History Of Sculpture

Sculpture

Definition of Sculpture:

Sculpture is three-dimensional artwork created by shaping or combining hard, plastic material, wire, sound, text, light, commonly stone (either rock or marble), metal, glass, or wood.

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The art of shaping figures or designs in the round or in relief, professionally performed by a sculptor; A work of art created by sculpting; such works as a group; To fashion something into a three-dimensional figure; To represent something in sculpture; To change the shape of a land feature by ...

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The art of shaping figures or designs in the round or in relief

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the art of carving, modeling, welding, or otherwise producing figurative or abstract works of art in three dimensions, as in relief, intaglio, or in the round.

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Sculpture is any three-dimensional form created as an artistic expression.

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Sculpting is the art of assembling or shaping an object. It may be of any size and of any suitable material. The artist who does this is called a sculptor

Introduction

The art form of sculpting has existed since the prehistoric age, with the earliest artists making use of materials such as ivory and clay. However, for many people, they think of the Egyptians or the Greeks as the initial creators of sculpture. It is widely known that the ancient Egyptians created a number of sculptures developed for both purely aesthetic reasons, as well as to observe rituals. The early Egyptians created sculptures of Sphinxes and Pharaohs, some of which are still in existence today. In fact, sculpture has often been used in religious practices or to honor those who were highly regarded in religious or political roles. The Greeks are also recognized for having created beautiful and lasting pieces that demonstrate the values of their time. Many of these pieces have proven their capability to survive and are able to observe even today.

Historical Background of Sculpture:

The history of the sculpture is varied and is illustrative of how sculpture has changed extensively over the ages. The art of sculpture continues as a vital artform worldwide. From pre-historic and ancient civilizations to the contemporary, from the utilitarian and religious to Modernist abstraction, and conceptual manifestations of both form and content, a continuous stream of creativity & an extremely modest show of compassion.
Sculpture has been central in religious devotion in many cultures, and until recent centuries large sculptures, too expensive for private individuals to create, were usually an expression of religion or politics. Those cultures whose sculptures have survived in quantities include the cultures of the Ancient Mediterranean, India and China, as well as many in South America and Africa. Moses's rejection of the Golden Calf was perhaps a decisive event in the history of sculpture. Aniconism remained restricted to the Jewish, Zoroastrian and some other religions, before expanding to Early Buddhism and Early Christianity, neither of which initially accepted at least large sculptures. In both Christianity and Buddhism these early views were later reversed, and sculpture became very significant, especially in Buddhism. Christian Eastern Orthodoxy has never accepted monumental sculpture, and Islam has consistently rejected all figurative sculpture. Many forms of Protestantism also do not approve of religious sculpture. There has been much iconoclasm of sculpture from religious motives, from the Early Christians, the Beeldenstorm of the Protestant Reformation to the recent destruction of the Buddhas of Bamyan by the Taliban. Nonetheless, the Buddha remains a popular subject for sculptural art, and sculptors all over the world celebrate the Buddha in their work

Sculpture in Prehistoric times

Sculpture as an art form goes back to Prehistoric times. Most Stone Age statuettes were made of ivory or soft stone, however some clay human and animal figures have been found. Small female statues known as Venus figurines have been found mainly in central Europe. The Venus of Willendorf (24,000-22,000 BC), from the area of Willendorf, Austria, is a well-known example.

Kinds of Sculpture:

Some common forms of sculpture are:

• Free-standing sculpture, sculpture that is surrounded on all sides, except the base, by space. It is also known as sculpture "in the round", and is meant to be viewed from any angle.
• Sound sculpture
• Light sculpture
• Jewellery
• Relief - the sculpture is still attached to a background; types are bas-relief, alto-relievo, and sunken-relief
• Site-specific art
• Kinetic sculpture - involves aspects of physical motion
• Fountain - the sculpture is designed with moving water
• Mobile (see also Calder's Stabiles.)
• Statue - representationalist sculpture depicting a specific entity, usually a person, event, animal or object
• Bust - representation of a person from the chest up
• Equestrian statue - typically showing a significant person on horseback
• Stacked art - a form of sculpture formed by assembling objects and 'stacking' them
• Architectural sculpture
• Environmental art
• Environmental sculpture
• Land art

