Gate of the Winter Palace in St Petersburg.

Ironwork is any weapon, artwork, utensil or architectural feature made of iron especially used for decoration. There are two main types of ironwork wrought iron and cast iron. While the use of iron dates as far back as 4000BC, it was the Hittites who first knew how to extract it (see iron ore) and develop weapons. Use of iron was mainly utilitarian until the Middle Ages, it became widely used for decoration in the period between the 16th and 19th century.

Wrought ironwork[link]

Details of ironwork on the central portal of the west facade of Notre Dame de Paris (France)

Wrought ironwork is forged by a blacksmith using an anvil. The earliest known ironwork are beads from Jirzah in Egypt dating from 3500 BC and made from meteoric iron with the earliest use of smelted iron dates back to Mesopotamia. However, the first use of conventional smelting and purification techniques that modern society labels as true iron-working dates back to the Hittites in around 2000 BC.^[1]

Knowledge about the use of iron spread from the Middle East to Greece and the Aegean region by 1000BC and had reached western and central Europe by 600BC. However, its use was primarily utilitarian for weapons and tools before the Middle Ages. Due to rusting, very little remains of early ironwork.

From the medieval period, use of ironwork for decorative purposes became more common. Iron was used to protect doors and windows of valuable places from attack from raiders and was also used for decoration as can be seen at Canterbury Cathedral, Winchester Cathedral and Notre Dame de Paris. Armour also was decorated, often simply but occasionally elaborately.

From the 16th century onwards, ironwork became highly ornate especially in the Baroque and Rococo periods. In Spain, elaborate screens of iron or rejería were built in all of the Spanish cathedrals rising up to nine metres high.

In France, highly decorative iron balconies, stair railings and gateways were highly fashionable from 1650. Jean Tijou brought the style to England and examples of his work can be seen at Hampton Court and St Pauls Cathedral. Wrought ironwork was widely used in the UK during the 18th in gates and railings in London and towns such as Oxford and Cambridge. In the US, ironwork features more prominently in New Orleans than elsewhere due to its French influence.

As iron became more common, it became widely used for cooking utensils, stoves, grates, locks, hardware and other household uses. From the beginning of the 19th century, wrought iron was being replaced by cast iron due to the latter's lower cost. However, the English Arts and Crafts Movement produced some excellent work in the middle of the 19th century. In modern times, much modern wrought work is done using the air hammer and the acetylene torch. A number of modern sculptors have worked in iron including Pablo Picasso, Julio González and David Smith.

Cast ironwork[link]

Another cast iron grille in St Petersburg

Cast iron is produced in a furnace stoked with alternate layers of coking iron then poured into molds. After the iron cools off, the sand is cleaned off. The Chinese were the first to use cast iron from the 6th century AD using it as support for pagodas and other buildings.

It was introduced into Europe by the 15th century with its main decorative uses being as firebacks and plates for woodburning stoves in Germany, the Netherlands and Scandinavia. By the end of the 18th century, cast iron was increasing used for railings, balconies, banisters and garden furniture due to its lower cost.

See also[link]

Look up ironwork in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Ironwork

• Blacksmith
• Scrollwork
• Arabesque (European art)

References[link]

• John Starkie Gardner Ironwork Victoria & Albert Museum London 1978 Volume 1 ISBN 0-905209-00-1 Volume 2 ISBN 0-905209-01-X Volume 3 ISBN 0-905209-02-8 first published 1893
• Dona Z. Meilach, Decorative & Sculptural Ironwork: Tools, Techniques, Inspiration 2nd edition Schiffer Atglen PA 1999 ISBN 0-7643-0790-8
• Otto Höver A Handbook of Wrought Iron from the Middle Ages to the end of the Eighteenth Century translated by Ann Weaver Thames and Hudson London 1962
• Edward Graeme Robinson and Joan Robinson Cast Iron Decoration: A World Survey 2nd Edition Thames and Hudson 1994 ISBN 0-500-27756-7
• Gerald K. Geerlings, Wrought Iron in Architecture :; Wrought Iron Craftsmanship; Historical Notes and Illustrations of Wrought Iron in Italy, Spain, France, Holland, Belgium, England, Germany, America Bonanza Books 1957
• Theodore Menten, Art Nouveau Decorative Ironwork Dover Publications New York 1981 ISBN 0-486-23986-1

Notes[link]

External links[link]

• Wrought ironwork
• Encyclopædia Britannica article on metalwork

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Celph Titled (born Vic Mercer) is an American hip hop solo artist, record producer and member of the hip hop supergroup Army of the Pharaohs, as well as the Demigodz Crew.

