Lost-wax casting

Lost-wax casting (cire perdue) is one of the oldest metal-working techniques known to humanity. Traced back to the Indus Valley around 3,000 BCE, it was used to create the bronzes of ancient Greece, the sacred objects of the Benin Kingdom, and the silverwork of Renaissance goldsmiths.

Today, it remains the most faithful technique for translating a sculptural idea into metal: every detail of the original model is preserved in the final piece, including the subtlest marks left by the artist’s fingers.

Each piece begins as a raw block of wax that Brigitte Engel carves by hand. This is the longest stage of the process, often several days or weeks for complex pieces.

The wax allows for detail work: the expression of a face, the relief of a texture, the tension of a line. The wax model carries the direct trace of the human hand: the pressure of the tool, the hesitation of a gesture, the slight asymmetry of a curve. Every imperfection is intentional: it is the piece’s signature.

The finished wax sculpture is then attached to a wax sprue system and embedded in a refractory plaster mould, heated to 750°C in a kiln: the wax vaporises entirely (hence "lost" wax), leaving a perfect hollow negative of the original sculpture.

Molten metal is then poured into the mould. Once cooled, the plaster is broken away to reveal the rough cast: a replica of the original wax in metal, with the tiny variations inherent to each casting.

The raw cast is returned to Brigitte Engel’s bench. The sprues, the rods that guided the molten metal into the mould, are cut away, and the chasing begins, a meticulous process of refining the surface.

Selective polishing and patina together create the contrasted finish that characterises Brigitte Engel’s work: the raised surfaces are burnished to a high shine while the recesses are darkened with an oxidising treatment, emphasising the depth and texture of the sculpture.

Beyond the lost-wax process itself, the finishing stage introduces subtle variations that make each piece unique: the patina and the polish, done entirely by hand, are never repeated in exactly the same way from one piece to another.

Every piece carries, struck with a steel punch, Brigitte Engel’s maker’s mark and the 925 silver mark. Limited editions also bear their number.