Bronier

Bronier is a historical and, in some contexts, contemporary term for a craftsman who works with bronze. The term derives from Old French bronnier, from bronze, and is largely synonymous with bronze worker or bronze founder in English. In medieval Europe, bronier referred to specialists who cast and finish bronze objects, including statuary, fittings for weapons and armor, church ornaments, and architectural elements. The craft encompassed techniques such as lost-wax casting, sand casting, and metalworking finishing such as chasing, engraving, and patination to achieve desired surface textures and colours.

Bronze workers often belonged to metalworking guilds that grouped smiths and founders. Their practice required knowledge of alloy composition (primarily copper and tin), corrosion resistance, and thermal management to prevent defects such as porosity or misruns. Typical outputs included sculpture and decorative hardware, coins and seals, bells, candlesticks, and other ecclesiastical or architectural adornments.

In modern usage, the term bronier is less common in English; today bronze casting is usually described as bronze foundry work or bronze sculpture production. Nevertheless, the word may appear in historical texts, inscriptions, or regional dialects. Contemporary equivalents include bronze smith, bronze caster, and patinator. See also bronze sculpture, metalworking, casting, patination, foundry.