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

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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 / 34.48359246636598; -93.05943790609463 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 / 39.958056; -75.166389 Bronze 20 ft (6.1 m) wide, 8 ft (2.4 m) high

Notes

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  1. ^ 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.
  2. ^ Brown, Stephen R. (2005). Jewel of the Mall: The World War II Memorial. Stephen R Brown Publishing. ISBN 978-0-9766150-0-2.
  3. ^ "From The Artist's Hands: Andrew Wyeth Painting & Cast Bronze Hands Sell For $490,230 At Leland Little". Retrieved September 24, 2020.
  4. ^ 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.
  5. ^ 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.
  6. ^ "The U.S. Air Force Honor Guard Memorial". CODAworx. Retrieved September 24, 2020.
  7. ^ "Commemorative Landscapes of North Carolina". docsouth.unc.edu. March 19, 2010. Retrieved September 24, 2020.
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