Rodin's "The Kiss"

Want to read the rest of this paper? Join Essayworld today to view this entire essay and over 50,000 other term papers

composed of 90% copper, 5% tin, and 5%zinc. These percentages can be altered to suit desired characteristics. Bronze has a tensile strength anywhere between 30,000-40,000 lbs./square inch. This high tensile strength makes sculpting easier. (Kazanas p.15)
Since bronze is an alloy, we do not know the exact composition of the bronze used in “The Kiss” first hand. We can discover what metals actually comprise this bronze and their percentages through X-ray fluorescence. For instance, some bronzes contain nickel and some contain aluminum while others do not. We can also fin the hardness of the bronze by finding the percentage of copper used in “The Kiss.” This would be interesting to discover because this could give us an idea of the incredible sculpting ability of Rodin. X-ray fluorescence qualitatively analyzes the elements that exist in objects containing inorganic compounds. X-rays are emitted on to the object, which eject electrons from the inner orbital shells of the ...

Get instant access to over 50,000 essays. Write better papers. Get better grades. Already a member? Login

removed from the clay model which becomes the negative mould. (Rich p.67-85) This negative mould probably had to be created in pieces because of the complex design of the statue. This is called a piece mould. When there are as many pieces as what was probably needed for “The Kiss,” a mother mould is necessary to hold all the pieces together. This is simply an outer casing that holds the pieces in place. (Hodges p.71)
The positive mould can then be constructed once the negative is finished. There are different methods to casting moulds. One method is the plaster mould method, and the more common is the sand mould method. The plaster method simply fills the negative mould with liquid ...

Succeed in your coursework without stepping into a library. Get access to a growing library of notes, book reports, and research papers in 2 minutes or less.

CITE THIS PAGE: