer of mud
able to hold molten metal once baked is added. |
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| The
wax images now with a thick clay covering are dried. Once
hard, they are placed in an oven. The handmade oven, though
it looks primitive, can achieve temperatures that can
melt gold if required. The wax image within the clay burns
or melts away. However, its image is left within the clay
structure. |
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| The
image is now ready for the next phase of the metal casting
process. It needs to cool down. Many of the artisans involved
in the process are young. Their work is supervised by
a master craftsman. The same oven is again prepared, this
time to melt copper, the most popular metal in use in
the Kathmandu Valley today. |
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| Molten
copper is poured into the hollow terra cotta structure.
Copper is graded as raw Nepalese or Indian and finer Japanese
or Korean. The metal is allowed to cool and harden. The
initial effort of the artisan while creating the wax image
will decide the quality of the product.The terra cotta
layering is tapped away and the raw image is seen. Imperfections
will be worked upon before the product is ready. |
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| Visible
cracks and faults are corrected through a process that involves
reheating. The images is also cleaned during the process. Vegetable
dyes and agents are used to bring out the color in some cases.
While some statues are created whole, larger images require
the joining of many pieces. The chisel enhances the details,
the statue has to be smooth and perfect before its face and
other details can be painted. The master craftsman is involved
in the process. The statue goes to the painters who add expressions
with silver, color, or gold. Done well, this process doubles
the value of the statue in the market. |
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