Sculptors
A sculptor is someone who creates sculptures. The broad term 'sculptor' does not only apply to artists, it can also be used in non-artistic contexts. For example, it may refer to someone working on a restoration site or creating replicas of existing sculptures. For a sculptor to also be defined as an artist, there needs to be a sense of artistic intention behind the objects they create. This person can be a professional or an amateur.
Sculpture is considered a major artistic discipline in the same way as painting. Some sculptors only work in the medium of sculpture while other artists have a multidisciplinary approach.
A sculptor seeks to create three-dimensional shapes out of one or several media. Sculptors can choose from a variety of materials for their sculptures. Some of the most frequently used media include stone (marble, granite etc), concrete, cement, wood and clay (which is used to create terracotta sculptures). Artists can also use metal to create sculptures, bronze has historically been the most commonly used but nowadays, sculptors can also choose aluminum or even steel.
Contemporary practices and technical developments have led to a growing diversity of materials being available for sculptors to use. Contemporary sculpture therefore uses a wider range of materials than modern sculpture did. Nowadays, it is not uncommon to see artworks made of resin, glass or a combination of several different materials. Artists may also use new technologies such as 3D printers to help them create works.
Over the course of the history of sculpture, there have been a many different types of sculptures and artists have developed numerous techniques for creating three dimensional works.
In relief sculpture, the sculpted form stays attached to the background made of the same material. If the carving is shallow then the work is referred to as a bas-relief. If there is some undercutting and more of 50% of the depth is shown, the work is sculptured in high relief.
If a sculpture is described as in the round or free-standing, it means that the work is detached from the background, in the majority of cases this means that the viewer to walk around it and admire it from all angles.
A key basic distinction is sculpture is the contrast between modeling and carving. Modeling is an additive technique which creates forms by adding more material. This is more flexible for sculptors as they can generally add or subtract the material as they please, for example as they would when using clay. Carving is a subtractive method; the sculptor removes material from a solid block of material, for example wood or marble, to reveal the desired shape.
Some of the greatest artists in the history of sculpture include: Michelangelo, Antoine-Louis Barye, Rembrandt Bugatti, Camille Claudel, Auguste Rodin, Alberto Giacometti, Louise Bourgeois, Cesar, Arman, Anish Kapoor, Anselm Kiefer, Jeff Koons, Yayoi Kusama, Richard Orlinski and Christophe Charbonnel.
Discover the styles & movements
Philippe Pasqua
Vanité aux papillons
Philippe Pasqua
Sculpture - 22 x 48 x 48 cm Sculpture - 8.7 x 18.9 x 18.9 inch
$15,832
No title
Philippe Pasqua
Photography - 200 x 156 x 1 cm Photography - 78.7 x 61.4 x 0.4 inch
$22,618
Grande vanité aux papillons
Philippe Pasqua
Fine Art Drawings - 160 x 160 x 4 cm Fine Art Drawings - 63 x 63 x 1.6 inch
$31,665
No title
Philippe Pasqua
Photography - 200 x 156 x 1 cm Photography - 78.7 x 61.4 x 0.4 inch
$22,618
No title
Philippe Pasqua
Photography - 170 x 140 x 0.5 cm Photography - 66.9 x 55.1 x 0.2 inch
