Unique copper and lead sculpture in the 20th century

This overview of hammered metal artists of the 20th century is a highly focused look at a relatively small group of gifted sculptors, who were successful in their ability to hammer and shape large slabs of heavy sheet metal into exceptional and unique works of art. Moving beyond the traditional repoussé method of hammering metal that has been the practice for centuries to shape the way metal objects are formed, these few skilled artists were able to approach working the material in new ways and with nontraditional methods. And a few of these sculptors were even able to create exceptionally large pieces, including life-size sculptures, some completely in the round. In approaching their work in metal and utilizing new technologies, most found it was necessary to create their own tools and equipment to successfully handle this difficult material. This was an extraordinary achievement for these artists to succeed, as dozens, perhaps hundreds, of sculptors over the years attempted to work in the material but were seldom able to successfully finish their sculptures and ended up abandoning their projects. This was especially noticeable during the 1940s and 50s when most metals were scarce and even unavailable, especially for artists, because it was during and immediately after the war years that most metal was unavailable except for companies that were producing materials for the war and postwar effort. Only lead was readily available and that is when many sculptors tried their hand at sculpting in this very difficult and unpredictable metal and most were unfortunately unable to produce any useful projects or results. Metal has been an important element for man for thousands of years, and silver, gold, copper and lead were discovered thousands of years ago by early man, largely because they were easily found in their natural state and could easily be extracted from the rocks, which they might have even noticed around the campfires, where they could have seen the metal melting in the heat. Or in the case of copper, in some areas, it could be found in free form on the ground. And because of the relatively low melting point of these metals, they became readily available to early man, encouraging many of them to learn to work with these new materials. Early experiments allowed them to create a number of domestic items, weapons and even coins and works of art, which were extremely valuable for these emerging groups and the communities which they were building. The precious metals took on new meaning and importance as they were often used to create art and royal objects of great value and in some cultures, coinage that could be exchanged among neighboring communities. Copper was found as early as 8000 years ago, and the first lead mines were found 6000 years ago in what is present-day Turkey, where lead jewelry has been found near the region of Anatolia. As early man gained control over this production, as well as trade with other communities, they were able to become even more sophisticated in their production of weapons and utilitarian items as well as jewelry and art. A significant method of combining metals was developed in Sumerian culture in 3300 BC. It was here they discovered the process of combining certain metals which produced bronze and opened The Bronze Age that lasted until 1200 BC. Bronze became enormously important and a central resource during this expansive period as many kingdoms had begun to emerge and many objects, such as weapons, coinage, art and several domestic uses made it an extremely valuable resource and changed the influence and direction of metal throughout these emerging cultures. It was used in the common household and in every aspect of important design to benefit society as a whole, as well as the central importance it provided for the State (Figure 1). In the art world, bronze along with stone prevailed for many centuries as the dominant form of creating works of sculpture. Often lead was also important, especially during Roman times when they even used it to line their golden vessels to sweeten the taste of the wine, as well as its use in creating cultural and domestic objects. They also used it practically, as in the development of some aqueducts and water drainage systems in the Empire. Throughout the Middle Ages, lead was also used for structural purposes, as well as for decoration on the cathedrals that were being built - sometimes as decorative gutters around the roofline and occasionally for gargoyles and exterior images of saints. It was also used inside the cathedrals as decorative elements on the alters such as the tabernacle doors or candle holders and baptisimal fonts. In some churches, as they gained wealth, the lead objects were plated with gold to make the altarpieces seem richer. Public and Royal garden and park sculpture throughout Europe was also often created with cast lead, and in some cases such as in the extravagant Gardens at Versailles, the famous lead fountains were plated with gold to make them seem more splendid. This use of lead continued through the 18th and 19th centuries into the early 20th century, with the growth of historic and popular English gardens that were often filled with lead garden sculpture. Even smaller pieces were available in cast lead for the average man's plot. This also occurred throughout most of Europe and in some wealthier American gardens as well (Figure 2). In the art world of the 20th Century in the United States, two sculptors, Saul Baizerman and John Cavanaugh were the most prominent artists to successfully pursue hammered metal art to an extensive degree and bring the quality of their work to another level of sophistication and beauty. Both sculptors were able to complete a significant number of works using either rolled copper in the case of Baizerman and sheet lead for Cavanaugh. There were also a handful of other sculptors who were able to successfully complete a few works in hammered lead or copper sculpture. But none of these sculptors were able to complete large finished hammered sculptures and none were able to create sculpture made completely in the round. The work that they were successful in creating was primarily works in relief and generally on a smaller scale (Figure 3). Saul Baizerman was born in Vitabsk in Russia, and later moved with his family to Odessa. As a young teenager he wanted to become an artist and had a few successful early experiences with handling clay. He was greatly influenced by his father, who was a skilled harness maker, and he had always admired the precision by which his father was able to carve and work his leather harnesses, creating complicated and beautiful designs. In his early 20s, with the help of his uncles, he was able to come to the United States. After spending a short time in Boston, he soon arrived in New York, and immediately explored opportunities to work in art. He initially was able to attend the Design Academy where he spent 1 year. Later he was able to attend the Beaux-Arts Institute of Arts, where Lloyd Warren, who was one of