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Materials & Techniques

Malay Boy, bronze, 1939

When this portrait bust was modelled by Karl Duldig he lived and worked in Singapore. He told a newspaper of the time, ‘Look at those features…those noble lines, that serenity. Immediately I saw that boy I knew I would have to sculpt him.’
'A Malayan Bungalow' in Straits Times Weekly Supplement, Singapore, 22 June 1939

Malay Boy was modelled from life in the traditional manner and then cast in plaster. Unlike most other bronzes in the exhibition, this cast is a sand cast.

Compare Malay Boy with other bronze casts in the exhibition. Note any elements that reflect the difference in the way it has been cast.

The process of creating a bronze using sand casting is described in detail in the glossary. What are the differences between the techniques of ‘sand’ and ‘lost wax’ casting for producing bronze casts?

Compare the bronze sculptures of Karl Duldig with those of other artists.  Look for qualities that suggest the different casting methods that may have been used. What other methods are there for casting bronze?