Rotgießer | archaeometallurgy
Aug 11 2014

Peter Vischer the Elder, famous sculptor and Meister Rothschmied

Bastian Asmus




Peter Vischer (1455-1529) from the shrine of Saint Sebald, Nuremberg.

Details of a second cast of a self-portrait of Peter Vischer (1455-1529) from the shrine of Saint Sebald, Nuremberg. Original size of head: 6 cm.

I know the title says Peter Vischer the Elder, however this is a post on one piece of his work only: namely the self portrait of Peter Vischer. When I returned from a fantastic conference on Medieval Copper, Bronze and Brass in Dinant and Namur, Belgium,  I remembered that back in the nineties I had to make journeyman’s piece towards the end of my apprenticeship as an artistic bronze founder. This journeyman’s piece is the self portrait of Peter Vischer the Elder, the other two where portrait medals of Martin Luther and Albrecht Dürer, cast in a specialised medal casting technique. The self-portrait of Vischer is located at the front end of the shrine of Saint Sebald. The shrine was commissioned in 1499 and was finished in 1519. Peter Vischer the Elder was granted the title of  a master in the Rothschmied Handwerk in 1489. The Rotschmied or Rotgießer could be literally translated as red smith or red caster. Although the name would suggest the Rotgießer were obliged to work with red metals, such as copper and  copper-tin alloys only, or the Gelbgießer was obliged to work only with yellow metal, i.e. brass, this was not so: Many Rotgießer were working with brass and/or red brass as well. There was a distinction between the Rot- and the Gelbgießer, though and that had to do with the preferred moulding material: Rotgießer were working with moulding loam and Gelbgießer with moulding sand . Red casters were also casting larger objects than the Gelbgießer. It is most likely that there was no clear cut boundary between the two casting trades.

The self-portrait of Peter Vischer the Elder

Selbstbildnis des Peter Vischer (1455-1529)Coming back to the self-portrait of Peter Vischer the Elder: Here I show a few aspects of the raw cast and explain why this piece secured me the first prize in the competition of the chamber of handicrafts in Germany: The cast is near flawless. It was cast in one piece in the lost wax technique. There are only four core supports, two of which are the nails seen in the images. Self-portrait of Peter Vischer (1455-1529)The other two were placed in the top of the head and near the bottom of the hem at the backside. The gating system is attached in a manner as to leave the original surface fully intact. I left this piece in this state, because it shows the surface quality that can be achieved. The brownish colour stems from the various oxides of copper and tin, that develop upon contact with the moulding material and form a thin skin, which can be easily removed by ways of filing, scraping, or pickling.

