Sujet

Melting the metal for the bronze Sphinx to be placed on the Thames Embankment, 1881. Creator: William James Palmer.

Légende

Melting the metal for the bronze Sphinx to be placed on the Thames Embankment, 1881. 'Large Bronze Castings. The pair of colossal Sphinxes, to adorn the pedestal of the Egyptian Obelisk called "Cleopatra's Needle," on the Victoria Thames Embankment, are cast at the foundry of Messrs. H. Young and Co., Eccleston-street, Pimlico. Our Illustration shows the operation of melting the metal at that establishment...The mixture of metal used at Messrs. H. Young and Co.'s foundry is eleven parts of copper to one of tin; which alloy is similar to that proved to have been used by the ancients...the whole work is removed into a gigantic oven, in which it remains for six or eight weeks until all vapour is expelled. Then it is put together, provisions being made for easy escape of gases; it is lowered into the foundry floor, bolted together, and solidly embedded to prevent explosion or upheaving. A dam or receiver is placed on the top of the mould, for holding the metal by valves, until it is at proper temperature for induction, when it is suddenly released by means of a lever, and the founder's anxious task of months is brought to a close'. The sphinxes were designed by George John Vulliamy. From "Illustrated London News", 1881.

Crédit

Photo12/Heritage Images/The Print Collector

Notre référence

HRM25A43_069

Model release

NA

Property release

NA

Licence

Droits gérés

Format disponible

23,8Mo (2,4Mo) / 30,0cm x 19,8cm / 3549 x 2342 (300dpi)

Mots clés

people male work job technology man men arts light industry worker pouring dark metal hot bronze art guy occupation British heat industrial darkness craftsmanship century Britain profession newspapers press print metalwork Sphinx concept molten sphinxes mythology forge B&W foundry foundry worker engraved engraving metalworking 19th century mythical creature crucible forging black & white black and white B W metal worker metalworker metalworkers nineteenth century workers metalworks The Print Collector Illustrated London News metal industry mythical beast wood engraving ILN newspaper mythical creatures mythical beasts William James Palmer Palmer William James mythological creature 19th-century metal work George John Vulliamy Vulliamy George John The Illustrated London News W. J. Palmer Palmer W. J.