628 THE ART OF CASTING BRONZE IN JAPAN. 



in the actual work of the foundry and studio, but also to attend to the 

 j)ersonal wants of his master. He lived in his master's house, was fed 

 and clothed by him, and became in fact a minor member of his family. 



During his apprenticeship he was taught every branch of the found- 

 er's art, from the lOugh work of mixing and tempering clay for molds, 

 and the maknig of crucibles, to the highest stages of designing and 

 modeling objects in wax and of subsequently casting them in bronze. 

 After long years of faithful work, if distinguished by special ability, 

 he might be selected by his master as his successor, and at least was 

 entitled to receive from him a modest sum of money, either as a loan 

 or a gift, sufficient to enable liim to establish a small atelier of his own. 



The foundry of the artist always now forms jiart of his dwelling 

 house, and doubtless this was the case in earlier times. Special rooms 

 are set apart for drawing, modeling, and the preparation of the molds, 

 the rougher operation of molding being carried on in sheds at the side 

 of the garden or yard. The foundry itself, in which the metal is melted 

 and cast, is also situated m the yard. A special feature in many is the 

 well-arranged garden on which the modeling rooms open, so that the 

 artist works amid cheerful surroundings, which must influence his work 

 for good. The working staff consists of the artist, his apprentices, the 

 members of his family, all of whom, even the children, assist in some of 

 the operations, and one or two workmen. Castings from models designed 

 by the artist himself form sometimes the sole work of the foundry, but 

 generally other work is undertaken, and castings are then made of 

 objects which have been modeled by other artists who send their molds 

 ready prepared merely to be filled with metal. 



The Japanese processes of casting bronze and the appliances and 

 materials used, which I shall now endeavor to describe, are those which 

 I have seen from time to time in the art foundries of Osaka during 

 my residence there, and I have to ask for your indulgence if I burden 

 you with some dry and apparently trivial metallurgical details which 

 maybe uninteresting to those who are not specially concerned with the 

 melting of metals. I will, however, try to deal with them as briefly as 

 possible. 



This part of my subject may be conveniently divided into the follow- 

 ing sections: 



1. Preparation of the mold and core. In clay; in sand or loam. 



2. The furnace and foundry appliances. 



3. The operations of casting. 



4. The alloys used. 



5. Stains and patinas. 



1. -PREPARATION OF THE MOLD AND CORE (IN CLAY). 



The materials used for modeling and the preparation of the mold and 

 core are as follows : Vegetable wax, prepared chiefly from the fruit of 

 Rhus succedauea; it possesses great fluidity when melted, but has the 



