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Figurative Sculpture. Historical Overview. In the beginning . Ancient art is considered to be anything BCE (Before the Common Era) The most interesting sculptures from the ancient period came from the PREHISTORIC, EGYPTIAN, and GREEK cultures.
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Figurative Sculpture Historical Overview
In the beginning .... • Ancient art is considered to be anything BCE (Before the Common Era) • The most interesting sculptures from the ancient period came from the PREHISTORIC, EGYPTIAN, and GREEK cultures.
Earliest known “sculpture”, but not really considered to be art. • The figure is only 4 inches high and was meant to be a fertility idol, symbolizing abundant wealth (meaning lots of food to eat) and fertility (lots of children) • The sculptor would have found this small piece of rock and looked for existing contours that could be further carved to make it look like a figure (the belly button was already there) • This piece is purely symbolic and does not represent reality
This is the beginning of “sculpture-in-the-round” – which means the artist carved the work with the intention of it being viewed from all 4 sides (in this case only 3 sides are actually carved) • There is an attempt at figural realism, however the rigid and stylized features of Egyptian art are obvious • The king and queen stand very straight, and the only attempt to suggest movement is the feet that are placed slightly forward. • This is carved from one single block of slate, and there are no open spaces between any parts of the figure.
Doryphoros (aka “spearbearer), By Polykleitos, c. 450-440 BCE (GREEK)
Statues no longer have the rigidness of those from the previous period. The figures now stand “at ease”. • This is achieved by allowing the weight of the body to shift from equal distribution on both legs to one leg. • The stance, called contrapposto (S-shaped curve of the body), creates a more natural, lifelike pose. • Polykleitos (the artist) used 1:7 ratio to demonstrate one of the first mathematical descriptions of the human proportion. • The sculpture is a demonstration of the Ancient Greek IDEALbody proportion and demonstrates the contrapposto pose
THE PREMODERN ERA (A.D.0 - A.D.1850) • During the "dark ages" (from about A.D.300 - A.D. 1400), artwork was still being created, but not in the same realistic way that the Greeks and Romans had been creating previously. Sculpture experienced a rebirth during the Renaissance and Baroque years (1400-1700). • It was during this time that artists once again strived to achieve a sense of naturalism, emotion, and extreme detail in their work. Not surprisingly, they returned to the ideals and goals set in place by the Greeks (and later the Romans) 1500 years earlier.
The sculpture is based on the story of David versus Goliath, but unlike other sculptures, it shows David before he conquered Goliath • It is therefore a representation of the struggle of the weak against the strong • At over 13 feet tall, it took over 2 years to complete. Michelangelo was at first criticized for making some of the features too large (the hands), but when viewed from below (as its supposed to be), it looks proportionate • This shows a masterful use of the contrapposto pose which was developed by the Greeks during the Classical period. • It is the first monumental free-standing statue since the Roman times, and Michelangelo was not even 30 when he sculpted it.
The Ecstasy of St. Theresa, Gian Lorenzo Bernini, 1645-52, (BAROQUE)
This sculpture comes from the Baroque period where the goal of the artist was to use extreme detail to produce an overpowering effect on the spectator – this certainly does that • The sculpture is reflecting a moment described by a Spanish sister who had a religious vision – in this vision, she saw an angel getting ready to pierce her with an arrow, and this sculpture shows the agony and ecstasy that she felt at that moment. • The entire piece looks like it is floating on a cloud, and the blowing robes makes it look extremely realistic.
THE MODERN ERA (1870 - 1970) • During the Modern Era of art, styles changed quickly and dramatically in a very short period of time. • Artists were no longer interested in creating artwork that was extremely realistic (as the Renaissance and Baroque artists had clearly already accomplished this), and they began working in a more experimental and expressionistic manner. • Exploration of new materials and techniques was extremely important during this time.
Degas was well known for his paintings of young ballerinas – he was drawn to this subject because of his appreciation for classical beauty and his desire to depict the modern world. • This shows an important change that was happening in art at this time – this sculpture was made out of a variety of materials, including bonze, a tulle tutu, and a satin hairband. • For the first time, artists are trying to mix reality and art • Viewers of the work were moved by the work’s representation of the pain and stress of ballet training endured by a barely adolescent girl.
Unique Forms of Continuity in Space, Umberto Boccioni, 1913, (FUTURISM)
The Futurist movement attempted to portray speed and forceful dynamism in their artwork. • The contours of this marching figure appear to be carved by the forces of wind and speed as it forges ahead. • While its wind–swept silhouette is reminiscent of an ancient statue (Nike of Samothrace), the polished metal alludes to the sleek modern machinery beloved by Boccioni and other Futurist artists.
King and Queen, Henry Moore, 1952-53 (ABSTRACT EXPRESSIONISM)
This sculpture sits on a bench on a hilltop in Scotland • The human-looking bodies have bird-like heads that are too small in proportion • The figures are said to radiate a sense of peace – this is shown by the fluid line of their postures. • Moore has combined naturalistic elements, for example the hands and feet, with more abstracted ones, such as the heads.
This artist was more fascinated with the surface of his sculpting material than the figure itself. He used his fingers and the modeling knife to shape his figurative sculptures • On the rough surfaces, light and shadow provide an endless variety of effects. • Even though the striding man is extremely thin and pared down, he retains an extraordinary presence.
THE POSTMODERN ERA (1970 - PRESENT DAY) • During the present postmodern era, artists are even less concerned with achieving realism and excessive skill in their artwork, and instead are concerned much more about the CONCEPTUAL IDEA behind a work of art (what is its deeper meaning?) • Artists today have goals of making the viewer contemplate a work rather than simply admiring it because it is "pretty". Hence, artwork tends to show up in unconventional places, using unconventional materials, and often requires the efforts of the artist (or in some cases the viewer) to interact with the artwork.
Segal was a pop artist who began his career as a painter, and later began sculpting • He was one of the first artists to use plaster bandages as his medium; he would cast body parts in sections, remove them, and piece them back together. • He tended to leave the sculptures white to give them a ghostly, melancholic feel, but his later works incorporated some colour and were also cast in bronze. • In his larger works, the figures were placed in urban environments such as a street corner, bus, or diner. The environments were built using found objects rather than the typical plaster or bronze sculpting process used for the figures. • This sculpture (Chance Meeting) was sold in 2001 for $600,000, his highest selling work.
