The Making of a Bronze Statue, 1922 | From the Vaults

How do you make a monument? Produced by the Museum in 1922, this short film follows the American artist Alexander Phimister Proctor’s process of sculpting Theodore Roosevelt, from creating a small clay sketch and a plaster model through casting the final form in bronze using the famous lost-wax method. The work was unveiled in Portland, Oregon, where it remained until it was toppled by demonstrators on Indigenous Peoples Day of Rage in October 2020. As the role of monuments and public memory remain central to conversations about national character, a wide variety of contemporary artists have started to investigate the complicated histories of celebrated figures and to ask how and why we uphold certain narratives over others.
The film is accompanied by a new musical score, composed and performed by Ben Model. For more information, please visit: www.silentfilm...
To listen to Ben Model's podcast episode about scoring this short film, please visit: www.silentfilm...
To learn more about the statue’s relocation to Sandy, Oregon, please read: www.koin.com/n...
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[@theodoranorton4779]

This is a real national treasure! Thank goodness it has been so carefully preserved and now digitized.

[@SW-lw6mt]

Gozo Kawamura is the forgotten craftsman/sculptor. Amazing to see how he worked.

[@kaitlynhoulihan9848]

This is one of the coolest videos I have ever seen

[@erikferland6602]

This is really cool! The guy peening metal without hearing protection is probably glad this was a silent movie.

[@williamjones3784]

I do this for a living. Amazing to see the techniques of the men who came before me.

[@user-if3jd9yf5d]

Is it the same steps now?

[@waxeye6488]

Absolute gem!

[@ashleytoltonart]

The sculptor in this video is my great grandfather :D!

[@brylorbs69]

Fantastic! I learned so much and the music was delightful. Now, I'd really like to know some of the social history. Who were these men, these master craftsmen, who could never have imagined that we would be watching them 100 years later? Lost to history, I imagine. Thanks for posting this most enjoyable film!

[@ashleytoltonart]

the sculptor is my great grandfather :) so that's cool!

[@citer5574]

@@ashleytoltonart did he work on any other statues like this one?

[@laracraft82]

Love how this has been preserved and talented tram too of artists 😀🥰

[@linus2564tyler]

This is such a great video! Astounding, craftsmanship, amazing amount of work certainly helps you appreciate the craft, we need more videos like this!

[@blankchck]

I had to share this one. Thank you for preserving and posting this.

[@liamdorr2006]

thank you

[@mayelaine2]

Fascinating. Thank you for sharing!

[@astronautauno]

Hermoso trabajo

[@user-eu8jf3jt7v]

Great video!

[@dancingdev1088]

When life was so simple. Focus was only on work

[@sierraecho884]

This is so awesome for us to be able to watch this.

[@thewinddb]

After watching this, it almost feels a shame to mainly credit only one artist. I seen many very skilled craftsmen/artists on this project.

[@abp2861]

Fantastic.

[@indo8433]

Protesters toppled this statue of President Theadore Rosevelt during an Indigenous Peoples Day of Rage protest on October 11, 2020 in Portland, Oregon.

[@leonardodalongisland]

You broke my heart with this comment. I so hate the current crop of Americans.

[@steviechampagne]

Teddy was one of the Greats.
A shame his legacy means nothing to the majority

[@riproar11]

A side note: People in photos from 1922 have serious expressions on their faces, but in non-Holloywood motion pictures you can clearly people really did smile during times before the world turned color from black & white.

[@rikkiharcourt3868]

What an undertaking. I wonder what that whole process would cost today. Probably something near a million.

[@dougl945]

And torn down in minutes by Antifa.

[@brucegrahamart]

Thumbs up ! 👍

[@romeisfallingagain]

thank you.

[@sameerghali5573]

رائع

[@user-ft3kn8zo2h]

wow ❤

[@hamansutra]

100 Years Later

[@darrendazcox]

just imagine how much sense it would make if marble was able to be poured into a mold made from a wax sculpture - well, there is a patent for artificial poured marble on Google Patents but that's too much of a stretch so every single marble statue was carved by hand!!

[@John-mz8rj]

Needs more steps.

[@thirstypilgrim97]

How did they go from clay to plaster?

[@thirstypilgrim97]

This statue was toppled by Democrats and has yet to be reinstalled anywhere.

[@bcassie]

Researching this. Are we just going to erase history?

[@florencioaguilar4234]

The amount on bronze

[@JJONNYREPP]

The Making of a Bronze Statue, 1922 | From the Vaults 1927pm 24.1.23 i like everything/it is nice and jolly/boating on the great industrial waterways/as you do/seeing your face/like a blast furnace... reprise ad nauseam.
those are the original lyrics to this tune.

[@nuclearmantis666]

I know all steps of the process, and boi... Has that gotten easier the steps are "almost" the same, but alot less work thankfully
Otherwise, body don't likey

[@shaneyeestudio]

Something the current generation wants to spray paint and throw in a river

[@jeffreymeizlik8036]

Politics aside, the statue of Robert E. Lee was a great piece of art. THEY took it down and didn't preserve it, THEY cut it up and destroyed it.

[@jeffreymeizlik8036]

I talking about the statue in Richmond, VA

[@leonardodalongisland]

This generation has NO respect/knowledge/understanding of art-or any history. I hate them. @@jeffreymeizlik8036

[@bcassie]

This is sad.