Distinct Characteristics

of Arts (Sculptures) from

Western Classical Art
Traditions
Prepared by: Meara Francesca N. Monreal

TARGETS:
• Identifies distinct characteristics of arts (sculptures) during the
different art periods. (A9EL-Ia-2)
• Identifies sculpturesfrom different art periods.
What I Know? (Guess What?)
Directions: Write if it’s SCULPTURE or a PAINTING
 1. PRE-HISTORIC SCULPTURES Venus of Willendorf
28, 000 B.C.E. –25, 000
• Materials use in sculptures varies according to region and locality.
• Archaeologists believed that their sculpture is a result of natural
B.C.E.
erosion and not of human artistry.
• Frequently carving may have mythological or religious significance.
➢ Upper Paleolithic female figurine
found in 1908 at Willendorf, Austria.
CHARACTERISTICS ➢ It is carved from limestone with
excessively heavy breasts and
- Portable and small
abdomen as used as charm to
ensure fertility

- Images of humans, particularly the women, have enlarged

sexual organs and small feet and arms.

- Carving on cave walls use the natural modulation in the wall

surface to enhance the image.
 Queen Nefertiti
2 EGYPTIAN STRUCTURES 18th Dynasty, 1375 – 1357 BC

➢ Realistic with heavy lided eyes, slender

• Symbolic Elements such as forms, hieroglyphics, relative size,
location materials, color, actions, and gestures were widely neck, determined chin, and pure profile
used. Their tombs required the most extensive use of under her heavy
sculpture. crown.
• Most materials used for sculptures are wood, ivory, and stones. ➢ The bust is a painted stucoated
limestone.
CHARACTERISTICS ➢ Queen Nefertiti, refers to the Great
Royal Wife of Egyptian Pharaoh
1. Symbolisms were heavily used to represent the gods. They Akhenate.
were represented as composite creature with animal heads
on human bodies.
2. Relief compositions were arranged in horizontal lines to
record an event or to represent an action.
3. Most of the time the gods were shown larger their followers,
the dead larger than the living.
4. Empty spaces were filled with figures or hieroglyphics.
5. All individual components were all brought to the plane of
representation and aid out like writing.
 3. GREEK SCULPTURES Myron, The Discobolus
450 BC
• Tensed and stiff;their bodies were hidden within enfolding robes.
• After three centuries of experiments, Greek sculptures had finally ➢ Shows an attitude of maximum
evolved and showed all the points of human anatomy and
proportion.
tension, full of
• One of the most popular styles of the Greek sculptures was the compressed energy, and about to
Hellenistic style. explode an action.
CHARACTERISTICS ➢ Originally sculpted in
bronzefiguring a youthful ancient
Hellenistic denotes a
Greek athlete throwing a discus.
preference in sculpture for
more elaborated patterns,
mannered, arrangement of
figures and groups, and an - Human being as the depiction of physical
emphasis on the beauty and spiritual equilibrium
representation of movement
for dramatic effects. Sculpture was composed almost entirely of
marble or bronze.
- Human beauty was the “canon”, and naked
human body is the main subject.
- Greeks build life-size statuesprimarily male,
nude, well-muscled, anonymous,
and blank-faced.
 4 ROMAN STRUCTURES The PortonacioSarchophagus
Between 180 – 190 BCE
• In addition to mythological works, the Romans produced a
great volume of civicsculpture celebrating statesmen and their ➢ It is a box-like funeral receptacle
achievements.
• The Roman bust sculpture or portraiture is the most dominant
for a dead body.
genre. ➢ It depicts the battle scenes
between Romans and Germans.
CHARACTERISTICS ➢ Carved in marble

