How are the Degas bronzes made and what is a “modèle”?
The Degas bronzes are made by the “indirect lost-wax casting” method. In this process, flexible gelatin molds are made from the fragile wax originals. These gelatin molds are then used to make perfect wax replicas. These replicas are covered with a plaster like material, which is baked to form a hard mold. As the mold bakes, the wax melts and drains through vent holes in the mold. The melted “lost” wax is replaced by molten bronze. The bronze cools and forms a cast, which is then removed from the mold. Our master bronzes are the foundry models, marked “modèle.” They were used by the foundry to produce multiple editions of each subject. The foundry assigned a number to each subject and a letter to each cast.
