How to present a sculpted head

How to mount a sculpted head?

"I believe that successful mounting is essential to present my objects in their best light."

Alexandre Piatti,

Galerie A.Piatti, Paris

façade de fontaine en marbre sur un socle sur mesureen laiton

Since we started our mounting business, we have mounted a wide variety of objects. Masks (many), pocket globes (instructive), canes (magnificent), and we have mounted sculpted heads, many sculpted heads.

Mounting objects: a journey through time

Mounting an object is like traveling through time, because we hold in our hands an object with its history. Often already worked on by an artisan years, even centuries, before us. Thus, when we mount a head, most of the time it was part of a larger ensemble. Archaeologists know well that over time, for a full-body human sculpture, the head breaks off, separating from the body. Many separate sculpted heads and bodies are then found. For example, the Winged Victory of Samothrace.
That's why this type of motif is very common among antique dealers and, consequently, with us. Because a head without a body and, by extension, without a base, cannot stand upright.

Morphological mounting

The work of a mounter is, in some cases, the work of a restorer. For working on sculpted heads, this is even more true. The head must be held upright. In the human body, what allows it to stand upright is the spine. In a way, the mount replaces the spine. The term morphological mounting is used to describe certain types of mounts. For example, sculpted heads can be presented on a vertical rod almost at human height to respect the proportions of a real human body. The mount then replaces the missing body part.

Our 5 mounting techniques for your sculpted heads.

La Bulle presents 5 techniques for mounting a sculpted head.

Drill-through mounting
Drilling with brass insert
Structure without drilling
Recessed mounting
Other custom examples

1 - Custom mount with drilling

For this type of mounting, we drill the object under the neck of the sculpture or sometimes in the back part.

A hole is sometimes already present in the object. In this case, we use it as is or modify it.
This technique allows for an economical and discreet presentation.

detail d'un socle sur mesure sur une sculpture en marbre

Here are, among others, custom creations designed for prestigious art galleries in the famous antique dealer district of Carré Rive Gauche in Paris

tête sculptée sur un socle sur mesure en marbre

tête sculptée de profil sur un socle sur mesure

deux têtes sculptées en pierre sur des socles en marbre

Mounting of two heads on a black Belgian marble base - Brass rod - drilling

Work done for Galerie Puiseux

deux socles en laiton patinés gris marron

deux socles sur mesure et deux tête en sculptées en pierre

deux têtes sculptées en pierre sur leur socle sur mesure

Steel bases with dark patina.

Here, the two heads are drilled at the back.

Mounting for the Alexandre Piatti Gallery

tête sculptée de christ sur un socle sur mesure en acier

Mounting of a Christ head - Steel base and rod with black paint - Made for the Alexandre Piatti gallery

Mounting with a dark patinated and speckled steel base.

The lion's head is drilled.

The round rod was hidden by a square tube.

tête de lion de profil sur un socle sur mesure

Custom mount made for Galerie Puiseux:

trois elements d'un socle socle sur mesure

tête sculptée sur un socle en bois avec tige en laiton dorée

Wooden head - Here we repurposed an old mount found at a flea market -

We inserted a brass plate to connect it to the head.

This was fixed at the back with a brass wood screw.

2 - Mounting an object using the drilling with insert technique.

For this creation, we also drill under the neck of the sculpture, but this time, we insert a square brass tube fixed with resin or glue. A square rod of the same shape is then placed inside.

This mounting technique guarantees the lateral stability of the head on its base.
The mount is also removable.

Zoom in on the brass insert of this mount

Marble head on a solid brass base with recess and insert

Mounting for Galerie Tinivella - Puces de Paris Saint Ouen.

3 - Creating a structure without drilling the object

We create a structure that encloses the object with steel or brass clamps that fit as closely as possible to the contours of the object. A heat-shrink rubber sleeve is often used to avoid marking the object.
This completely respects the physical integrity of the object.

4 - Object fixation by embedding

The embedding technique allows the object to be fixed to the base very precisely and discreetly.

A part of the object goes into the base.

For this technique, either we cut the wood to the shape of the object or we use a resin mold which is then camouflaged.

Sometimes, we also drill the object for better support.

Now we take you into the heart of the mounter's craft.

The photos of the mounting steps presented here are rarely visible to the public.

Here's how we mounted a sculpture by Georges Braque

5 - Other examples of custom mounts.

As part of our express mounting service, we created this set of small mounts.

Made from our in-stock materials in our workshop-boutique.

The small heads are fixed on plexiglass bases with steel rods.

Example 1: mount made for the show Affaires conclues: la vie des objets.

The Indian head is presented on a black patinated wooden base with a gilded support rod.

Example 2: Custom mount created for the show Affaires conclues: la vie des objets.

In this case, the Indian head is placed on a circular plexiglass base and covered by a plexiglass case.

As specialists in object presentation, we also offer a whole range of standard displays for your plates, masks, and even coco de mer.
Discover our online displays now.

I discover the online store

And you too want to give a base and thus a body to your sculpted head.

contact form