Materials of Sculpture:

Sculptors have generally sought to produce works of art that are as permanent as possible, working in durable and frequently expensive materials such as bronze and stone: marble, limestone, porphyry, and granite. More rarely, precious materials such as gold, silver, jade, and ivory were used for chryselephantine works. More common and less expensive materials were used for sculpture for wider consumption, including glass, hardwoods (such as oak, box/boxwood, and lime/linden); terracotta and other ceramics, and cast metals such as pewter and zinc Sculptures are often painted, but commonly lose their paint to time, or restorers. Many different painting techniques have been used in making sculpture, including oil painting, gilding, house paint, aerosol, enamel and sandblasting. Many sculptors seek new ways and materials to make art. Jim Gary used stained glass and automobile parts, tools, machine parts, and hardware. One of Pablo Picasso's most famous sculptures included bicycle parts. Alexander Calder and other modernists made spectacular use of painted steel. Since the 1960s, acrylics and other plastics have been used as well. Andy Goldsworthy makes his unusually ephemeral sculptures from almost entirely natural materials in natural settings. Some sculpture, such as ice sculpture, sand sculpture, and gas sculpture, is deliberately short-lived. Sculptors often build small preliminary works called maquettes of ephemeral materials such as plaster of Paris, wax, clay, or plasticine, as Alfred Gilbert did for 'Eros' at Piccadilly Circus in London. MATERIALS USED FOR MAKING SCULPTURE
Cast Bronze The sculptor creates the work of art in clay, or wax. A flexible mold is made, capturing every detail. A wax cast is made in the mold, then finished and covered with a shell from dipping in a ceramic slurry. Molten bronze is poured into the resulting shell, displacing the wax. The shell is then broken away and many hours of finishing labor are required to produce the finished work which may be colored with a chemical and heat process patina.
Bonded Marble or Cold Cast Marble Both names apply to a similar material. In a process similar to casting bronze, a mold is created and cast with a cold mixture of marble dust and catalyzed resin which produces a dense, rock-hard material that is superior to natural marble for exterior exposure. Similar to cast bronze, much hand finish work by artisans is required to produce a quality piece of fine sculpture. Life size castings require complex equipment to cool the heat produced by the catalyzed resin. Cold Cast Limestone, Antique Lead, or Terra-cotta is created with a similar process but different colored mixture. Again, the result is a piece of sculpture that is excellent for exterior exposure to the weather.
Lightweight Fiberglas Techniques have been developed to produce copies of classic sculptural works of art from fiber-glass fiber and catalyzed resin. The end result is faithful reproduction of fine detail in a material that is extremely strong and weather resistant, yet at only a fraction of the weight of stone or synthetic stone. The Antique Stone Finish gives the appearance of carved marble at a fraction of the cost and freight cost. If you desire the weight and heft of stone, most of these pieces can be filled with sand when they are mounted. If you want classic art at affordable prices, this material deserves your thoughtful consideration.
Bonded Bronze or Cold Cast Bronze Following the same process as that above for bonded marble, the material cast is bronze powder mixed with a small amount of catalyzed resin. The resulting sculpture is essentially bronze, which has been cast using a "cold" or room temperature chemical bonding process. The finished work has the weight and appearance of solid bronze at a much lower cost.
Durastone Durastone is a special formulation of crushed stone mixed in a slurry, hand cast and hand finished. Each sculpture is hand made, therefore no two pieces will be exactly the same. A wide array of finishes are used. Beautiful selections are available in this material at very affordable prices. Best for Interior display.
Sculpted Aluminum There are some pieces available here that combine the beauty of finished Durastone with components of hand cast aluminum which have been polished to a high shine. The result is striking!
Terra-cotta A glazed or unglazed fired clay used especially for statuettes and vases and architectural purposes (as roofing, facing, and relief ornamentation)
Soapstone Soapstone is a "steatite," a precious form of soft stone which is highly valued as a carving medium. Colors vary depending upon mineral content and place of origin.