#bronzesmith

[postcard-from-the-past]

Bronzesmith in Cambodia

French vintage postcard, mailed in 1915 to France

[oneirophasia]

There's an old computer game called Star Control II. You're from a human colony which lost contact with Earth generations ago, and you're the captain of a brand new FTL starship on a mission to back to your homeworld. Earth, it turns out, has been discovered by the Ur-Quan, alien conquerors who give every other species a choice between being pressed into service as battle thralls, or giving up all advanced technology and being permanently confined to their homeworld beneath an impenetrable forcefield. Humans chose to be bubbled, and now that you're here it's up to you to find out how to defeat the Ur-Quan and free them.

It's sort of like Mass Effect if instead of a cover shooter it were a spaceship combat simulator from 1992. It's great. (And also, after a lot of copyright lawsuits between the developers and publishers, open-source freeware! The Ur-Quan Masters is a fanmade quality update with the creators' blessing.)

The first aliens you're actually likely to meet are the Spathi, a species of cowardly bivalves who call you "hunam" and are both drily cynical about your claims of peaceful intent and stoically shameless in avoiding danger. (They also, incidentally, speedran bronzesmithing to nuclear power in less than a century, so trifle with them at your own risk.)

Each day when we awaken we call forth the traditional Spathi prayer:

"Oh God... Please don't let me die today! Tomorrow would be so much better!"

When they surrendered to the Ur-Quan, the Spathi High Council voted enthusiastically for the "impenetrable force field" option, but alas! in a cruel miscommunication ended up as battle thralls anyway.

The Ur-Quan left a detachment of Spathi on the moon in case the humans tried anything tricky, then took their fleet corewards. In their absence, the Spathi decided it would be safer to watch from a little further away. You find the base on Pluto, populated by an officer named Fwiffo who drew the short Ta Puun stick every time and is doing his best to make it look like they're still fully-armed and staffed. Everyone else has "strategically redeployed" one at a time back to Spathiwa as reinforcements to defend against something called the Ultimate Evil, whom they believe may attack them at any moment:

As yet, the Ultimate Evil remains largely unmanifest, and its powers and exact intentions are still a bit obscure, since it lurks just outside the range of even the most sensitive, long-range detectors... which we feel gives conclusive evidence as to The Ultimate Evil's nefarious intent.

This has all been a roundabout build-up to this joke, as an explanation that this is what people sound like to me who take the Dark Forest hypothesis seriously.

[thesilicontribesman]

Roman Bronzesmith's Crucibles from Wroxeter, Shrewsbury Museum and Gallery, England

[nekomacbeth]

another one for the space probes collection

compton (like the space probe). she's a retired bronzesmith that lives somewhere in italy (and she knows what it's like to have a career-ending tragedy. she's fine now though)

[hoursofreading]

