rawbunzel
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posted on November 6, 2000 07:25:53 PM new
I have this very large,very heavy brass sculpture. All I know about it is that it is from Brazilian sculpter and it is an artist that was/is known for being ahead of his time. It came from the moving sale of a local television personality and it was given to her while in Brazil. Looks like it is a one of a kind. I do not know anything at all about sculpture! Especially brazilian sculpters!! Anyone have any idea where to find information that might lead me to the actual artist? The age [which I believe to be late 1970's or early 1980's]. Any and all help appreciated! I have searched the web to no avail.
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dman3
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posted on November 6, 2000 07:33:17 PM new
WOW
I dont know much about your sculpture at all but I think it could pass as like Madonna haveing a bad hair day. 
WWW.dman-n-company.com
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rawbunzel
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posted on November 6, 2000 07:36:26 PM new
Madonna huh?
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lswanson
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posted on November 6, 2000 08:44:44 PM new
Madonna never looked so good!
Take the piece, or at least photos of it, to an honest-to-goodness art dealer. Pay him for an appraisal fee, but let him do the homework. If you're not acquainted with sculpture, you could do a lot of harm to your pocketbook by NOT going this route.
As an alternate take, if you have a large university near you, with a good art department, they might be able to steer you in the right direction.
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rawbunzel
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posted on November 6, 2000 09:59:25 PM new
lswanson, Hadn't thought about the university art department! I am close to the University of Washington they must have an art dept.Guess I could try them. Good idea. Thanks!
Anyone else? Someone must know something about sculpture!
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bhearsch
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posted on November 6, 2000 11:10:51 PM new
rawbunzel, this sculpture may be made of bronze and there should be an artist's name located on it somewhere. Did you find one and if you did, what's the name? BTW, you may have to use a magnifying glass to find the signature.
Blanche
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rawbunzel
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posted on November 6, 2000 11:24:20 PM new
Blanche, How can you tell if it is bronze not brass? This is quite "golden" so looks brass to me. I have scoured the piece looking for a signature and can't find one. Did not use a magnifying glass, maybe I will try again.Used to be in inspection so am pretty good at finding little tiny things on metal! I have not removed it from the base, I suppose it could be under that but what a job it would be to look there!
It really is an interesting piece.
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bhearsch
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posted on November 6, 2000 11:42:20 PM new
Hi rawbunzel. Bronze is very heavy - much heavier than brass. The coloring really has nothing to do with the metal since bronze can be almost any color. The sculpture looks like it has a gold vermeil finish or patina applied over the bronze body.
My guess is the metal is bronze and not brass since most of the fine metal artists prefer to work in this medium because of it's beauty. The signature most likely will not be on the bottom of the figure if the base is original to the piece so I don't think you need to take it apart. I'm surprised that it doesn't have a signature or a symbol of some sort and I'm not sure how to identify it without one. If you do find one tomorrow, let us know and then I can look the artist up in my reference books. It's a very striking sculpture and I think you have a great find.
Blanche
[ edited by bhearsch on Nov 6, 2000 11:43 PM ]
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rawbunzel
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posted on November 7, 2000 02:59:27 PM new
Blanche, I looked and looked and I do not see any signature. This is the color of the metal. It does not have any finish added to it. Hey! Maybe it is really made of GOLD? Now that would be something!
Looks like it wil be hopeless to find out who created this. It doesn't go with my decor so it has to go. Hope I can find something out somewhere before I sell it!
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tootstreas
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posted on November 7, 2000 03:17:42 PM new
This looks like a very nice piece of art. The artist's signature, or some type of mark, has got to be on it somewhere. Check the sides and base with a loupe. Take the time to examine this piece. It costs hundreds of dollars just to cast a small bronze sculpture like this. Check with the University of Washington, then maybe the Art Institute of Chicago. Maybe someone there will recognize this artist's work. Be willing to take the time to understand what you have here. My guess is its real money you're looking at. You might want to fit it into your decor for a while.
