SurmoulagesSurmoulages are bronzes made from another bronze and not from the artist's master mold or model. They lack the quality and detail of the original work. These are by definition copies of bronzes, not original works of art. Just like any copy of a work of art, regardless whether it is a painting or a sculpture, the value is minimal with a surmoulage. A cast done by the great master Antoine Louis Barye will be worth in the 5 figures whereas a surmoulage of the same work has a decorative value of only a few hundred dollars. By the natural function of bronze casting a surmoulage will be smaller than the original work it is copied from. As the bronze metal cools, it will shrink leaving an unmistakable reduction in size from the original. It is very difficult for someone not knowledgeable in 19th century sculpture to recognize a surmoulage from an original edition cast so it is always advisable to purchase art from a respected and reputable dealer who will give a written guarantee of the sculptures that they sell. We guarantee all works we sell to be either original editions or editions that were authorized by the artist, the artist's estate, or only those having the legal rights to cast the artist's work from their original molds and models. You will not find surmoulages for sale from The Bronze Gallery.
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