iron - A
silvery-white, lustrous,
malleable, ductile,
magnetic or magnetizable, metallic
element used alloyed in
a wide range of important structural
materials, like steel. Iron is forged and cast, and used for
many tools, such as: chisels,
drills, files,
hammers, and saws. It is also used in armatures.
Its reddish-brown oxide,
or rust, is a permanent,
inexpensive, and commonly used pigment.
Atomic number 26; atomic weight 55.847; melting point 1,535°C;
specific gravity 7.874 (at 20°C); valence 2, 3, 4, 6.
Examples of work in iron:
Gustave Eiffel (French, 1832-1923) , Eiffel Tower, 1887 - 1889, exposition observation tower, exposed iron construction, height 985 feet, a symbol of Paris worldwide. Built for Paris's 1889 International Exhibition, the centenary celebration of the French Revolution.
Louis Sullivan (American, 1856-1924), Stairway Balusters (from Carson Pirie Scott & Co., Chicago), 1899, iron, 34 7/8 x 9 3/4 x 7 15/16 inches, Sheldon Memorial Art Gallery and Sculpture Garden, University of Nebraska, Lincoln. See architect architecture, ornament, and Prairie school.
Julio Gonzalez (Spanish, 1876-1942), Woman Doing Her Hair 1, c. 1931, forged and soldered iron, 168.5 x 54 x 27 cm, Georges Pompidou Center, Paris.
Also see cast, forge,
melting point, metal,
mold, openwork,
sheet metal, wire,
and wrought iron.