the designers of Grand Central Station supported Baizerman's work and began to sponsor him. Because he had such support for his work, he was able to remain there for 9 years. Finding ways of earning money at odd jobs, he was able to continue his sculpture, and have some success. He started creating a series of small bronze figures. As he worked on them, he began to look at his cast figures in a different way, and he began to hammer the surfaces to change the structure of the figures with the idea of changing their surface to better reflect the light and increase the shadows. Strongly influenced by Rodin and Michelangelo, he began to explore his work in different ways, and evenconsidered the surface values found in Brancusi's work, whom he also admired. He continued to experiment with hammering his bronze figures until he was able to create a successful body of work (Figures 4 and 5). Soon after gaining some recognition for his art, he had an opportunity to travel to Europe where he was able to have an exhibition of his bronze figures in London. Remaining in Europe, he explored Paris and the different work that was being done during this period and meeting some of the important artists of the time. It was also here that he saw the works in repousse' that were being created there that might have influenced him in his later decision. When he returned to his studio in New York, influenced by what he experienced in Europe, he abruptly decided to leave his work in bronze, and he chose instead to begin hammering large copper sheets. When he began to order the sheets of copper from the supplier, he asked them to roll them an additional four times beyond what they normally rolled them, to further harden the surface. This would allow him to more effectively approach the metal surfaces in his studio, where he could find it easier to control the effects of his stokes. Since many of the pieces of copper were 8 by 10 feet in size, he had to construct special wooden frames to hang the copper sheets from the ceiling. This allowed him to have easy access to both sides of the material. He then would work each side of the copper sheets by hammering in a very controlled and deliberate method. And by carefully controlling the way that he would strike the material, he developed what he called a “dead man's blow” to be able to hit the copper perfectly and to attain the effect he wanted. He also had to learn to be careful about the way he hit the metal because if he miscalculated his hammer blow and struck the metal incorrectly, he could be knocked to the floor from the powerful reaction and the vibration of the copper sheet. As he hammered the copper surfaces, he would also begin to anneal the copper surface and change the color into an almost soft amber glow. This hammering would also begin to control the texture of the sculpture. As he learned to more evenly hammer the copper surface, he had to replace his hammer so often that he could not be effective until he found the perfect way to bind the handles with special tape and by wrapping the handle crosswise several times. This way, he was able to stop breaking so many tools in the process. As he better crafted his working methods, he learned to carefully shape the edges of his sculpture to create the illusion of a contour and shadow, giving the finished sculpture a greater sense of curvature and depth. Sometimes his work would take him months or even years to complete a piece of the finished sculpture. This process took enormous energy and strength, which in his case demanded more than usual energy since he was such a slight figure standing only 5 and ½ feet high and weighing only 134 lbs. Upon returning from a trip to Europe in 1931, Bazerman found that a fire had tragically destroyed his studio, as well as all of the pieces of copper sculpture in the space, some of which he had spent years completing. Dealing with this enormous loss, he moved forward, organized and found a new studio space, and he began again to try to develop a significant body of work. It was his wife, Eugenie, who was a gifted painter, and who was his moral strength during this tragedy that enabled him to move forward after this serious loss. Finally, after a number of difficult years and continually working on his copper sculpture, he was beginning to be recognized for his powerful work and began to receive opportunities to exhibit his art, including being honored with a number of awards and significant purchases of his sculpture. He received awards from the Pennsylvania Academy of Art, which later purchased a piece of his sculpture. He was also recognized by the National Institute for Art and Letters and the John Simon Guggenheim Foundation. The Whitney Museum of Art also purchased a piece of his art for their collection. Noted critics, Julius Held and Milton Kramer both began to write glowing essays about his work and he finally was able to secure his first major solo exhibit at the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis (Figure 6). Unfortunately, after finally beginning to have success in his career, he suffered the death of his wife in 1949 and it took a good deal of time for him to begin to adjust to her loss. He continued to receive significant praise and attention for his work, but unfortunately, his own health was affected negatively by his work in toxic fumes from his working in an unprotected manner while hammering his metal sculpture. And a series of illnesses began to affect his life and he unfortunately died in 1957 at the age of 67. During the time immediatly following his death, his reputation continued to grow and this increasing appreciation for his work enabled him to be included in several important collections. A second major retrospective a after his death was opened at the Institute of Art in Boston, and several pieces of his art were by several over the following years, including The The Museum of Art, the Museum of Art and several other important art around the United This made him the most and hammered metal artist of the 20th and the most significant influence on the other metal sculptors to use sheet metal for their own work. John Cavanaugh was very successful in an important figure in hammered metal art. He was successful in hammering metal into significant works of art, but he chose the difficult surfaces of sheet lead on which to create his sculpture. Cavanaugh was born in in into a family of four who had their father in a was very of his ability in art and took a great in his and worked to support him. in any that could his took him to a to help him some in But it soon became that Cavanaugh was of their level of for it to be for him to beyond his own to this made a and took him along with his to the of the who was an artist with in from their not only and his but to take him into her household and him along with her own in order to him in several of art and culture to his of his And took a very on of him in several of and culture and encouraging him to the in art, while also him in the to create art. This was not only an exceptional opportunity for young but it also