Sculpture is a form of artistic expression that involves modelling, sculpting or carving stone, wood or other materials. Sculpture is considered one of the 7 arts, alongside music, painting and dance, and sculptors can use it to express themselves through the use of volume and space. Today we’re going to talk about the art of sculpture in more detail.
The characteristics of sculpture
The materials used in sculpture can range from clay to stone, and also include wood, marble, wax, plaster and various different types of metal. More and more different types of techniques continue to be incorporated into this art form as new materials are being developed, such as different kinds of resins or plastics that allow sculpture to expand its artistic horizons.
Sculpture has been used to create original and fascinating works of art and also to recreate and portray figures, characters, objects, people and animals. These figures may be a fully realistic representation or they may be entirely abstract, depicting the artist’s vision of a specific aspect.
One of the key aspects of sculpture is how the artist uses and controls space and its forms. It is therefore essential for the artist to consider details like height, depth, volume and shapes when it comes to designing their work of art.
Origin and uses of sculpture
Sculptures were originally intended for religious purposes, as they were used for magic rituals, funeral rites represented by the funerary art or ceremonial practices. Later on, in addition to their religious use, they also began to serve a political purpose: they would be used to express the power of monarchs and helped to conserve the history of society.
Finally, sculpture also began to be used for purely aesthetic purposes, which is its most common purpose today. As such, artists attempt to portray beauty or certain artistic aspects through the use of volumes and shapes, or to create objects for decorative purposes.
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