Visual Arts

and Sculpture
 •Sculptures may be carved,
chiselled, modelled, cast, or
constructed. They can be made
of many different materials such
as wood, stone, clay, metal, ice,
and even balloons.
Sculpture as Functional Art
• Religion
(What is it for?)
Example: Bronze doors which Lorenzo Ghiberti
made for the Baptistery at Florence.
When Michaelangelo saw them he exclaimed:
“They are so beautiful that they may fittingly stand
at the gates of paradise.” And they have been
called the “Gates of Paradise” ever since.
• Instructional purposes
Examples :
1. “Gates of Paradise”
contains scenes from the Old Testament such
the Creation;

2. Amiens Cathedral with signs of zodiacs

Gates of
Paradis
e
 Amiens
Cathedra
l
• Commemoration of individuals (celebrating
leadership/kingship) or events;
•Tombstone: shows age and time
when it was made thus reflecting
historical background
• Coin designs : reflect the spirit/history of
a country such as:
 Types of Sculptures
Relief sculpture: where the design remains attached
to a background, typically stone or wood;
Free standing : surrounded by space on all sides;
meant to be viewed from any angle; it has a base.
Jewelry: meant to be worn; doesn’t have a base;
Stacked Art: Assembling objects and stacking them.
Kinetic sculpture: involves aspects of physical motion
Examples of Relief Sculpture
Examples of Relief Sculptures
Examples of Free Standing
Sculptures
Jewelry
Stacked Art
Kinetic sculpture
World Famous Sculptures
•“The Thinker”
• By Auguste Rodin
• Man dealing with his
inner struggles
 • Justicia
• Roman goddess of
justice
• “Justice favors no
one.”
Venus de Milo: Dug up in Greece
Now in France 2nd century BC
 Pieta:
By Michealangelo
Italian for “pity”
The Little Mermaid
The Kiss is an 1889 marble sculpture by the French
sculptor Auguste Rodin
Statue of Liberty