Charlie Mallon uses a primitive way of working, known as ‘Cire Perdue’ or ‘Lost wax’. This technique was used successfully by the Celts across Europe, who we know through found artefacts were extremely skilful metalworkers.
Charlie follows the whole Cire Perdue process from start to finish, although it is unusual for this to be done today, in order to closely replicate the technique used by the ancient Celts.
The process starts with a model in clay from which a mould is made for a wax version of the piece. Each wax comes out slightly differently and takes some time to refine and finish, with sprues and risers added to help the bronze to flow properly around the final piece. Two or three wax versions are usually made but they don’t all reach the final bronze stage. The wax is then covered in a mix of primer and molochite which forms a ceramic shell, and layered up over weeks, or even longer in humid weather. Once the wax is fully covered in approximately 1.5cm of shell, it is heated to a very high temperature to remove all the wax. The hollow shell is buried in sand and the molten bronze is poured in. Once cooled, it is smashed open and the sculpture is revealed. Each sculpture is treated to develop a patination and then coated in beeswax to seal the finish.
The Celtic myths that inspired the bronze animal figurines of the raven, the boar and the salmon were written down in early books. The tales themselves will however be far older due to the strong tradition of oral storytelling which precedes the habit of recording in writing and instead relied solely on memory and verbal communication.
Similar themes to those in these myths occur across mythologies from different Celtic nations and indeed other mythologies. For example, the story of the Salmon of Knowledge, in which Fionn McCool gains his wisdom and knowledge from a salmon, has echoes in a Welsh tale.