Biography[link]

Celph Titled was born in Tampa, Florida to a Cuban-American mother and a German-Scottish father. He began creating hip hop music in the early 1990's when he was seventeen years old. Celph Titled was born in Tampa, FL and grew up in the heart of Hillsborough County's rapidly expanding multicultural landscape. The product of an Ybor City Cuban-American mother and a German-Scottish father, Celph's folks always encouraged his knack for creative expression. In the 80's, young parents that videotaped all the classic videos on MTV and an uncle in a popular local rock band had a big impact on the scope of Celph's musical inspirations. "My dad used to show me all the classic videos; 'Thriller', 'Owner of a Lonely Heart' and everything else from Herbie Hancock to ZZ Top, so I was always glued to MTV. Then one day I saw a Fat Boys video it was over. I knew I loved this music," Celph recalls fondly. After penning some of his own lyrics and making beats with minimal equipment, he began recording demos in the early 90's on his uncle's 4-track machine. When asked to describe that particular time in his life, Celph states, "I knew from that point on that I wanted to be a recording artist and I never stopped chasing that goal. I was quite the mischievous kid but it soon became clear that hip hop was my calling."

Still a teen fresh out of high school, Celph's relentless hustle and talent were noticed when he was courted by an independent record company to relocate to New York City and begin working as an in-house producer and A&R. This was the move that would change his life and give him the platform to establish a name in underground hip hop. The now-defunct BUDS International and Bronx Science Records released all of Celph's early records on vinyl, including his original group, Equilibrium, and singles from career-long partner-in-rhyme, Apathy. After soaking up the NYC scene for a few years, the hard work and dues-paying finally began to pay off as publications, websites, taste-makers and even major record labels began taking notice of the pale-skinned Latino and his associates. As a leading member of two legendary crews, The Demigodz and Jedi Mind Tricks' Army of the Pharaohs collective, Celph became a fan-favorite for his standout quotable-filled performances and hard-hitting East Coast-style production featured on the crews' respective blockbuster releases. In addition, Grammy-winner Mike Shinoda, of Linkin Park fame, invited Celph to join his Los Angeles cohorts, Styles of Beyond, as an official part of 2005's Fort Minor project, released on Linkin Park's Machine Shop/Warner Bros. imprint and executive produced by Shawn Carter aka Jay-Z. Aside from his appearance on that album, and his jaw-dropping verses on the industry-approved DJ Green Lantern Invasion "Fort Minor: We Major" mixtape, Mr. Titled embarked on a nationwide tour with FM in 2006. Following the tour, Celph released a unique compilation entitled, "The Gatalog." The impressive quadruple-disc set captured a long discography of Celph's guest appearances and freestyles, going all the way back to his early releases from 1998. The compilation was a great success, continuing to buzz and remain a top-seller consistently, even years after its release. The word of mouth spread vigorously and it became the catalyst in generating a tidal wave of demand for a proper solo debut from Celph Titled. It was a plan that worked better than ever, as it set up the enterprising MC to have the privilege of releasing an official debut to a thriving fanbase that already viewed him as a seasoned veteran.

After the release of "The Gatalog" and a move back to his Gulf Coast hometown, Celph spent three years working with iconic Diggin' In The Crates (D.I.T.C.) multi-platinum producer, Buckwild, on what would become his October 26, 2010 debut album, "Nineteen Ninety Now" on No Sleep Recordings. Spearheaded by longtime friend James "DL" Ellison, the project set out to be a first of its kind, utilizing never-before-released tracks made in 1994 and 1995 and creating new songs out of them with the stylings of present day. As a true scholar of the 90's golden era of rap, Celph explains, "This is the project I've always wanted to do. To have my debut produced by a legend like Buckwild can't be topped in my mind. My first album is always going to be looked at as a masterpiece by my fans. It reminds you of the techniques no longer used in today's hip hop and it takes you right back to that feeling, even if it's just for one album." With a critically acclaimed solo album under his belt, Celph Titled is now an independent mogul and a monster force to be reckoned with. To feed the fans' rabid appetite to be a part of his movement, he has created his own brand called Mad Ammo, which will represent not only his apparel line but also the next wing of the Demigodz/Pharaoh's family. Celph's debut album received critical acclaim from one of hip hop's most legendary producers, DJ Premier.

^[1]

Discography[link]

References[link]

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