1. Sculpture is an evolution from naturalism to realism

(showing the wrinkles, the bulges, and ageing)
which aim at glorifying authorities.
2. The monumental altars, commemorative columns
and triumphal arches were excellent surfaces for
decorative reliefs of the typical narrative style.
3. Romans worked stone, precious metals, glass and
terracotta but favored bronze and marble above all
else for their finest work.
 5. BYZANTINE SCULPTURES The Barberini Diptych
450 BC
• More an extensions of the Hellenistic art, were portraits of great
impacting aesthetics drama were produced.
• Sculpture relief was used to adorn magnificent palaces and Churches. ➢ An early example of Ivory work.
It is the richest expression of Christian dogma.carving may have
mythological or religious significance.
➢ The only near-complete leaf of an
imperial diptych, representing the
CHARACTERISTICS emperor as triumphant victor

- Sculpture was often done in ivory or precious metals.

- Used the triptych frequently, a three-paneled sculpture or painting.
- Known for its mosaics, a decoration using pieces of stone, marble or colored glass
that are cemented to wall or floor into a picture

- The dominant features are religious, everyday life scenes, and motifs from nature.
- Animal were used as symbols (dove, deer, peafowl) while some had ACROSTIC
signs that contained a great theological significance
 6 The PortonacioSarchophagus
ROMANESQUE STRUCTURES
Between 180 – 190 BCE
• Some of famous sculptural pieces are reliquaries, altar frontals, crucifixes, ➢ It is above the main portal to the
and the devotional images. Cathedral of Saint-Lazare in Autun,
• Small individual works of art were generally made of costly materials for
royal and aristocratic patrons.
France.
• These lightweight devotional images were usually carried during processions ➢ The carving in stone was created in the mid-
both inside and outside the churches. 12th centuryby the French sculptor Gislebertus.
➢ Christ is the center and largest figure by far
further illustrating the artists wish to show His
CHARACTERISTICS power and glory

1. They were not realistic; unrealistic human figures.

2. Human figures may be elongated or squat and
dumpy.
3. They were painted in bright colors to attract the
attention of the people.
4. The sculptures were adapted to fit into space
available in capitals and cloisters.
5. Subject matter overwhelmingly religious.
 7. GOTHIC SCULPTURES Resurrection of the Virgin
End of the 12th century
• Gothic sculptures have a greater freedom of style.
• They no longer lay closely against the wall, but begun to project ➢ A group of angels attend the
outward. resurrection of the Virgin, supporting
• Figures were given their own particular attitudes instead of being set her on her emergence from the tomb,
into particular patterns and are more lively and realistic.palaces and that her soul was received by Christ
Churches. upon her death.
• It is the richest expression of Christian dogma.carving may have ➢ Though sadly broken in parts, and
mythological or religious significance. yet fairly complete as a whole.

CHARACTERISTICS

Sepulchres areone of • Characters’ gestures and attitudes are human,

the new locationsfor
sculpture wherein a
death person depicted
on the bed, laying or
praying
and it represents emotions and natural features.
• It is inspired in the nature with sensitive forms
that can be easily understood.
• Gothic church has one compartment, pointed
arches, and large windows
What I Can Do? (COMPARE IT!)

Guide Questions:
1. If you are a sculptor,
what subject would
you want to create?
Why?
2. What distinct
characteristics of that
sculptural design that
will be visible in your
own creation?
 PEFORMANCE TASK:
SCULPTURE OF MY OWN

• MAKE A SCULPTURE OF YOUR OWN USING CLAY

RELATED TO ANY SCULPTURE THAT I GAVE AS AN
EXAMPLE.
• MAKE A COMPILATION OF STEP BY STEP PROCESS IN
MAKING YOUR SCULPTURE (YOU MAY USE
CANVA/OTHER EDITING APPS)
• INDICATE THE PERIOD OF YOUR ARTWORK BASED ON
THE DISCUSSION AND BRIEFLY ELABORATE YOUR
DESIGN

PS: PRINTED COPY OF THE DOCUMENTATION

SHOULD BE SUBMITTED ON MONDAY, NEXT WEEK
THANK YOU!
KEEP SMILING:))