COWEN: But how does art protect them? How does that explain wonderful art in Florence? PALMER: Imagine for a moment that you are the French ambassador, and you’re on your way to Rome to meet with the pope because the French king always needs this. Now, if you’re an ambassador, you’re, at minimum, the son of a count because only aristocracy can be ambassadors. On your way south, you’re stopping off in different cities, including Florence. Now, you already have a terrible opinion of Florence because Florence is a pit of merchants, scum, and villainy. Florence, in order to prevent noblemen from taking over the republic, literally executed everyone in this city who had a drop of royal blood or noble blood. So, it’s just commoners. There’s not a single person in this city who is of sufficient right to be worthy to talk to you. In addition, Florence has such a terrible reputation for sodomy, homosexuality, and perversion that the verb to Florentine is literally the word for anal sex in five different European countries, including in France. So, you’re on your way to this city, and it’s full of merchant scum and they’re all perverts and there isn’t even anyone there who’s worthy to host you on the way. You’re going to stay with your dad’s banker because he’s the only Florentine whose address you’ve got. You show up in the city, and you reach the city, and suddenly, wait a minute, it’s full of these gorgeous ancient Roman bronzes. Wait a minute, they can’t be ancient Roman bronzes. They look like they’re new, but that technology doesn’t exist. That technology was lost centuries ago. Then you go to the banker’s house, and he greets you humbly at the door saying, “I’m sorry, my house is unworthy to host your excellency,” and he invites you inside, and you look around the courtyard, and it’s like nothing you’ve ever seen before, with these round circular arches that let enormous amounts of light shine in on the gardens and the statues. You’ve never seen this before. Wait, you have seen this before. It looks like the ruins of the Roman villa in the backyard of your father’s castle where you grew up, but that doesn’t exist anymore. Those arts were lost. In the middle of the courtyard, there’s a gorgeous statue, an ancient Roman statue of Bacchus or Dionysius, and next to it, there’s a brand-new statue that’s obviously new because it hasn’t even turned green yet. The bronze is still ruddy. But that technology, you know, doesn’t exist. In the corner, there are some men dressed in strange robes speaking a language you’ve never heard, and you say, “What language are they speaking?” The banker says, “Oh, they’re speaking Ancient Greek. They’re Plato scholars.” And you say, “But Ancient Greek is lost, and Plato is lost. How do you have this?” “Oh, we have lots of Ancient Greek here. Look, here’s my grandson, Lorenzo. He’s just written a sonnet in Ancient Greek about the three parts of the soul.” And then, here’s a little boy reciting a sonnet to you about the nature of the soul in Ancient Greek. You’re like, “Where am I? All of this stuff is impossible.” And that’s the moment that your host, Cosimo de’ Medici, turns to you and says, “Would France like to make an alliance with Florence?” You could say no, right? You could say, “No, we’re going to come here, we’re going to bring our army. We’re going to mop the floor with you because you’re helpless compared to our giant forces, and we’re going to burn this down and take the gold, and all of this will be gone, and we’ll be rich.” Or you could say, “Yes. Let’s make an alliance. Send me a bronzesmith and an architect and a Greek tutor and a Plato scholar, and we’re going to bring them to the court in France, and the king is going to do his court like this. Then, when the envoys from England show up, they’re going to feel like uncultured country bumpkins, just like I feel now.” That’s how it’s a defense mechanism, because they are helpless on the military game, but they are so ahead on the culture game that you don’t want to hurt them. You want to befriend them so that you can have the art.

[ao3feed-izuku-midoriya]

Gremlins Take Over the MHA Universe

Gremlins take over the MHA universe by BronzeSmith

I decided to do a Christmas fanfic for December and what better way to do it than to add some Gremlins in the mix! I hope you guys enjoy it.

Words: 1271, Chapters: 1/1, Language: English

Fandoms: Gremlins (Movies), 僕のヒーローアカデミア | Boku no Hero Academia | My Hero Academia

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences

Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings

Characters: Midoriya Izuku, Uraraka Ochako, Yaoyorozu Momo, Bakugou Katsuki, Aizawa Shouta | Eraserhead, Yamada Hizashi | Present Mic, Yagi Toshinori | All Might, Nezu, Ashido Mina, Kaminari Denki, Class 1-A, Class 1-B, Gizmo (Gremlins), Stripe (Gremlins), Shigaraki Tomura | Shimura Tenko, League of Villains

Additional Tags: Funny, Horror, Gremlins, Crack Crossover, Musutafu City, U.A. High School, Japan, Mischief, Christmas, Quirks

Read Here: https://archiveofourown.org/works/43530949

[duxiaomin-blog]

Reproduction and Influence of Eastern Aesthetics in European Culture: Historical and Artistic Exploration of Chinoiserie

The Western understanding of the East is closely intertwined with European cultural history, influenced not only by Eastern objects but also by fictionalized and idealized conceptions of the East. Cultural elements from China and Japan, such as lacquerware, porcelain, and naturalistic garden design, permeated Europe over several centuries, becoming part of the European collective consciousness and symbols of the “Orient.”

With the colonial activities of Portugal and Spain, as well as the rise of trading institutions like the East India Company, Eastern goods such as lacquerware and porcelain began to enter the European market. These items were admired by Westerners for their unique luster, colors, and decorations, but their original cultural meanings were often lost in translation, being reinterpreted with the imagined characteristics of the “Orient” by the West.

