The Boar of Ben Gulbain

"As Diarmuid was left alone to face the boar, it was hard to say who was the hunter and who was the prey. The battle roared for hours, then there was silence."

Bronze sculpture by Charlie Mallon

The Inspiration

Boars were symbols of strength and wealth to the ancient Celts. Helmets and shields often featured the image of a boar with exaggerated bristles along its back. This work was inspired by the legend of Diarmuid, his half-brother and the prophecy that bound them both together. Diarmuid was a formidable warrior of the Irish Fianna and he battled a great boar on the slopes of Ben Gulbain. You can read the full story here.

The Process

Each sculpture has been created using the ancient lost wax method of bronze casting, also known as 'cire perdu'. It takes the best part of a year to bring a piece to life.
First of all, Charlie creates the work in clay. From this, he takes a mould which is used to create a wax version of the sculpture. He adds sprues, risers and pouring points to ensure that the bronze can flow fully around the piece. Layers of molochite are built up around the wax. When a suitable depth has been achieved Charlie heats the molochite shell to melt out the wax. The now hollow shell is placed in sand with just the pouring point visible. The sand holds it in place and also provides protection in case the shell breaks during the pour. Charlie heats the bronze to around 1200 degrees Celsius in a furnace he built himself. Before the hot work begins he rehearses all the movements, ‘the dance of the pour’. The molten bronze is poured into the shell and once cooled, the shell is smashed open to reveal the bronze sculpture. 

A unique patina is developed by burying the newly cast bronze in the iron rich soil by a spa well on the farm in County Tyrone. 

Each bronze sculpture is presented in wooden box with a handmade Irish linen bag. It has its edition number discreetly stamped on the base, and the details of each purchase are written into our Owner's Register.

Limited edition of 12.  

Unboxed weight 1.58kg

L 17cm X H 11cm X W 6.5cm