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Scholarly Recognized Art With Old World QualityThe Chiurazzi Foundry enjoys a rich tradition established by many generations. The current Foundry workers are trained through the Chiurazzi generational chain. It is with the mentorship of current Chiurazzi artisans that Chiurazzi can continue to encourage artisans to acquire the highest skill level and knowledge. It is through these artisans that the cultural heritage and techniques can be preserved and passed to future generations. Chiurazzi serves as an insurance policy against the loss of the skills and knowledge of the artisans in our post-industrialized society. The creation of museum quality bronzes from original exact scale moulds is a highly skilled and creative process. It is only through years of experience and the teaching of skillful techniques from generation to generation that Chiurazzi has been able to maintain the high level of quality in its bronze statues. In the Chiurazzi Foundry today it is as if Gennaro Chiurazzi himself were still carefully coordinating the work. It is the commitment of the Foundry to continue the cultivation of new artisans through a comprehensive apprenticeship program to ensure that the skill required to create Chiurazzi pieces is preserved. |
The Process
The process begins by creating a wax model of the original statue from one of the Chiurazzi moulds. A “retoucher” checks the wax thickness and the overall quality of the wax model to be sure it meets the highest quality. In addition to assessing the quality, the retoucher will add wax canes to ensure the quality of the outer portion of the bronze. These wax canes will allow the bronze to move evenly throughout the casting process. Once the retoucher has confirmed the quality of the wax model, it can be sent to have a plaster negative mould made of the wax model. The plaster mould is then baked in a refractory oven. During this process the plaster hardens and the wax is lost through the process known as “Cire Perdue” or a lost wax process that dates back to Benvenuto Celini (1500- 1571). This leaves an empty, hardened plaster shell from which the unfinished bronze cast can be made.
Molten bronze is poured into the plaster shell in a meticulous and finely orchestrated manner, and allowed to cool. Once the bronze has cooled, the artisans work to remove the shell and the canes from the bronze, being careful not to damage the bronze, before passing the artwork to the “master chiseler.”
Perhaps the most important and critical step of the artwork’s quality is performed by the master chiseler, who monitors every square inch of the bronze and completes the fine details. This is the process where the fine hair on the statue becomes thin strands, and the skin gains fine wrinkles. It is the chiseler, with his years of experience who makes the connection with the original work of art and ultimately the final bronze. It is this unique sensitivity, understanding and knowledge that allow him to create a Chiurazzi piece.
Lastly, the art needs to be protected from the elements. Bronze reacts quickly to air and water. It is at this point that the “patina master” works his mastery of carefully guarded centuries-old procedures and methods that provide the bronze with its distinctive and protective finish.
Production
The production of bronzes over the first 24 months will be limited to artwork of the inventory of Chiurazzi International. During this period, 100 original scale bronzes will be created, including two sets of 50 bronzes — one set for the Chiurazzi gallery and one set for the traveling exhibition. The 50 bronzes included in each set will include works of art from great Italian masters such as Michelangelo, Bernini, Canova, Cellini and Donatello, and historically relevant statues and artifacts from Herculaneum and Pompeii. The 50 art pieces selected will represent a collection of art bronzes that does not currently exist in one cohesive group.
The first set of statues will be used to create the exhibit at the Company’s Chiurazzi gallery on the Bay of Naples. This gallery will house many of the 1,500 existing historic moulds from the mid-1800s, which will be displayed in an 8,500-square-foot gallery. There will also be approximately 2,500 square feet of space devoted to the demonstration of bronze production by Chiurazzi International’s Master Artisans. The bronze production demonstration will include a virtual theatre featuring an introductory educational video, as well as an area where visitors can see actual Italian artisans chiseling and finishing commissioned artwork. The exhibit and foundry demonstration area will attract tourists to the Bay of Naples and drive ticket sale revenues.
The other set of 50 works will become the basis for the a traveling exhibition based on the model established by “Treasures of Tutankhamun” and the show of Titanic artifacts. In addition to participating in ticket sales at participating museums, the exhibition will allow Chiurazzi International to reach a market of museum collectors, curators, foundations, endowments and individual collectors potentially interested in purchasing works. The show will be designed to visit approximately 10 to 12 museums for three months each, from the United States and Europe, to China, India, South America and the Middle East.
Editions
The bronze statues are classified into three key types:
Limited Editions: Exact scale, cast from the originals, stamped with the Foundry seal, numbered and signed by the Foundry, with the official Chiurazzi Napoli Italy Medallions.
Reduction Editions: Differing from the Limited Editions in size only, numbered, and stamped with a certification representative of Chiurazzi quality. These would be available mainly in the museum shops.
Unlimited Editions: Open editions of varying sizes authorized, of high quality and carrying a modified Chiurazzi Foundry mark, will be sold with certificates of authenticity specifically created for the mass market.