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bhearsch
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posted on November 7, 2000 03:29:35 PM new
rawbunzel, I'm disappointed that you couldn't find a signature or cipher on the sculpture but I guess that would make things too easy. Please take a look at the two bottom photos on this page:
http://www.homestead.com/dhada/sculptor.html
The page takes a while to download but you will be able to see the two gold patinated bronze sculptures on the bottom portion of the page.
I still think it's made of a patinated bronze. If you think about it, brass tarnishes quickly and the color of the metal after tarnishing isn't always appealing. This is one of the many reasons that bronze is a sculptor's preferred medium. I don't really know of any who use brass.
The patination is inherent in the metal and you can't really see that it's a separate process - it DOESN'T look like it's applied. I would advise you to have a local antique gallery, auction house or a high-end antique shop look at the sculpture before you sell it because there's a huge difference between the price of brass versus bronze.
Good luck!!
Blanche
[ edited by bhearsch on Nov 7, 2000 03:30 PM ]
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bhearsch
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posted on November 7, 2000 03:39:58 PM new
I agree with tootstreas. The marking should really be located towards the bottom portion of the figure or on the bottom side or edge. BTW, the weight is one of the key trademarks of bronze and if you had a brass item to compare to a bronze one of similar size, the bronze item would feel much heavier than the brass. It would be almost as heavy as an item made out of lead.
Blanche
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nebula5
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posted on November 7, 2000 03:40:43 PM new
I found this information on a Brazilian artist named Ascal (sounds like the right era). Unfortunately, there's only one example of his sculpture shown, but take a look:
http://www.secrel.com.br/artecearabrasil/ascal.htm
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rawbunzel
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posted on November 7, 2000 05:58:16 PM new
You might be right Blanche. I have compared it more carefully to my other brass pieces and it is more golden ,not the same. SO it might very well be bronze. I did not know they incorporated the patina into the metal. That would explain it as there is still some residue on the surface of the casting material. She is very rough on the hair area.Impossible to get it all out. That is why I thought it was not patinated. Interesting!
Those are both good sites. The sculpures are at the very least the same color as this one. She is very heavy for her size [I think] She weighs about 25lbs. and is 16" tall including the base [which is very light] She is also partially hollow...like a native american head dress? [as if the hair were the feathers] So she seems heavy for what she is.
I hope she is worth something! I'll look more for a mark of some kind. Does seem funny there would not be one.
Thanks for all the help and suggestions.
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rancher24
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posted on November 7, 2000 06:14:13 PM new
Rawbunzel.....I know less than zip about sculpture...But I hope that you manage to "identify" this piece (BTW did you check her hair carefully for a sig?).....BUT I just had to say that, although she is nowhere near my typical style, I find her almost mesmerizing...I swear I've had days (maybe even weeks or months) where I've felt the way I interpret her.....A stoic front, when in fact I am actually disintegrating on the inside.... I'm sure that she'll do well for you!!
~ Rancher
Who would bid big bucks to own her, if only we hadn't just started our austerity program!
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rawbunzel
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posted on November 7, 2000 06:47:38 PM new
Rancher, Thank you,She is mesmerizing. I hadn't thought of her the way you did. Stoic yet disintegrating.It suits her. Too bad she doesn't go with early 20th century decor! No, then I'd want to keep her.
Oh, I do hope she is worth some "big bucks"!
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bhearsch
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posted on November 7, 2000 08:28:17 PM new
I know this is probably wishful thinking and just a result of the way the light is reflecting off of the sculpture, but there is an area in the second photo that looks like a signature. I know it can't be that easy but it's been nagging at me so I had to mention it. 
Blanche
[ edited by bhearsch on Nov 7, 2000 08:29 PM ]
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rawbunzel
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posted on November 7, 2000 10:48:30 PM new
Blanche, I wish it were that simple! Nope, that is just a rough spot ,no signature!
tootstreas I have incorporated it into the decor of my kitchen for now! It has been on my front porch [enclosed] with the rabbit!
I will take your advice to understand what I have before moving it on to a new home.
If I ever find anything out I will let you know.
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