bronze

bronze. An alloy consisting mainly of copper (usually about 90 per cent) and tin, often also containing small amounts of other metals such as lead or zinc. From Greek and Roman times it has been the metal most commonly used in cast sculpture, and it has also been employed for—among much else—bells, drinking vessels, mirrors, weapons, architectural ornament, and coins (‘copper’ coins are usually bronze). Its popularity and versatility come from its strength, its durability, its ability to take fine detail and lustrous polish, and the fact that it is easily workable—both hot and cold—by a variety of processes. It is easier to cast than copper because it has a lower melting point, and its great tensile strength gives it an advantage over marble sculpture, in which it is much more difficult to create unsupported parts (such as protruding limbs). However, making a large bronze figure is a complex industrial process, and Cellini has left a classic account of the difficulties he faced in casting his Perseus. The colour of bronze is affected by the proportion of tin or other metals present, varying from silverish to a rich, coppery red, and its surface beauty can be enhanced when it acquires a patina.

The word ‘bronze’ evidently did not enter the English language until the 18th century, and before then all copper alloys were commonly referred to as ‘brass’. The words still tend to be employed fairly loosely, sometimes even in serious art-historical writing, and without scientific examination it may indeed be impossible to tell whether bronze or brass has been used in a particular work. See also cire-perdue.