When the Chinoiserie craze occurred and peaked in Europe during the 17th and 18th centuries, Eastern aesthetics transcended the simple perspectives of possession and control, with positive notions of the East coexisting with negative ones. This oscillation between attraction and neglect, misunderstanding and inspiration, is seen as a key process in the integration of Chinese and Japanese elements into European culture. The “otherness” represented by Chinoiserie became a contrasting element that spurred a higher level of self-awareness in European aesthetics, playing a significant role in the development of identity in European countries such as Britain.

Ferdinand Barbédienne, a pair of lamps decorated with Chinese Jingdezhen porcelain (cloisonné)

In this exchange, Eastern objects were often dismantled, reassembled, or modified to meet the tastes and demands of the European market. European craftsmen began to imitate or merge Chinese and Japanese design elements, creating new art forms. The rise of Orientalism was both a yearning for the East and a way of understanding and reproducing it. For instance, in the 1880s, French-made lamps incorporated Chinese Jingdezhen porcelain (known as cloisonné) vases. The cloisonné work was incredibly intricate, featuring an astonishing level of delicacy, forming the main body of each lamp. One lamp showcased a grebe in a lakeside scene, while another depicted cranes; the reverse side of each lamp was adorned with various bouquets, with small butterflies and birds perched on the branches. The colors used were extremely rich and vivid. The gilded bronze decorations by Parisian bronzesmith Ferdinand Barbedienne were exceptional, a technique derived from the gilding aesthetics of the Baroque era. This represents a classic collision of Eastern and Western aesthetics in decorative art. Additionally, the gilded mounts served to physically protect the porcelain. Each lamp’s base consisted of four finely carved elephant heads, supported by their trunks, and the glass lampshades featured dragon motifs. These lamps exemplify a practice popular at the end of the 19th century, stemming from the immense love for the East at the time, which involved repurposing genuine Chinese elements in European-designed objects to decorate the most luxurious interiors.

ChuCui Palace “Kirin in Clouds” Brooch

A classic piece from ChuCui Palace that combines Eastern symbols with Western craftsmanship is the “Kirin in Clouds” brooch. This piece exemplifies the Chinoiserie style, showcasing the “beauty of disorder” derived from Eastern aesthetics. It depicts a kirin soaring through the clouds, with distinct layers and flowing lines, adorned with lotus flowers, creating a poetic realm of nature and mystery. The abstract Chinese cloud patterns, with their delicate and elegant curves, contrast sharply with the majestic kirin, displaying the dynamic beauty unique to Chinoiserie.

This brooch employs the asymmetrical composition derived from Eastern aesthetics in Chinoiserie, while seeking visual balance and harmony within the asymmetry. In terms of color, soft pink and gold complement each other with a natural transition, and the indigo accents add color tension, making the kirin appear both magnificent and vibrant. The entire piece not only conveys the mystique of the mythical creature but also endows it with a sense of realistic beauty.

“Kirin in Clouds” is not a mere imitation of Eastern aesthetics but delves deeply into its cultural connotations. The addition of lotus flowers evokes the Chinese poetic imagery of “step by step, a lotus blooms,” endowing the piece with unique poetic and aesthetic layers. It showcases the Eastern philosophy of reverence for nature, in contrast with Western rational aesthetics.

A ceramic painting produced in Delft, Netherlands, and drawn by Joan Nieuhof

In the Amsterdam Museum in the Netherlands, there is a ceramic painting produced in Delft in 1680, drawn by Joan Nieuhof, a Dutch traveler. Nieuhof is renowned for his extensive travels, particularly his 2,400-kilometer journey from Guangzhou to Beijing between 1655 and 1657, which established him as an authoritative writer on Chinese themes in the West at the time. He documented this journey in his book “An Embassy from the East India Company of the United Provinces to the Grand Tartar Cham, Emperor of China.” As part of the diplomatic mission, Nieuhof was tasked with drawing accurate representations of any cities, palaces, temples, rivers, and other notable buildings they encountered. These images later became important references for European artists and craftsmen during the Chinoiserie craze.

