Laran Bronze is a fine art foundry in Chester, Pennsylvania. Founded in 1984 by Larry and Randy Welker in facilities built for the city's once-booming shipbuilding industry, the foundry has cast many monumental and significant sculptures, including many of the bronze components of the World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C.[1][2] In 1985 or 1986, the foundry cast replicas of the hands of painter Andrew Wyeth; in 2019, one of these replicas sold at auction, along with a Wyeth painting, for $490,230.[3]
The components cast at Laran for the WWII Memorial include four 18-foot columns, eight eagles with 10- to 12-foot wingspans, two 10-foot wreaths, and 24 plaques.[1]
Other works cast at Laran Bronze include:
- Holodomor Memorial, Washington, D.C.[4]
- Keys to Community, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania[5]
- Gregor Mendel, Villanova University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- The U.S. Air Force Honor Guard Memorial, Arlington, Virginia[6]
- Brigadier-General John Gibbon statue, Gettysburg battlefield, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
- Sculptures on the Square, Charlotte, North Carolina[7]
- Gem of the Lakes, 311 S. Wacker Drive, Chicago, Illinois[1]
Works
edit| Title | Image | Artist | Year | Location | Coordinates | Material | Dimensions | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Pharoah | James Peniston | 2017 | Hot Springs, Arkansas | 34°29′01″N 93°03′34″W / 34.48359246636598°N 93.05943790609463°W | Bronze | 10 feet (3.0 m) | Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort | |
| Freedom | 
|
Zenos Frudakis | 2000 | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | 39°57′29″N 75°09′59″W / 39.958056°N 75.166389°W | Bronze | 20 ft (6.1 m) wide, 8 ft (2.4 m) high |
Notes
edit- ^ a b c Mastrull, Diane (February 2, 2015). "The little-known source of America's bronze artwork in Chester". inquirer.com. Archived from the original on February 27, 2021. Retrieved September 24, 2020.
- ^ Brown, Stephen R. (2005). Jewel of the Mall: The World War II Memorial. Stephen R Brown Publishing. ISBN 978-0-9766150-0-2.
- ^ "From The Artist's Hands: Andrew Wyeth Painting & Cast Bronze Hands Sell For $490,230 At Leland Little". Retrieved September 24, 2020.
- ^ Dietsch, Deborah K. (July 24, 2014). "Local architect designs Washington memorial to victims of genocidal famine in Ukraine". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved September 24, 2020.
- ^ Smith, Eric (October 3, 2007). "Artist Spotlight: James Peniston". Uwishunu - Philadelphia Blog About Things to Do, Events, Restaurants, Food, Nightlife and More. Retrieved September 24, 2020.
- ^ "The U.S. Air Force Honor Guard Memorial". CODAworx. Retrieved September 24, 2020.
- ^ "Commemorative Landscapes of North Carolina". docsouth.unc.edu. March 19, 2010. Retrieved September 24, 2020.