Bronze Chaser

Famous bronze statues like “Manneken Pis,” “The Thinker,” and “Bronco Buster” didn’t always look as good as they do now. During their creation, they desperately needed the work of a Bronze Chaser. And thankfully for art appreciators everywhere, they got the services of a good one. Bronze Chasers work with statues in the final stages of creation to smooth out any lines, ridges, or holes that might exist.

As a Bronze Chaser, you fix problems on a statue that form during the molding process. Bronze statues are made by pouring extremely hot, liquid bronze into ceramic molds. When the bronze cools and forms the statue, the mold around it is removed. This is when you start your work.

You use welding equipment, hammers, and polishing tools to create your beautiful pieces. You solder on any parts that break off, add bronze patches to any holes that form, rework details if they don’t come out clearly, and, in general, smooth out any ridges that might have been created along seams. Sometimes a statue, especially a large one, is made in multiple parts. You take the individually formed pieces and then weld them all together to make one whole piece. After you’ve created an entire statue, you go through it and remove any leftover solder that will mar the overall look of the piece. And once everything is together, you do a final polish of the statue. You want to make sure there are no leftover pieces of the mold still clinging it, or fingermarks smudging the surface.