Both decided the figures were superior in demeanor and anatomy to the well-known Hébrard casts. Maibaum concluded that “only Degas himself could have created something so masterful,” and agreed to buy several Benatov Dancer bronzes. In the early 2000s, by coincidence, Maibaum and Hedberg each encountered a Benatov Little Dancer bronze in Paris. On sale for $60,000 each, these replicas were commercially quite successful. In 19, Benatov began creating bronze copies of his plaster Little Dancer, marketing them as high-quality copies. Many of these plasters depart in various degrees from the well-known Hébrard bronzes, especially Valsuani’s plaster Little Dancer. The Valsuani bronzes, in contrast, originate from a previously unknown cache of plaster replicas of Degas sculptures Benatov discovered after he purchased the Valsuani Foundry properties in 1981. Degas created wax and clay sculptures for more than 40 years, and the Hébrard bronzes were cast from 73 of the 150 sculptures found in the artist’s studio after his death in 1917. With this gift, apparently the first of its kind in the US, Purdue now becomes a new venue for the ethical issues Maibaum and Benatov’s work entailed.īeginning in 1919, the Hébrard Foundry in Paris produced the familiar Degas bronzes of dancers and horses on view in major museums in Europe and the US. For more than a decade, these dealers and the Valsuani Foundry’s owner, the late Leonardo Benatov, have been protagonists in international disputes about the history, merits, and monetary value of these Valsuani casts. Maibaum markets Valsuani casts under the rubric “The Degas Sculpture Project,” a private company owned by Maibaum and his wife. were acquired primarily through art dealer Walter Maibaum, who sold the bronzes to the Purdue donor, and Gregory Hedberg, a senior consultant for European art at New York’s Hirschl & Adler Galleries. Abraham Center For the Visual Arts in Paris has been shown in several venues outside the U.S., including museums in Athens, Israel, and Russia.Īcross the years, experts have raised concerns about the authenticity of these works, and now, those allegations need to be considered anew in light of the Purdue gift, the announcement of which did not mention the controversy over the sculptures. The bronzes gifted to Purdue were created by the Valsuani Foundry in France, which began marketing Little Dancer casts in the late 1990s and sets of 73 Degas bronzes several years later. Squeeze a dollop of acrylic paint onto a piece of cardboard to use as a palette, and finally, let your artistic self shine.Artists Are Launching Cutting-Edge Residencies Outside New York City Once the plaster changes from pink to white, it’s time to paint! The plaster doesn’t have to be totally white for you to start painting. Once you’re satisfied with the arrangement, let the canvas dry. Simply scrape over it with the spatula and begin again. If you’re not a fan of your design, no worries. Try to spread out the plaster as smoothly as possible, so the whole piece dries evenly.Ĭreate interesting patterns and shapes on the canvas using the cake frosting applicators. Using the plastic spatula, smooth a generous amount of plaster evenly on the entire blank canvas. Unleash your inner Bob Ross and create the wall art of your #aesthetic dreams with this quick and easy DIY project! On this episode of In The Know: DIY, TikTok’s DIY design darling, Tay Beepboop ( teaches you how to make your own plaster canvas, elevating your living space with some Instagrammable flair and finesse. Pricing and availability are subject to change. If you love them too and decide to purchase through the links below, we may receive a commission. Our team is dedicated to finding and telling you more about the products and deals we love.
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