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Limited Edition – 12 Editions
Running Hare bronze sculpture by internationally renowned British bronze sculptor Charles Elliott. Created during ‘mad march’
Charles wanted to capture the male hares boxing to defend their territories, during the European hares breeding season.
Each bronze sculpture by Charles Elliott is handcrafted using the ancient lost wax casting method—a meticulous and time-honoured process that begins with a pencil sketch and a clay master, sculpted entirely by eye. Over several weeks, Charles refines the form in clay before creating a detailed silicone mould.
A wax version is then made and coated in ceramic, which is kiln-fired to leave a hollow shell. Molten bronze is poured in at over 1,100°C, capturing every fine detail. Once cooled, the ceramic shell is broken away, and the bronze is sandblasted, hand-polished, and finished with rich patinas like dark bronze or verdigris. The final piece is sealed with wax for lasting protection.
Each bronze sculpture by Charles Elliott begins not with metal, but with imagination. Before a single tool is lifted, the vision is carefully explored through pencil sketches—drawn by Charles himself. These initial sketches mark the beginning of a journey that often spans many months, sometimes over a year, to completion. Every sculpture is a product of patience, mastery, and a profound understanding of form, movement, and emotion. Once the design is finalised, Charles constructs a supportive armature from metal rods and wire. This inner skeleton provides the strength and structure needed for the clay that will be applied around it. Sculpting clay is then methodically layered, forming the basic mass and volume of the future sculpture. Here, true artistry unfolds.
Sculpting entirely by eye, guided by his hands, intuition, and decades of experience, Charles refines the form. Using a variety of hand tools, he pushes, smooths, adds, and subtracts clay in a continuous process of refinement. The surface is adjusted millimeter by millimeter, week after week, with details emerging gradually as the sculpture takes on life. Nothing is rushed—each angle, muscle, and expression is perfected. The clay master may take weeks or even months to complete. When Charles is satisfied with the clay master, the next critical phase begins: mould-making. Multiple layers of silicone rubber are carefully applied to capture every intricate detail and texture. Small cards create natural splits in the mould, allowing it to be opened later, while locators (keys and indentations) ensure the sections fit precisely back together.
A hard ceramic jacket is then built over the silicone, giving the mould strength and rigidity for the casting stages. Once cured, the original clay sculpture is carefully removed, leaving an exact negative. The silicone mould is reassembled and molten wax poured inside, creating a wax model—the final template for casting. Once cooled, the wax sculpture is removed and meticulously refined by hand to match the original clay master’s precision. Any imperfections are smoothed, and fine textures are reintroduced by Charles and his team using hand tools and heat. The wax model then undergoes the ceramic shell process, being repeatedly dipped in refractory slurry and coated with fine ceramic materials to build a strong, heat-resistant shell. When dry, the shell is placed in a kiln and the wax melted out, leaving a hollow cavity within the ceramic.
This ancient “lost wax” casting method has remained virtually unchanged for over 6,000 years. With the ceramic shell hollow and ready, bronze ingots are heated to over 1,100°C, transforming into molten metal. The shell is buried in a sand bed for stability as the glowing bronze is carefully poured inside, filling every crevice. After cooling and solidification, the ceramic shell is broken away with hammers and tools, revealing the raw bronze sculpture—a metal mirror of the original clay vision. But the work is far from finished. The bronze is sandblasted to remove remnants of the shell, then polished by hand.
Larger works, often cast in multiple pieces, are welded together and “fettled” to smooth joints and blend surfaces seamlessly. Charles or a team member then reintroduces fine textures and details with dremels and files, bringing subtle expression back into the metal—where artistry meets precision. The final stage is patination—an alchemical process using acids and heat to create finishes ranging from classic dark bronze to vibrant verdigris. Each sculpture is uniquely treated, allowing individual surface tones and character to emerge. A protective wax coating is applied and hand-polished to seal the sculpture, enhancing its longevity.
This wax should be reapplied every few years to preserve the finish, especially outdoors. From the first pencil stroke to the final gleam of waxed bronze, every sculpture by Charles Elliott is a labour of love. The process is demanding and time-intensive—taking months, often over a year for larger pieces. Each sculpture celebrates traditional craftsmanship, attention to detail, and the enduring power of bronze. It is this dedication to quality, heritage, and hand-finished detail that makes every Charles Elliott bronze sculpture not just a work of art, but a lasting legacy.
If you have any question regarding this product or any other sculpture on our website then feel free to get in touch with our team.
Dimensions: Height 46cm x Length 57cm x Depth 30cm
Limited 12 editions signed by British sculptor Charles Elliott
The bronze is patinated using traditional hot methods, an ancient process in which heat and carefully controlled chemical solutions are used to draw colour into the surface, creating depth and meaning beyond appearance alone. Applied by hand in carefully layered stages, each patination responds to the form of the sculpture and continues to evolve over time.
Patination options include Verdigris, a traditional dark bronze, and a polished bronze surface, alongside contemporary painted patination in soft whites, refined yellows, and nuanced blues. Each surface is entirely unique, shaped by hand, material, and moment, ensuring that no two sculptures — nor any individual element within them — are ever the same, and that every work exists as a personal and singular edition.
Illumination Kits are not available for this sculpture.
We arrange worldwide delivery and installation, tailored to your location and the scale of the piece. Smaller sculptures are shipped using secure, tracked services; larger works are professionally crated and transported by expert art handlers or delivered in person by our team. Wherever you are, we bring sculpture to your world safely and seamlessly.
For clients across the UK and around the world, we offer a full professional installation service to ensure your sculpture is positioned exactly as intended. Whether the piece is destined for a private garden, a coastal estate, a city rooftop or a public art site overseas, our team can travel internationally to bring the final stage of the artwork to life.
To prepare an accurate installation quotation, please provide:
• Ground type – e.g. grass, soil, loose stone, hard standing, concrete pads or water
• Precise sculpture location – including any lifting, lowering or obstacles on site
• Access details – e.g. gates, stairs, steps, paths, driveway access, alleyways or fences
Our installation team will assess the site and requirements in detail, ensuring the correct foundations, fixings, lifting equipment and personnel are allocated. This allows us to deliver a seamless, safe and efficient installation experience anywhere in the world.
To receive your personalised international delivery and/or installation quote, please email the above details to: sales@charleselliottsculpture.co.uk
£34,368.00
Our sculptures are realised in bronze and steel, across a range of finishes and scales, with commission values typically ranging from £20,000 to £500,000+, shaped by scale, material and site considerations. Pricing guidance is available via the size and material options below, or by requesting a worldwide shipping quote. Collected internationally, each sculpture is created for a single client and setting — a personal work intended to bring character, warmth and a quiet smile to its surroundings, now and for generations to come.
Charles Elliott Sculpture is a contemporary studio creating sculptural works in bronze and steel for public, private, and architectural settings worldwide.
Based in England and led by sculptor Charles Elliott, the studio works with international collectors, landscape designers, developers, and public institutions, with commissioned sculptures placed across Europe and the United States.
Charles has presented work in distinguished cultural settings including Royal Ascot Racecourse and the Cheltenham Festival, and has received award recognition at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show.
Each work is conceived as a lasting presence — shaped by material, scale, and an enduring relationship with place.
