Nature and Art, Making and Knowing: Reconstructing Sixteenth-Century Life-Casting Techniques

• Published in: Renaissance quarterly Vol. 63; no. 1; pp. 128 - 179
• Main Authors: Smith, Pamela H, Beentjes, Tonny
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge The Renaissance Society of America 01.03.2010; Cambridge University Press
• Subjects: 16th century; Academic discourse; Animals; Casting; Cellini, Benvenuto (1500-1571); French language; Goldsmithing; Historical text analysis; Language history; Lead; Lizards; Materials; Molding; Molds & molding; Plants; Plasters; Silver; Snakes; Studies; Waxes; Europe

Almost everyKunstkammerin sixteenth-century Europe contained small reptiles or plants cast from life in a variety of media. This widespread technique, which used small, recently killed animals as a pattern to create lifelike sculptures, was often prized more highly than works sculpted with the hand....