In this ceramic artwork, the artist is cautious about using Western techniques of shading and chiaroscuro, showing reluctance to apply these methods to paintings with Chinese themes. The composition is rich and layered, with a complex yet orderly arrangement of figures, buildings, and natural elements, creating a vibrant and dynamic scene. The author evidently organized and collaged his observations. The artwork not only celebrates Eastern culture but also reflects a cosmopolitan attitude.

Overall, Chinoiserie is not merely a product of the collision between Eastern and Western cultures, but also a process of understanding, misunderstanding, and recreating Eastern culture by Europe. This style goes beyond simple imitation and possession, blending aesthetic elements from different cultures to form a unique artistic expression. The rise of Chinoiserie in the 17th and 18th centuries reflects not only Europe’s fascination and longing for Eastern culture but also the European effort to engage in self-reflection and cultural identity through art and design. This cross-cultural exchange and integration enriched European art and material culture, providing valuable historical experience and insights for our understanding of multiculturalism today. In the context of modern globalization, re-examining the history and aesthetic value of Chinoiserie can help us better understand and respect the interaction and symbiosis between different cultures.

[crowjack20]

Ullante post

Name: Pinus

Kingdom: Eastern Empire

Class: Dromaeus

Species cross: Epicyon haydenii-Ambopteryx

Age: 3

Gender:pan cisgender roo

Size class: large

Weight class: bulky

+: loyal, funny, fun, generous, family roo

Neutral: sassy, casual, curious

-: blunt, rash, brutish

Strengths: jaws strong enough to crunch bones, wood, and shells. Endurance runner, can keep a steady jog for hours. Great sense of smell, can detect a drop of blood in a football field. Large frame=strength to carry and drag heavy loads. Swamp wise

Weaknesses: not very dextrous, oblivious, too willing to work hard instead of smart

Occupation: crabber(hunter/trapper of shellfish)

Likes->

Avus: his family, his neighbors, respectful to the fact that he's a dromaeus

Food: mama's cooking, shellfish, fish, fruit

Other: hunting alone, helping his brother with supply runs, going fishing with his father

Dislikes->

Avus: hightrees, thieves, who judge him for being s dromaeus

Food: overly sweet foods, poultry

Other: cold weather, armor, working the forge

Purchased traits: bronze skewer, fishing knife, and cleaver. Bag for tools. Game bag. Piebaldism

Voice claim: dunno, but definitely a deep white Cajun voice

Family->(all of the parents are in a polymary relationship, but they didn't know how that worked, so the first two got married then divorced to marry the other two in)

Coffea: adoptive mom, loves and respects her and her cooking very much: chef: Woodbanded Ratrec*-Eastern Whip-Poor-Will

Alnus: adoptive dad, loves and respects very much, worries for: fisher/river taxi: Chimpmunk-White Headed Vulture

Gristle: adoptive stepfather, loves and respects: trash collector: Brown Rat-Bluetailed Chatteraven*

Cinnamon: Adoptive stepmother, loves and respects very much: merchant: Virginia Opossum-Turkey Vulture

Aspirin: adopted brother, loves and looks up to, often helps on supply runs: surgeon-apothecary: Woodbanded Ratrec-White Headed Vulture

Tarot: adopted brother, loves, worries for with all this voodoo madness, especially when he read his future: "voodoo witch doctor"(seer and magician): Virginia Opossum-White Headed Vulture

Herb(aka Squeak): adopted younger sister, loves and is very protective of: student: Chimpmunk-Eastern Whip-Poor-Will

Nerium: adopted sister, loves very much, worries for: hunter/bronzesmith: Brown Rat-Turkey Vulture

Bleedweed: adopted sibling, loves very much: inventor/crabber: Virginia Opossum-Bluetailed Chatteraven*

Bombax(aka bomb): adopted-adopted brother, loves very much: crabber/trapper: Martenrat*-Pennant Winged Nightjar

Brahaea: adopted-adopted sister, loves and respects: hunter/rancher/crabber: Saltolestes*-Terror Chicken*