allowed him access to his as well as benefit from the of a and the use of the as Cavanaugh very several opportunities to his level in both and sculpture (Figure The importance and of his and in art became very after he State as he was able to complete his in only years. He continued into the primarily working in and A few years he also at the of Cavanaugh was very successful as a And he became very in the art including an in the Art as well as in the Museum of During this he had also started a young family which him to on his work as well as his as a in Cavanaugh became very successful in producing and his sculpture, even the Museum of Art his work. He also began to receive significant attention for his work, and he was a exhibition at And he received a by the National which was in the Museum at He also received a at a Pennsylvania Academy of Art exhibition in he was a exhibit and a at the Academy of Art in he was able to the important because he was a he could not the extraordinary As his life in he became very and about his and which had with the to his life and his art. In 1957 he and abruptly chose to leave his his life and his art and moved to New any and only a he decided that he would a new in art in New He initially worked odd and finally a for a large which he was good at completing. because of a good and because of his as a artist and he was able to secure studio in the important Center in because he could fire the in the studio This also him an opportunity to exhibit in the important Center throughout the year. During his time he his work in and bronze he was he was to a number of important sculptors who used the studio to work, and he had a to working in tried his hand at hammering the material as the were to and them he with Because of the soft of the metal and the by the process of working with lead, there was always the of hammering through the lead sheets as they began to the by working the In while he was on the he that if he took a different approach and the material he might be able to control the process of successfully working in immediately to the Center he began to his and because of this he was able to begin to the hammering process and successfully his level to be able to complete projects in lead sculpture. to his success in working on the material and new he could with the new of the ways Cavanaugh the control of his lead projects was to hit the edges of the lead sheets to hammer which the structure of the lead and made it more and easier to he worked from both the and side of the metal and he also learned to the as the metal often became almost as it began to the heat. He also was able to create different on the made by the different tools he used to shape the Sometimes he would move the and melting lead the and he often used the material and melting surfaces to them into or material, or he would the edges and the Cavanaugh was in New York, and because of the success he was with his sculpture, he began his to not only his and bronze sculpture, but he chose to his more hammered lead work. During this he also began significant and from the including the New and the who admired the work of this new young and to his he continued working in bronze and occasionally he focused his attention on creating and his ability to develop lead sculpture. Early on he made some significant in his figures and was able to move from more in his work to sculpture that began to a sense of in his figures. He also began to success in his work and gaining new who were to support his new (Figures 8 and In when his an at had an to move to Cavanaugh decided he would for opportunities to have better that a always to especially in New This him to and he was with the where they that and the had the with and several - and that the had been by the the began to use their own and from and family to begin to some of these They soon success these on many after the Cavanaugh chose to a hammered lead relief sculpture on the of a few of the This became noticeable and the and in The chose to Cavanaugh and his on the of their This their ability to and create new and for the of young who were into the The also the hammered lead relief sculptures that Cavanaugh had on the exterior of the which was at 18th and The of the sculptures was from the of called because of the with the Cavanaugh continued to relief sculpture on several that they had or attention to his art in the and recognized in about the in Cavanaugh continued to exhibit his work in New York, every few years through the as well as of his work in his Since this studio was in the new on and 18th he became very to and to the and developed a He also a following through his in New he began to more on his hammered lead sculpture, his to be to develop a sense of to his finished early piece of a a The was one of the first that this sense of to his sculpture. he began at the Center during the and early where he could the and of the on He even was able to occasionally during through a who worked at the After and successful of his work, he finally that he had been successful in a sense of to his sculpture, and he on his and figures to create an sense of in his finished pieces (Figures 10 and Unfortunately, during the because Baizerman worked unprotected in hammering the lead and the toxic lead he was affected by that to his early death at the age of in Throughout his career, the success of his hammered lead sculpture influenced the of several of his them to be in around the And several are on in and more than a pieces of his sculpture are in in including the National and in a of his sculptures are also in After his death, of his work were in several and around the his works have been in New and (Figures and A few other important sculptors also were to have successfully work in hammered lead and And even they were not able to the level or of work created by Cavanaugh or they make significant in the they took in creating important hammered lead sculpture. the most are and who were the most successful of this and created work that is important to as important sculpture that hammered lead or copper as the of their work (Figures The of hammered metal art in the 20th Century is of the Art and at the of the 19th and early 20th This is where a few artists to explore materials and to the quality that these objects and the special way the materials could a more in the created by objects made the But because of the of working with toxic metals used in hammering copper or lead and the process in it is that this extraordinary art be seen in the Even when are beginning to look more instead of the and artists are to more materials that are easier to form and especially in sculpture. There is also the that the and and materials in many projects. the ability to and the sometimes and that hammered lead and copper sculpture exhibit is an art The and edges and of this material in the finished sculptures create extraordinary effects and are that a bronze sculpture Even the quality of the on the surface and the way light and are experienced and or is unique in this A and and a unique art form that be in the