The Lost Wax Casting: A Timeless Craft of Statue Making

The statue making process begins with the creation of either a clay or wax masterpiece, which will be the model on which all statues are based on. Each copper statue begins as a wax replica of this masterpiece, made using silicon molds for smaller intricate parts and cement and wax dyes for structural parts. Sourcing proper materials for the wax is crucial to the process. Artisans use natural, dark beeswax, which is mixed with saal dhoop and a little bit of ghee. To form the wax, each artisan uses their own personalized tools, often utilizing their body heat and heated tools. The completed wax statue is then covered in a layer of messicha, cow dung sourced from grass-fed cows mixed with fine clay and filtered to a smooth consistency. This mixture is then coated onto the wax statues. After the messicha dries, multiple layers of mixture of special yellow mud and chaff is applied. Each layer needs to dry completely before another can be applied. The right timing of drying and the use of proper mixtures are crucial in this process. Experienced artists ensure integrity and strategically add channels where melted copper will flow later during casting. The coated statue is torched so that the wax inside will melt away, creating a hollow mold where the melted copper is poured. A proper mix of melted copper and zinc is crucial. Too much copper will make the structure too ductile and too little will make the structure rigid, both of which will affect the quality of the final product. Once cooled, the layers of coating are cleaned off, revealing a metal statue. This statue is then passed on to the next phase of production. Because the wax melts off and leaves behind a mold for the metal to be poured into, this method of statue making is called lost wax casting. This final reveal is the tedious work of all the steps before it. The chances of something going wrong can be as high as 50%. What makes this process even more difficult is that only after the cast statue is revealed can the mistakes be even identified, let alone be addressed. Artists need to have the technical expertise to work with each and every material relevant for statue making. Additionally, the artists need to pay careful attention to the sourcing of materials that meet their specific needs. Artisans learn such expertise through apprenticeship and continue the historic legacy of statue making. Any shortcomings in the quality of materials, such as wax, or improper techniques such as insufficient thickness of messija or insufficient drying of the mud chaff layer, would result in a statue with structural issues. Despite artisans having to work with such constraints during the manufacturing process, their effort, dedication, and skills ensure that they are able to create mesmerizing copper statues.