Bronze Dokra Kondh Fish From Orissa - Early 20th Century

This tribal brass cast fish would have been an important part of daily ritual for a Gond family. This casting is made in the classic Dokra style - Dokra Damar tribes are the traditional metalsmiths of West Bengal. Their technique of lost wax casting is named after their tribe. The tribe can be found across India extending from Bihar to West Bengal and Orissa. Animal worship was incredibly important to the Gonds. 

Dokra - also spelt Dhokra, is a brass or bronze casting made using the lost wax technique. The process is commonly known as cire perdue. The object to be cast is sculpted from beeswax mixed with a little oil. When finished the entire figure is coated with clay made from termite hills to create the mould. The mould is then dried and fired in an oven with cow-dung cakes. The wax melts leaving an empty clay mould in the shape to be cast. The mould is then heated and molten brass or bronze is poured into the empty clay-mould. When cool the clay mould is broken off exposing the cast bronze figure. The casting is then cleaned and finer details are carved to finish the piece.

From India

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