What does bronze look like before the patina is applied?

Many of our customers have been fascinated by the process involved in casting the bronze sculpture that we have in the Gallery. The artist Richard Boardman sent me these two pictures, taken at the Bronzarte Foundry in Pietrasanta, Italy.

This photo shows the molten bronze being poured into the moulds.

Here is Richard's fish after it has been cast and before the patina is added. You can see the natural colour of the bronze. The patina is realised by applying acid to the bronze. Different types of acid produce different coloured patinas. Many of the sculptures in this exibition have gone through this process twice with a black patina being applied followed by a coloured patina such as green or brown.