Other->

Rot: friend of the family, worries for: soldier: Cuban Solenodon-Hooded Pitohui

Tolra: likes, knows brahaea has a crush and teases bout it: weaver/jewler: Sifaka-Pigeon

Feldspar: once met in a fight, fears his size, respects his power: student/construction apprentice: Titan Bear*-Strongwing*

Tuna: fears, knows about his war fame from stories but only ever seen him once. Knows he hates him for being a dromaeus: Sergeant: chacma baboon-bearded vulture

Name: Arctas

Kingdom: none(travels waters round the globe

Class: Palaeus

Species cross: Arctodus-Palaeeudyptes Klekowskii

Age: 11

Gender: pan demihen(she/they)

Size class: enormous

Weight class: tank

+: wise, patient, steady, loyal, clever, accepting

Neutral: blunt, ambitious, sassy

-: stubborn, hardheaded, and rigid

Strengths: very good swimmer, strong enough to grapple with Tuna, wise in the ways of sailing and the ocean, good in cold climates, very good penmanship and writing skills

Weaknesses: not very fast, weak in hot climates, not very stealthy

Occupation: whaler captain

Likes->

Avus: her crew, hailstorm, young avus

Food: shark, whale, seal, stews using those ingredients, and potatoes

Other: writing, whaling, hanging with her crew, snow, swimming, sparring, thunderstorms

Dislikes->

Avus: palaeus, stingy, cowards, thieves

Food: beef, poultry, and fruits

Other: being too far inland, her crew being in danger, flying

Purchased traits: Whale bone necklace with shark teeth made from seal leather cord. Pet dog, Phoca. Sharkbite scar on front left paw, slash scar on front right arm, clawmarks on right haunch, sharkbite on left leg

Voice claim: Dunno. Definitely strong booming voice with somewhere between a New York and Russian accent

Family->

Her crew: loves, respects, regularly hangs out and works with, and worries for

Biological father: dead, never knew em: unknown: Arctodus-Haast Eagle

Biological mother: dead, never knew em: unknown: American Cheetah-Palaeeudyptes klekowskii

Other->

[bronze-smith]

For marshmallows at the work bench. #bronzesmith #flowedbronze #marshmallow

[winterlyheights]

POEM — A Healiŋ Spell

Coppər, bronze, iron, steel — Innər strength is what you feel. May your Deepəst Wounds all heal.

[steampunk-and-junk]

BronzeSmith Steampunk Monocles

https://www.etsy.com/shop/BronzeSmith

[anurain]

Even though it was scheduled for the end of May, the Edmonton Fibre Frolic has been cancelled 😢 In a way I’m glad, just because then I’m not busting my butt making so much stock for a show that may not have been able to happen anyway. I do still have lots of fibre centric items available, so I’m going to post them here and list them in my Etsy shop. This is a size 10.5 ring in knit pattern bronze with a genuine white moonstone 😍 $70, msg me. Knit pattern rolling mill paper by @metaldesignz #handmadeincanada #metalsmith #bronzesmith #jewelrymaking #handmadejewelry #knittergift #fibregift #knittingaccessories #moonstonejewelry #gemstonejewelry #yegmade #shoplocal #shopyeg #albertamade https://www.instagram.com/p/B-AgHIvhYo3/?igshid=1b4jcms6ovdyy

[thscarlettrose]

The Pennsylvania Renaissance Festival is officially open! Stop by and see THE SCARLETT ROSE and the art of the BronzeSmith right in front of the Chess Match stage! #thescarlettrose #costumedesign #cosplay #goldenageofhollywood #handmadehat #artismylife #pennsylvaniarenaissancefaire #bronze #bronzesmith #luxurylifestyle #renaissancefestival #renaissancehat #shinyismyfavoritecolor #circlet #octopus #swavroski #fashion #millinery #vintagefashion #filmcostume

[bronzesmithfoundry-blog]

Amazing!!!! Vladimir Kush's "Where the World is Born". Such a beautiful and creative sculpture.#limitededitionbronze #vladimirkush #kushfineart #bronzesmith #creative #metaphoricrealism (at Bronzesmith Fine Art Foundry and Gallery)

[beyondthisdarkhouse]

I've been watching archeology documentaries lately and I just saw something that filled my heart with joy.

