The painted version of the Silver Surfer Statue boasts the same excellent sculpt of the Chrome Statue (except for the right clenched fist), from which it differs for the base and
painting. Also released in 2005, this piece has a circulation significantly limited with respect to the prestigious twin (only 1000 pieces worldwide) and also ranks in the circle
of the forbidden dreams of collectors.
Its availability on the market, in fact, is very low and sometimes its quotations even approach those of the Chrome, thus demonstrating a general,
resounding commercial success of the statue. Being able to directly compare the two items, it is clear that the chrome variant accentuates the visual impact of the figure and
dramatically enhances its charm. It is also true, however, that the presence of a reflective surface prevents that game of nuances and chromatic contrast characterizing
Bowen's best pieces and often turning a simple statue in a small masterpiece!
The Silver Surfer Statue is exactly this: the clear demonstration of how a linear and delicate
balance of colors can incredibly enrich an excellent sculpt. In spite of the substantial monochromy of the figure, the statue exhibits a superb coloring, carried out in a
highly professional manner: the body and the board are rendered in a very bright silvery hue and the contours of demarcation on muscles are pointed out everywhere by delicate
shades of blue.
This successful mix is visible in the chromatic contrast between the main body and the more uniform (and rightly “flat”) parts of the figure: the
lower abdomen, the (really smooth) feet or the long surfboard, embellished by the centered streaks.
Anything else is an exaltation of muscle fibers, contours, shadows
shades, which emphasize the statuary physique of the hero and his proud pose.
Furthermore, the choice of chroming the pedestal on which the small lunar hemisphere rests, was
really smart! There, the black background overlaps a dense whitish texture to highlight the boundaries of the different "craters", thereby obtaining an excellent mix
of colors and adding, generally speaking, a considerable touch of class. Note also the original vertical cut of the hemisphere, whose yellow-orange color suggests the inner
presence of a burning magma. Along the Chrome Statue and the most recent Faux Bronze, the painted version completes a trio of statues not only of a top-class quality, but
also of incomparable appeal, which probably has no equal in the vast catalogue of Bowen Design. And, in my opinion, to dedicate such a trio to a superhero with the charisma
and the elegance of Silver Surfer was really a winning choice!