Equestrian statue of Bartolomeo Colleoni 1488

This is Andrea del Verrocchio’s bronze equestrian statue of Bartolomeo Colleoni, located here in Venice. Bronze casting is a very physical process. The original model would have been made in clay, then cast in plaster. This was then used to create a mold, into which molten bronze was poured at extremely high temperatures. Just imagine the effort involved in moving that quantity of metal! Once cooled, the mold was broken away, revealing the sculpture, which would then be finished by hand. It’s important to remember that bronze has been used since antiquity to create durable objects. The equestrian statue has ancient roots, typically intended to memorialize powerful leaders. In Renaissance Italy, bronze casting was an important industry, supported by wealthy patrons. Here, the artist combines the traditions of fine art with metalworking craft. The result is an object that signifies power not only through its subject, but through the very labor and materials that it embodies. This impressive work shows that even in so-called ‘fine art,’ the means of production really matter.