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The Magic of Bronze

Discover the amazing stories behind some of the world's greatest masterpieces in bronze. With Carol Mattusch, Jianjun Mei, David Ekserdjian and Bridget Kendall

From Cellini's magnificent Perseus statue to the humblest of tools, people have been using bronze for at least five thousand years. So what makes bronze such a versatile material, how we first discovered it, and why is it that so many precious bronze art works have failed to survive?
Bridget Kendall is joined by Carol Mattusch, Professor Emerita of Art History at George Mason University, Professor Jianjun Mei, from the University of Science and Technology, Beijing and Director of the Needham Institute in Cambridge who specialises in ancient metallurgy, and David Ekserdjian, Professor of Art and Film History at Leicester University.
Also in the programme: Dutch sound artist Floris van Manen follows the key stages of making a bronze bell at Eijsbouts, one of Europe's leading foundries.

Photo: Cellini's statue of Perseus holding the head of Medusa (Getty Images)

Available now

44 minutes

Last on

Wed 22 Mar 2017 02:06GMT

Links and Further Reading









Chinese bronze ritual vessel

Chinese bronze ritual vessel

Camondo zun (wine vessel), Southern China聽
Shang dynasty (18th-11th century BC)
Height: 64cm

Photo: Getty Images

Broadcasts

  • Sat 18 Mar 2017 20:06GMT
  • Mon 20 Mar 2017 02:06GMT
  • Mon 20 Mar 2017 04:06GMT
  • Mon 20 Mar 2017 05:06GMT
  • Tue 21 Mar 2017 09:06GMT
  • Tue 21 Mar 2017 12:06GMT
  • Tue 21 Mar 2017 23:06GMT
  • Wed 22 Mar 2017 02:06GMT

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