$15,832
Gaspard Mitz
Shine Bright Like A Diamond
Gaspard Mitz
Sculpture - 24 x 34 x 6.5 cm Sculpture - 9.4 x 13.4 x 2.6 inch
$792
Karl Lagasse
Resurrection VII
Karl Lagasse
Painting - 50 x 40 x 2 cm Painting - 19.7 x 15.7 x 0.8 inch
$5,654 $5,089
Lithographie Store Housse Blue
Karl Lagasse
Print - 46.5 x 32 x 0.1 cm Print - 18.3 x 12.6 x 0 inch
$2,149
One Dollar Blue Maldives
Karl Lagasse
Sculpture - 38 x 16 x 5 cm Sculpture - 15 x 6.3 x 2 inch
$1,696
One Dollar Rolls Bleu Electrique
Karl Lagasse
Sculpture - 40 x 5 x 5 cm Sculpture - 15.7 x 2 x 2 inch
$905
One dollar green hope
Karl Lagasse
Sculpture - 16.5 x 38 x 7 cm Sculpture - 6.5 x 15 x 2.8 inch
$2,827
Sylvie Guyomard
Lithosphère III (SG90)
Sylvie Guyomard
Sculpture - 78 x 34 x 11 cm Sculpture - 30.7 x 13.4 x 4.3 inch
$1,923
Visaya 50/50/1 (2)
Sylvie Guyomard
Painting - 50 x 50 x 0.2 cm Painting - 19.7 x 19.7 x 0.1 inch
$1,120
Desert Signe VII (SG176)
Sylvie Guyomard
Sculpture - 72 x 52 x 3 cm Sculpture - 28.3 x 20.5 x 1.2 inch
$622
Désert sign Bleu X1
Sylvie Guyomard
Painting - 55 x 46 x 2 cm Painting - 21.7 x 18.1 x 0.8 inch
$1,357
Accumulation XVI (SG120)
Sylvie Guyomard
Painting - 60 x 60 x 4 cm Painting - 23.6 x 23.6 x 1.6 inch
$1,583
Jéko
Au bord de l'eau
Jéko
Fine Art Drawings - 29.7 x 21 x 0.2 cm Fine Art Drawings - 11.7 x 8.3 x 0.1 inch
$679
Les yeux dans les tiens, souris #3
Jéko
Sculpture - 68.5 x 23 x 4 cm Sculpture - 27 x 9.1 x 1.6 inch
$2,940
Une brise sur les fleurs et les sourires
Jéko
Painting - 140 x 107 x 0.2 cm Painting - 55.1 x 42.1 x 0.1 inch
$3,280
Le soleil brille même la nuit #2
Jéko
Fine Art Drawings - 29.7 x 21 x 0.2 cm Fine Art Drawings - 11.7 x 8.3 x 0.1 inch
$679
Les couleurs des fleurs d'été
Jéko
Painting - 65 x 50 x 0.2 cm Painting - 25.6 x 19.7 x 0.1 inch
$1,357
Fabien Novarino
Kristen pop
Fabien Novarino
Photography - 80 x 80 x 2 cm Photography - 31.5 x 31.5 x 0.8 inch
$1,120
Fat
Plaque de métro Alice au pays des merveilles
Fat
Sculpture - 30 x 80 x 3 cm Sculpture - 11.8 x 31.5 x 1.2 inch
$2,149
Kaws
Figurine Cereal Monsters Frute Brut
Kaws
Design - 33 x 23 x 20 cm Design - 13 x 9.1 x 7.9 inch
$1,131
Figurine Cereal Monsters Franken Berry
Kaws
Design - 33 x 22 x 20 cm Design - 13 x 8.7 x 7.9 inch
$1,131
Figurine Cereal Monsters Count Chocula
Kaws
Design - 28 x 18 x 20 cm Design - 11 x 7.1 x 7.9 inch
$1,131
Jef Aérosol
It’s been a long time coming
Jef Aérosol
Painting - 80 x 80 x 1 cm Painting - 31.5 x 31.5 x 0.4 inch
$5,202
Bernard Rives
Mr Brainwash
Flowarh$ - II (C) - Flowers - Les fleurs
Mr Brainwash
Print - 91.4 x 91.4 cm Print - 36 x 36 inch
$5,089
Life Is Beautiful Dipped Bubblegum
Mr Brainwash
Sculpture - 26.7 x 19.1 x 4 cm Sculpture - 10.5 x 7.5 x 1.6 inch
$3,053 $2,748
Love is the Answer (Einstein)
Mr Brainwash
Print - 76.2 x 56 x 0.1 cm Print - 30 x 22 x 0 inch
$4,524
Marie-Madeleine Vitrolles
Sauter par dessus bord - 579
Marie-Madeleine Vitrolles
Sculpture - 91 x 25 x 31 cm Sculpture - 35.8 x 9.8 x 12.2 inch
$1,696
Hespéride
Marie-Madeleine Vitrolles
Sculpture - 60 x 10 x 11 cm Sculpture - 23.6 x 3.9 x 4.3 inch
$746
Je t'attends
Marie-Madeleine Vitrolles
Sculpture - 46 x 19 x 12 cm Sculpture - 18.1 x 7.5 x 4.7 inch
$735
Déséquilibre
Marie-Madeleine Vitrolles
Sculpture - 54 x 36 x 13 cm Sculpture - 21.3 x 14.2 x 5.1 inch
$6,785
Mycéenne
Marie-Madeleine Vitrolles
Sculpture - 129 x 22 x 22 cm Sculpture - 50.8 x 8.7 x 8.7 inch
$3,732
Bas-Relief - 786
Marie-Madeleine Vitrolles
Sculpture - 30 x 35 x 18 cm Sculpture - 11.8 x 13.8 x 7.1 inch
$1,244