Brass Portrait Bust
An early 2013 atelier commission in hand-cast brass and deep bronze patina
This brass portrait bust was created in 2013 as an early commission within Kostylo Atelier. Cast in solid brass and finished entirely by hand, the work documents an important period in the atelier’s development of sculptural metalwork.
The model from which the bust was produced was described to me at the time as being associated with Xawery Dunikowski. No archival documentation confirming this connection is currently available, and the information is therefore treated as part of the object’s oral history rather than as a verified attribution.
The bust was produced through a traditional sculptural process involving model preparation, mould making, brass casting, chasing and final assembly. Each stage was carried out manually, allowing the form and surface to be refined progressively within the atelier.
The surface was finished with a deep bronze patina, giving greater definition to the facial structure, neck and torso while preserving the modelling of the cast form. Subtle variation across the surface allows light to reveal the volume of the portrait from different viewpoints.
Today, the bust remains part of the Heritage Archive, documenting an early stage in the atelier’s sculptural practice. It reflects a period in which traditional casting methods, manual finishing and portrait form were becoming increasingly important within the atelier’s broader language of metalwork.
The result is not simply an early commission. It is an archival work documenting the development of technique, material understanding and sculptural discipline within Kostylo Atelier.