This is from the Hochdorf Chieftain's Grave, a lavish Iron-age Celtic burial mound in Germany. The Celts there traded with and often emulated their southern neighbours, the Greeks. For example, they used lions as a decorative motif, even though most of them had probably never seen the lions of southeastern Europe in person. So there's this big cauldron with Greek lions around the rim:

But then! Oh no! Something happened to one of the lions, and a Celtic bronzesmith had to replace it!

I can see no difference, can you?

[blueiscoool]

Derveni Krater: A Masterpiece of Metalwork in Ancient Greece

The Derveni Krater exhibited at the Archeological Museum of Thessaloniki is one of the most elaborate metal vessels from ancient Greece yet discovered.

Found in 1962 in an undisturbed Macedonian tomb of the late 4th century B.C. at Derveni not far from Thessaloniki, the krater is a tour de force of highly sophisticated methods of bronze working.

Weighing 40 kg, it was made of bronze with a high tin content (of 15 percent), which endows it with a superb golden sheen without the use of any gold at all.

Large bronze vessels with figural registers in relief, such as the Derveni krater, were extremely rare in ancient Greece.

The most significant reason for this may not have been technical since large pieces of armor were decorated using precisely the same techniques at the same time. Rather, this rarity may reflect the high cost of labor-intensive work, says Jasper Gaunt of the Emory University in Atlanta.

It is most unusual to find figural decoration at a large scale on the bodies of substantial Greek bronze vessels of the Archaic and Classical periods.

“The figural decoration on the body of the Derveni krater was well outside the usual canon even at the time of manufacture, far removed from the generally austere appearance of Archaic and Classical bronze vessels,” Gaunt says.

The Derveni Krater was a funerary urn for ancient Greek aristocrat

The krater was discovered buried, as a funerary urn for a Thessalian aristocrat whose name is engraved on the vase: Astiouneios, son of Anaxagoras, from Larissa.

The funerary inscription on the krater reads: ΑΣΤΙΟΥΝΕΙΟΣ ΑΝΑΞΑΓΟΡΑΙΟΙ ΕΣ ΛΑΡΙΣΑΣ, meaning: “Astiouneios, son of Anaxagoras, from Larisa.”

Kraters (mixing bowls) were vessels used for mixing undiluted wine with water and most likely various spices, as well. The drink was then ladled out to fellow banqueters at ritual or festive celebrations.

When excavated, the Derveni krater contained burnt bones that belonged to a man aged 35 to 50 and to a younger woman.

The exact date and place of making are disputed. Most believe it was made around 370 BC in Athens. Based on the dialectal forms used in the inscription, some commentators think it was fabricated in Thessaly at the time of the revolt of the Aleuadae, around 350 BC.

Others date it between 330 and 320 BC and credit it to bronzesmiths of the royal court of Alexander the Great.

The vase is composed of two leaves of metal which were hammered and then joined although the handles and the volutes (scrolls) were cast and attached. The main alloy used gives it its golden color, but at various points, the decoration is worked with different metals as overlays or inlays of silver, copper, bronze, and other base metals.

Snakes with copper and silver inlaid stripes frame the rising handles, wrapping their bodies around masks of underworld deities. On the shoulder sit four cast bronze figures: on one side a youthful Dionysos with an exhausted maenad and a sleeping Silenos and a maenad handling a snake on the other.

In the major repoussé frieze on the body, a bearded hunter is associated with Dionysian figures.

Beryl Barr-Sharrar, Professor of Fine Arts at the Institute of Fine Arts, NYU, recently wrote a book about Derveni Krater. The artifact is placed in its Macedonian archaeological context and within the context of art history as a highly elaborated, early-4th-century version of a metal type known in Athens by about 470 B.C.

David Mitten of Harvard University said that her book “elevates this masterpiece of later classical Greek art to a status alongside those of the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus and the Alexander Sarcophagus as the most important monuments of Greek art in the fourth century B.C.”

By Tasos Kokkinidis.