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CHISELING
The art of chiseling
plunges its roots far back in history; already in practice among the
ancient Egyptians, Cretans and Romans, over the course of centuries it
came to be un invaluable technique for the production of the most
prestigious works of art. In the history of Florence it rose to high
dignity thanks to its use by outstanding personalities, such as Cellini
(who left us a precious handbook in which he unveiled its secrets),
Botticelli, Donatello, Ghiberti and Verrocchio.
Chiseling is a technique of skilled craftsmen who, for each job,
meticulously manufacture the necessary tools, known as ‘chiseling tools’.
The most commonly wrought metals are copper, brass and silver. Unlike
engraving, whereby matter is removed from the piece to be decorated, the
chiseling tools give movement to the metal creating an effect of relief
and indentation at different levels. The first phase consists in the
outlining of the desired pattern, whose mould will be applied from the
rear to what is known as the embossment, giving life to the figure through
the variation in volumes. ‘Embossing’ therefore signifies a consistent
shifting of material in space; the obtained metal sheet will be fixed to
the working bench by means of a special adhesive – melted pitch is poured
on the wooden board – for the finishing touches on the front side: this
work is the genuine chiseling.
This process encompasses
all the creative potential of a handicraft that levers on the progressive
development of forms of expression.
The scheme
also has an educational purpose: it offers the opportunity to master a
real ART that personifies the inner expression of beauty and harmony
enclosed within us all.
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