bronze medallion portrait plaque of Roman Emperor Aulus Vitellius. Provenance: A former diplomatic family based in the ACT (collection formed in the 1950s & 60s); by descent to the current owner, height 4.53 in. (plaque)
- Bronze - An alloy of copper and tin, traditionally in the proportions of about 9 parts of copper to 1 part of tin.
The discovery of bronze in Western Asia in the 4th century enabled people to create metal objects which were superior to those previoulsy possible because of its strength and hardness, and it has been used throughout the world for weapons, coins, tools, statuary and other decorative items.
It is very fluid in a molten state, and its hardness, strength when set, and non-corrosive properties makes it most suitable for casting sculpture.
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