Grammar Gazette- Issue 2, 2022

The Minerva Bust

To Minerva — A pale marble statue by some ancient Greek, Who, dreaming strange visions, perfection did seek Embodying all the fair graces and charms Of women, the crisp, curling hair, dimpled arms, Expression of wisdom, and gaze, pure and serene, He wrought in this statue his ideal of grace, An object of worship to all his great race. He breathed in it life and he called it Minerva Ah! Would that we, too, might so worthily serve her — Written by Sixth Former, Everil Venman (1924) and published in the School Magazine.

As one who untouched by aught evil has been

The ‘Lost-Wax’ Process —

The ‘lost-wax process’ involves many hours of hands-on labour for the artist, with a series of negative and positive steps. Following the creation of the clay bust (the ‘original positive’), a ‘negative’ mould is made from rubber and supported with plaster to make the ‘mother mould’. Molten wax is then poured into the mother mould, and out again to coat the interior walls and create another ‘positive mould’. Once this wax replica is spruced and grated, multiple layers of a ceramic shell are applied to the exterior of the wax, eventually creating a second negative This ceramic shell is then placed in a kiln causing it to become strong and the wax to melt away—thus a second negative mould is created and filled with the molten bronze. This is heated to an extremely high temperature and as the bronze cools and sets, the last positive is created. The ceramic shell is then chipped off to reveal the final sculpture. Finally, the surface of the sculpture is reworked and refined by the artist, and a patina is applied ■

top left Artist, Mr Phillip Piperides, with Year 8 students who visited the studios above left The final bronze bust of Minerva above centre The 'negative' rubber mould and the wax 'mother mould' of the bust above right Mr Phillip Piperides refining the bronze sculpture before the patina is applied

Gazette

Brisbane Girls Grammar School

29

Issue 2, 2022