ArtPage on Copper

copper - A ductile, malleable, reddish-brown metallic element.

It is used either pure or in alloys such as brass and bronze.

Examples of works in copper:

India, c. 950, Siva as the Lord of Dance (Nataraja), copper alloy, 30 x 22 1/2 x 7 inches (76.2 x 57.1 x 17.8 cm), Los Angeles County Museum of Art. See dance.

Nepal, c. 1000, Androgynous Form of Siva and Uma, copper alloy with semiprecious gemstones, 33 x 14 1/2 x 5 inches (83.8 x 36.8 x 12.7 cm), Los Angeles County Museum of Art.

In printmaking, copper has traditionally been the preferred material for plates to be used in engraving and etching.

Copper has been considered a desirable surface on which to fire enamel and to paint.

Copper is an excellent conductor of heat and electricity and is widely used for electrical wiring, water pipes, etc. Atomic symbol Cu., atomic number 29, atomic weight 63.54, melting point 1,083°C, specific gravity 8.96, valence 1, 2.

Also, a reddish-brown color, also described as cupreous.

Also see azurite.