References

Stephan Möslein. (2008). Frühbronzezeitliche Depotfunde im Alpenvorland – neue Befunde (pp. 109–130). Presented at the Vorträge des 26. NIederbayerischen Archäologentages, Deggendorf, Rahden/Westfalen.
J.J. Butler. (2002). Ingots and Insights: Reflections on Rings and Ribs. In Die Anfänge der Metallurgie in der alten Welt =: The beginnings of metallurgy in the old world (pp. 229–243). Rahden, Westf: Verlag Marie Leidorf.
Ingots and Insights: Reflections on RIngs and Ribs. (n.d.) (pp. 229–243).
Dines, I. (2010). The Theophilus Manuscript Tradition Reconsidered in the Light of New Manuscript Discoveries. In M. Mauiège & H. Westerman-Angerhausen (Eds.), Zwischen Kunsthandwerk und Kunst: Die Schedula diversarum artium (pp. 3–14). Berlin/Boston: de Gruyter.
Rossi, J.-B. de. (1890). Cloche, avec inscription dédicatoire, du VIIIe ou IXe siècle, trouvée à Canino. Revue de l’art Chrétien, (33), 1–5. Retrieved from https://archive.org/details/revuedelartchr1890lill
Drescher, H. (1961). Zwei mittelalterliche Gießereien auf dem Gelände des ehemaligen Hamburger Doms. Hammaburg, A. F. 8, 107–132.
Drescher, H. (1968). Mittelalterliche Bronzegrapen aus Lübeck. Der Wagen. Ein Lübeckisches Jahrbuch, 164–171.
Drescher, H. (1982). Zu den bronzenen Grapen des 12.-16. Jahrhunderts aus Nordwestdeuschland. In R. Pohl-Weber (Ed.), Aus dem Alltag der Mittelalterlichen Stadt. Handbuch zur Sonderausstellung (Vol. 40, pp. 157–174). Bremen.
Drescher, H. (1986). Zum Guss von Bronze, Messing und Zinn “um 1200.” Zeitschrift Für Archäologie Des Mittelalters, Beiheft 4, 389–405.
Drescher, H. (1987). Ergänzende Bemerkungen zum Giessereifund von Bonn-Schwarzrheindorf. In W. Janssen (Ed.), Eine mittelalterliche Metallgießerei in Bonn-Schwarzrheindorf (Vol. 27, pp. 201–227).
Drescher, H. (1992). Glocken und Glockenguss im 11. und 12. Jahrhundert. In G. Waurick & H. W. Böhme (Eds.), Das Reich der Salier 1024 - 1125 : Katalog zur Ausstellung des Landes Rheinland-Pfalz; [Ausstellung im Historischen Museum der Pfalz, Speyer, vom 23. März bis 21. Juni 1992] (pp. 405–414). Sigmaringen: Thorbecke.
Drescher, H. (1993). Ein Kommentar zu: Gerhard Laub, Zum Nachweis von Rammelsberger Kupfer in Kunstgegenständen aus Goslar und in anderen Metallarbeiten des Mittelalters. In Goslar Bergstadt - Kaiserstadt in Geschichte und Kunst (pp. 313–316).
Drescher, H. (1993). Zur Herstellungstechnik mittelalterlicher Bronzen aus Goslar. Der Marktbrunnen, der neu gefundene Bronze Vogel, der Greif vom Kaiserhaus und der Kaiserstuhl. In Goslar Bergstadt - Kaiserstadt in Geschichte und Kunst (pp. 251–301). Göttingen.
Drescher, H. (1993). Zur Technik berwardinischer Silber- und Bronzegüsse. In Bernward von Hildesheim und das Zeitalter der Ottonen: Katalog der Ausstellung, Hildesheim 1993. Band 1 (pp. 337–351).
Drescher, H. (1995). Gießformen früher Glocken aus Mainz. Mainzer Zeitschrift, 90/91, 183–225.
Drescher, H. (1999). Die Glocken der karolingerzeitlichen Stiftdkirche bei Vreden, Kreis Ahaus. In C. Stiegemann & M. Wemhoff (Eds.), 799, Kunst und Kultur der Karolingerzeit: Karl der Grosse und Papst Leo III. in Paderborn: Katalog der Ausstellung, Paderborn 1999 (pp. 356–364). Mainz: P. von Zabern.
Janssen, W. (1987). Eine mittelalterliche Metallgießerei in Bonn- Schwarzrheindorf. Mit Beiträgen von Hans Drescher, Christoph J. Raub und Josef Riederer. In Beiträge zur Archäologie des Rheinlandes. Rheinische Ausgrabungen (Vol. 27, pp. 135–235). Köln.
Haiduck, H. (1997). Die mittelalterliche Gussform eines Taufkessels aus der Kirche von Cappel (Kreis Cuxhaven). Zeitschrift Für Archäologie Des Mittelalters, 25/26, 87–105.
Sugaki, A., Shima, H., Kitakaze, A., & Mizota, T. (1981). Hydrothermal synthesis of nukundamite and its crystal structure. American Mineralogist, 66, 398–402.
Suhling, L. (1997). Kupfer- und Silberhütten in Buchillustrationen der frühen Neuzeit. Berichte Der Geologischen Bundesanstalt, 41, 219–231.
Telle, R., & Thönnißen, M. (2006). Prähistorische feuerfeste Werkstoffe und ihre Weiterentwicklung in keltischer und römischer Zeit. Prähistorische Feuerfeste Werkstoffe Und Ihre Weiterentwicklung in Keltischer Und Römischer Zeit, 43(2), 55–87.
Thies, H. (1993). Goslar und die frühen niedersächsichen Gebäude. In Goslar Bergstadt - Kaiserstadt in Geschichte und Kunst (pp. 95–113).
Tholl, S. (2001). Macht und Pracht. In Der Rammelsberg. Tausend Jahre Mensch – Natur – Technik. Band 2 (pp. 302–315).
Thornton, C., Rehren, T., & Pigott, V. (2009). The Production of Speiss (Iron Arsenide) during the Early Bronze Age in Iran. Journal of Archaeological Science, 36(2), 308–316.
Thornton, C. P., & Giardino, C. (2012). Serge Cleuziou and the “Tin Problem.” In Aux Marges de l’archeologie: Hommage a Serge Cleuziou (pp. 253–260). Paris: De Boccard.
