SCULPT
A bust of Vladimir Ilyich Lenin in chemically pure sulfur
A rare object executed in chemically pure sulfur. This site is devoted to the material itself, the particulars of its care and storage, and the visual documentation of the bust.
SCULPT
A rare object executed in chemically pure sulfur. This site is devoted to the material itself, the particulars of its care and storage, and the visual documentation of the bust.
The object presented here is executed in chemically pure sulfur — a material rarely employed in the making of sculpture. Its principal distinction lies not in its artistic imagery but in the unusual choice of material, which determines the bust’s appearance, its physical properties, and the requirements for its handling. This catalogue is devoted to the object itself. It brings together information on the material, the particulars of its storage, photographic documentation, and everything required for a visual study of the bust. The history of its origin, the date of its making, and its authorship are not considered, since no reliable information on these questions exists.
Chemically pure sulfur is an elementary substance of yellow color with a distinctive crystalline structure. As a material for sculpture it is used extremely rarely, which makes this bust an unusual example of sulfur employed outside the laboratory or the industrial setting. Under ordinary conditions sulfur remains stable, yet it is highly brittle and sensitive to mechanical stress. For this reason any work with the object — including storage, transportation, and photography — calls for careful handling. Some people may perceive a faint characteristic odor associated with trace compounds of sulfur and with the particularities of the material’s surface, rather than with any evaporation of the sulfur itself.
A bust of chemically pure sulfur requires careful handling. The material is brittle and can be damaged by mechanical stress.
Physical contact with the object should be excluded wherever possible. During storage and handling one must avoid impacts, pressure, and abrupt changes in environmental conditions.
When the piece is touched by hand, the difference in temperature may produce a faint internal crackling. Such contact can lead to damage and to the destruction of the piece.
The bust was produced for a limited period. Owing to the brittleness of chemically pure sulfur, the number of surviving examples continues to diminish over time.
Information on availability, condition, and the possibility of acquisition is provided upon request.