Mercurius ketent Prometheus 1685 - 1710

Giovanni Battista Foggini created this bronze sculpture, Mercurius ketent Prometheus. The choice of bronze is critical. It allowed Foggini to capture the scene's drama through precise modeling. Look closely, and you’ll see how the cool, dark metal emphasizes the strained muscles of Prometheus. Foggini likely used the lost-wax casting method, a complex process involving creating a wax model, encasing it in a mold, melting out the wax, and then pouring molten bronze into the cavity. This wasn’t just a technical exercise. Bronze casting in this era was a highly specialized craft, reliant on skilled labor. Foggini, as the artist, conceived the design, but the execution depended on the expertise of foundry workers. This division of labor, with its inherent social hierarchy, is embedded in the very material of the sculpture. By considering the processes and the hands that shaped it, we can appreciate the full story this bronze tells.