The Dying Centaur 1869 - 1905

William Rimmer made "The Dying Centaur" out of bronze sometime in the 19th century. The material itself lends a classical feel to the sculpture, recalling ancient bronzes, though Rimmer would have been working within an industrial age context. You can see the incredible musculature of both man and horse, the centaur struggling against his fate. Bronze allowed Rimmer to capture a sense of dynamic movement and tension in the figure. Consider the labor involved in creating this work. The artist likely started with a clay or wax model, which was then used to create a mold for the bronze casting. Molten bronze would have been poured into the mold, cooled, and then painstakingly finished. Rimmer's choice of bronze connects his work to traditions of fine art sculpture, yet the intense realism and emotional depth also speak to his own unique artistic vision. Materials, making, and historical context all allow us to fully appreciate the meaning of this powerful work.