Israel Museum Video Explains Lost-Wax Bronze Casting Technique

The Israel Museum in Jerusalem has released a didactic video explaining the lost-wax bronze casting technique, coinciding with the exhibition "Hadrian: An Emperor Cast in Bronze." The exhibition features three bronze portraits of Emperor Hadrian displayed together for the first time in Jerusalem, symbolizing his return to the city. The video, created by Renana Aldor and Kobi Vogman, uses a mix of live footage and 2D/3D animation to illustrate the ancient process, which involves creating a model, plaster mold, wax replica, and final bronze casting. The lost-wax method, known since antiquity and famously used for the Riace Bronzes, fell out of use during the Middle Ages but was revived in the Renaissance by sculptors like Lorenzo Ghiberti. The video demonstrates how this technique allows for large-scale sculptures, even in single pieces.