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GENERAL EDUCATION 005

MODULE 6

Sculpture

“Sculpture is the best comment that a painter can make on painting.”

- Pablo Picasso
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LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
At the end of this module, you will be able to:
1. Discuss the origin of sculpture;
2. Recognize the importance of sculpture;
3. Demonstrate knowledge about the type, medium and technique of sculpture; and
4. Display an ability to make sculpture.

READ AND LEARN:

The Origin of Sculpture

Sculpture is from the Latin word sculpere which means “to carve”. The tools used in
sculpture are varied and is changing throughout history. It engages our sense differently than
paintings because it occupies space as a three-dimensional mass through carving, casting
modeling or assembling materials (Sheldon, 1968). It has sought to produce artworks that are
as permanent and is working in durable and expensive materials such as bronze granite,
limestone, marble, and stone. More rarely, precious metals such as gold, ivory, jade, and silver
were used for chryselephantine works. More common and less expensive materials were also
used for broader consumption, like cast metals, ceramics, glass, and hardwoods.
The sculpture has long been one of the most popular forms of fine arts and one of the
most beautiful representations of the humankind. It was also used to represent societal
concerns, such as morality, politics, and religion (Witcombe, 1997). For many of years,
sculpture has filled many roles in human life. For example, the earliest sculpture was made to
supply magical help to trackers, to represent gods, and to hope of making their ancient kings
becomes immortal.
Most common purpose of sculpture during the ancient time is associated with religion.
Different images like a human-made object revered for the spirit are familiar in many cultures.
One of the oldest sculptures discovered is an ivory statuette, dating approximately 30,000 BCE
from a cave at Hohlenstein-Stadel, Germany called Löwenmensch (which means a “lion-
human”). This Paleolithic period statue is about 12`` tall and depicts a human figure with a
feline face.
Another very iconic and famous piece of sculpture is “the Sphinx” of Egypt. This
sculpture of an image of the pharaoh Khafre and is part of a funerary complex for the
pharaoh. Egyptian sculpture and all Egyptian art were on the belief in a life after death wherein
the body of their ruler (the pharaoh) was preserved carefully and buried with some goods with
him to provide for his needs forever. The Egyptians often combined features from various
creatures to symbolize ideas. For example, the head of the pharaoh Khafre is added to the
bowing figure of a lion to form the Great Sphinx. This type of masterpiece suggests the
combination of human intelligence and animal strength. The Great Sphinx of Egypt is an
enormous sandstone sculpture, measuring 240` ft. long and 65` ft. high.

Importance of Sculpture
The sculpture is a perceptive-regeneration of reality through the use of three-
dimensional form. As a specialized work of art, its objective is to exemplify a concept by
forming a visual equivalent. Since the shape is the dominant characteristics of sculptures, the
human body and animals has been its primary subject. They are constructed using bronze, clay,
ivory as their mediums.
Likewise, the making of Sculpture is with the idea of expressing religious, personal, and
political views. This kind of artwork is meant to create a sense of patriotism, pride, greatness
and spiritual respect. Statues and sculptures have always been an integral part of museums and

Arts Appreciation
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GENERAL EDUCATION 005

art history. They become more popular as decoration items in private homes and office
facilities. Sculptures and miniatures have also become more popular as decoration items, and in
the long term, valuable art investment.

Types of Sculptures
 Bust. A bust is a sculpted and painted representation of the upper part of the human
figure such as the head, neck, shoulders, chest or breast.
 Statue. A statue is a life-size or a larger size of a sculpture of a person or an animal,
made of metal, stone or wood. The world’s tallest statue is the 420 feet (128 meters)
Spring Temple Buddha in Henan, China.
 Architectural. Architectural sculpture is a universal classification used to describe a
structural design such as buildings, bridges, burial chamber and other big projects. It is
from a brand of materials which includes carved stone such as brownstone, cast iron,
machine pressed sheet zinc, terra cotta, concrete and other architectural supplies.

Medium and Techniques

Sculpture techniques have the aim of providing practical and technical support through
several procedures. These processes are either additive (added material) or subtractive
(material is removed or carved out). Sculptures primarily use four basic techniques, namely:
 Carving. It is a procedure in which the artists cut away objects until reached the
desired form. Various tools are used, depending the materials to be carved and the
statue to which the work has progressed.
a. Stone Carving – it is a type of sculpture which requires patience and planning.
It is a shaping activity of pieces of rough natural stone through the use of
essential hand tools like hammer and chisel.
b. Wood Carving – it is the art of shaping objects of wood using cutting tools. It is
done through a specialized carving knife (used to cut or smooth the wood), the
slicer saw (used to cut off chunks of wood), the chisel (used for lines and
cleaning up flat surfaces), and the gouge (used in carving hollows, rounds, and
sweeping curves).
 Casting. Casting is a method by which a liquid material is usually poured into a frame
or pattern, which contains a hollow cavity of the desired shape, and then allowed to
harden. It has two types, namely:
a. Glass Casting – it is a shaping activity of pieces of rough natural stone through
the use of essential hand tools like hammer and chisel.
b. Slip Casting – it is a technique for the mass-production of pottery, especially for
shapes not easily made on wheel.
 Molding. Molding sculpture is an additive process. It is the working of soft or plastic
materials (like clay and wax) by hand to build up or shape to create a form.
 Assembling. Assembling is an additive process of gathering and joining different
materials to create an assembled artwork. An example of assemblage is Martin Puryear’s
network of welded and sandblasted stainless steel tubes whose joints are bound
together by strands of silver and planted bronze.

Basic Sculpture Terms

Armature – it is skeleton-like framework used to support the building of paper-
mâché, usually made or stiff wire.
Assemblage – it is a three-dimensional art assembly of various materials, often
taken from scraps, junk, or various natural or human-made objects.
Base – it is the portion of the work on which the sculpture rest.
Craftsmanship – it is a skill with which one uses tools and materials in producing
art.
Plaster of Paris – it is an excellent white powder which sets hard when blended in
the water.
Freestanding – it refers to a method when a sculpture is intended to view from all
sides.
Manipulation – it is a process of shaping an object by a skilled worker.
Replica – it refers to a precise reproduction of an artwork.

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Class Activity
1. List and draw examples of the sculpture you see at home or in your community. Write a
concise description of the sculpture (shape, dimension, what or whom it represents, and
why it was made).

2. Identify public sculptures in the local area or town center. When, and why, were these
sculptures made? What do they tell us? How do the people react to them? Do they
make a difference to the surrounding area?

MODULE TEST

I. ESSAY: Answer the following questions concisely.

1. Why is sculpture considered one of the most popular forms of fine arts? Explain.
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2. What are interpretations that are commonly expressed in sculpture?
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3. If you are a sculptor, what technique and medium you like most? Why?
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4. What are the goals of an artist in creating a sculpture? Explain.

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5. Explain how sculpture is associated with religion and military?

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Prepared by:

MELANIE C. MALASAGA, LPT

Instructor

Arts Appreciation