The casting of western sculpture during the XIXth century: sand casting versus lost wax casting

This paper will discuss research into bronze casting techniques as practiced during the XIXth and early XXth century. Both natural sand casting (fonte au sable naturel) and lost wax casting (fonte à la cire perdue) were employed during this period and sometimes rivalled for commissions. Before the XIXth century the vast majority of sculpures were cast by the lost wax casting method. Innovations in sand casting around 1800 changed this situation. The next decades would see a gradual shift away from lost wax casting towards sand casting and by the second quarter of the XIXth century sand casting becomes the preferred casting method for the founding of sculture in France, Germany and Britain. This process of sand casting was highly skilled and used piece moulds made from compacted natural clayey sand. Eventually innovations in lost wax casting during the first half of the XXth century shifted the balance from sand casting to lost wax casting and natural sand casting was gradually replaced between the 1950s and 1970s.