Thornton, C. (2009). The Emergence of Complex Metallurgy on the Iranian Plateau: Escaping the Levantine Paradigm. Journal of World Prehistory, 22(3), 301–327. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10963-009-9019-1
Thornton, C. P. (2007). Of brass and bronze in prehistoric Southwest Asia. In Metals and Mines. Studies in Archaeometallurgy (pp. 123–135).
Timberlake, S. (2002). Medieval lead smelting boles near Penguelan, Cwmystwyth, Ceredigion. Archaeology in Wales, 42, 45–59.
Tong, K.-W. (1983). Shang musical instruments (Teil 2). Asian Music, 15, 103–184.
Toulmin, P., & Barton, P. B. (1964). A thermodynamic study of pyrite and pyrrhotite. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 28(5), 641–671. https://doi.org/10.1016/0016-7037(64)90083-3
Tsemekhman, L. S., Burylev, B. P., Golov, A. N., & Miroevskii, G. P. (2002). Modeling of Thermodynamic Properties and Fusion Diagrams of Ternary Oxosulfide Systems. Russian Journal of Applied Chemistry, 75(2), 186–190.
Ullwer, H. (2001). Messingherstellung nach dem alten Galmeiverfahren. Erzmetall, 54(6), 319–326.
Ünsal Yalçin, & H. Gönül Yalçin. (2009). Evidence for early use of tin at Tülintepe in eastern Anatolia. TÜBA-AR, 12, 123–142.
Ursula Mende. (1984). Romanische Giesslöwen in Nürnberg und Wien und ihre Zuordnung zur Magdeburger Giesshütte. Anzeiger Des Germanischen Nationalmuseums, 7–12.
Valde-Nowak, P., Klappauf, L., & Linke, F. A. (2004). Neolithische Besiedlung der Gebirgslandschaften: Fallstudie Harz. Nachrichten Aus Niedersachsens Urgeschichte, 73, 43–48.
Vályi, K. (1999). Glockengußanlage und Bronzeschmelzöfen im Hof des Klosters von Szer vom Anfang des 13. Jahrhunderts. Comunicationes Archaeologicae Hungariae, 143--169.
Verschiedene. (1400). Sammelhandschrift zur Kriegskunst. Wien. Retrieved from http://www.onb.ac.at/sammlungen/hschrift/handschriften_benuetzung.htm
Wadsworth, J., & Lesuer, D. J. (2000). The knives of J. Richtig as featured in Ripley-Yens Believe it or Not. Materials Characterization, 45, 315–326.
Wagner, G. A., Gentner, W., Gropengiesser, H., & Gale, N. H. (1980). Early Bronze Age lead-silver mining and metallurgy in the Aegean: the ancient workings on Siphnos. In P. T. Craddock (Ed.), Scientific Studies in Early Mining and Extractive Metallurgy (pp. 63–80). London: British Museum.
Wallbrecht, P. C., Blachnik, R., & Mills, K. C. (1981). The heat capacity and enthalpy of some Hume–Rothery phases formed by copper, silver and gold. Part I. Cu + Sb, Ag + Sb, Au + Sb, Au + Bi systems. Thermochimica Acta, 45(2), 189–198. https://doi.org/10.1016/0040-6031(81)80143-8
Walther, H. (1982). Die varistische Lagerstättenbildung im westlichen Mitteleuropa. Zeitschrift Der Deustchen Gesellschaft Für Geowissenschaften, 133, 667–698.
Watkinson, D., Weber, L., & Anheuser, K. (2005). Staining of archaeological glass form manganese-rich environments. Archaeometry, 47(1), 69–82.
Wattenbach, W. (1877). Ekkehart (Chronist). In Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie (Vol. 5, pp. 793–794). Leipzig: Duncker & Humblot. Retrieved from http://mdz10.bib-bvb.de/ db/bsb00008363/images/index.html?seite=795
Wedepohl, K. H., & Baumann, A. (1997). Isotope composition of medieval lead glasses reflecting early silver production in Central Europe. Mineralium Deposita, 32, 292–295.
Wedepohl, K. H., Delevaux, M. H., & Doe, B. R. (1978). The potential source of lead in the Permian Kupferschiefer bed of Europe and some selected Paleozoic mineral deposits in the Federal Republic of Germany. Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology, 65(3), 273–281. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00375513
Weeks, L. R., Keall, E., Pashley, V., Evans, J., & Stock, S. (2009). Lead isotope analyses of Bronze Age copper-base artefacts from al-Midamman, Yemen: towards the identification of an indigenous metal production and exchange system in the southern Red Sea region. Archaeometry, 51(4), 576–597.
Weisgerber, G. (2006). The mineral wealth of ancient Arabia and its use I: Copper mining and smelting at Feinan and Timna – comparison and evaluation of techniques, production, and strategies. Arabian Archaeology and Epigraphy, 17, 1–30.
Whitney, D. L., & Evans, B. W. (2010). Abbreviations for names of rock-forming minerals. American Mineralogist, 95, 185187. Retrieved from http://www.minsocam.org/MSA/AmMin/TOC/Abstracts/2010_Abstracts/Jan10_Abstracts/Whitney_p185_10.pdf
Wertime, T. A. (1978). The search for ancient tin: the geographic and historic boundaries. In A. D. Franklin, J. S. Olin, & T. A. Wertime (Eds.), The Search for Ancient Tin: A Seminar (pp. 1–6). Smithsonian Institution Press.
Wilfried Tittmann. (1993). Die Geschützdarstellung des Walter de Milèḿete von 1326/7. Waffen- Und Kostümkunde, 36, 145–147. Retrieved from http://www.ruhr-uni-bochum.de/technikhist/tittmann/6%20Geschuetzdarstellungen.pdf

no comments  |  tags: , , , , , , , , | posted in General, Info, Metal casting, practical metallurgy