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
Antoaneta Quick
Sonali Patel
Return to Nature - Blue
Sonali Patel
Sculpture - 21 x 19 x 12 cm Sculpture - 8.3 x 7.5 x 4.7 inch
$1,981
Under the golden foliage
Sonali Patel
Sculpture - 23 x 28 x 17 cm Sculpture - 9.1 x 11 x 6.7 inch
$2,314
Spirit of Nature II
Sonali Patel
Sculpture - 56 x 39 x 15 cm Sculpture - 22 x 15.4 x 5.9 inch
$5,735
Paul Thierry
Was für ein Glück (Gestern)
Paul Thierry
Print - 100 x 50 x 8 cm Print - 39.4 x 19.7 x 3.1 inch
$2,565
Was für ein Glück (Morgen)
Paul Thierry
Print - 100 x 50 x 8 cm Print - 39.4 x 19.7 x 3.1 inch
$2,565
Tiziano Sculpteur
Cuscino rouge avec texture
Tiziano Sculpteur
Sculpture - 26 x 48 x 13 cm Sculpture - 10.2 x 18.9 x 5.1 inch
$1,571
Cuscino Turquoise
Tiziano Sculpteur
Sculpture - 40 x 50 x 14 cm Sculpture - 15.7 x 19.7 x 5.5 inch
$1,458
Contr'elle
Tiziano Sculpteur
Sculpture - 180 x 70 x 50 cm Sculpture - 70.9 x 27.6 x 19.7 inch
$17,950
Incontro Musicale
Tiziano Sculpteur
Sculpture - 215 x 70 x 30 cm Sculpture - 84.6 x 27.6 x 11.8 inch
$21,316
Renata Dyk
Self - Consciousness
Renata Dyk
Sculpture - 37 x 22.5 x 15.5 cm Sculpture - 14.6 x 8.9 x 6.1 inch
$2,277
The trunk and the sun
Renata Dyk
Painting - 100 x 70 x 3 cm Painting - 39.4 x 27.6 x 1.2 inch
$2,794
Jonathan Chapline
Study for reclining
Jonathan Chapline
Painting - 17.8 x 12.4 x 1.87 cm Painting - 7 x 4.9 x 0.7 inch
$16,500
Supporting figures pink
Jonathan Chapline
Sculpture - 31 x 15 x 8 cm Sculpture - 12.2 x 5.9 x 3.1 inch
Sold
Standing bather blue
Jonathan Chapline
Sculpture - 31 x 15 x 8 cm Sculpture - 12.2 x 5.9 x 3.1 inch
Sold
Standing bather pink
Jonathan Chapline
Sculpture - 31 x 15 x 8 cm Sculpture - 12.2 x 5.9 x 3.1 inch
Sold
Supporting figures blue
Jonathan Chapline
Sculpture - 31 x 15 x 8 cm Sculpture - 12.2 x 5.9 x 3.1 inch
Sold
Kasia Kay
Human Race, Only
Kasia Kay
Sculpture - 360 x 3.8 x 3.8 cm Sculpture - 141.7 x 1.5 x 1.5 inch
$17,939
Tran Van An
Desa Vlahutin
The Path of the Squares
Desa Vlahutin
Sculpture - 50 x 40 x 20 cm Sculpture - 19.7 x 15.7 x 7.9 inch
$4,515
Fibonacci Fragment II
Desa Vlahutin
Sculpture - 101 x 40 x 40 cm Sculpture - 39.8 x 15.7 x 15.7 inch
$9,506
Fibonacci Fragment V
Desa Vlahutin
Sculpture - 78 x 75 x 19 cm Sculpture - 30.7 x 29.5 x 7.5 inch
$9,764
Fibonacci Fragment VII
Desa Vlahutin
Sculpture - 31 x 82 x 26 cm Sculpture - 12.2 x 32.3 x 10.2 inch
$9,689
Fibonacci Fragment IV
Desa Vlahutin
Sculpture - 54 x 75 x 10 cm Sculpture - 21.3 x 29.5 x 3.9 inch
$7,957
Rina Murao
Table of Squares, II
Rina Murao
Sculpture - 150 x 250 x 250 cm Sculpture - 59.1 x 98.4 x 98.4 inch
$3,259
Balcony-the Hatch
Rina Murao
Sculpture - 228 x 456 x 127 cm Sculpture - 89.8 x 179.5 x 50 inch
$5,568
Table of Squares, III
Rina Murao
Sculpture - 25 x 42 x 42 cm Sculpture - 9.8 x 16.5 x 16.5 inch
$10,541
Table of Squares, I
Rina Murao
Sculpture - 102 x 102 x 270 cm Sculpture - 40.2 x 40.2 x 106.3 inch
$51,310
The Sea at Dawn
Rina Murao
Sculpture - 150 x 253 x 253 cm Sculpture - 59.1 x 99.6 x 99.6 inch
$68,171
See to the Sea
Rina Murao
Sculpture - 115 x 405 x 170 cm Sculpture - 45.3 x 159.4 x 66.9 inch
$42,881
Anna Celie Nastasia Meyer
White Top 38, Red Bottom 12, Red Dot
Anna Celie Nastasia Meyer
Sculpture - 51 x 20 x 19 cm Sculpture - 20.1 x 7.9 x 7.5 inch
$6,025
White Top 41, Black Bottom 21
Anna Celie Nastasia Meyer
Sculpture - 67 x 61 x 15 cm Sculpture - 26.4 x 24 x 5.9 inch
$6,204
Black Top 15
Anna Celie Nastasia Meyer
Sculpture - 21 x 17 x 15 cm Sculpture - 8.3 x 6.7 x 5.9 inch
$2,165
Black Top 16
Anna Celie Nastasia Meyer
Sculpture - 36 x 18 x 13 cm Sculpture - 14.2 x 7.1 x 5.1 inch
$3,871
Black Bottom 21, Red Bottom 10, White Half Dot
Anna Celie Nastasia Meyer
Sculpture - 51 x 27 x 22 cm Sculpture - 20.1 x 10.6 x 8.7 inch
$5,307
White Top 39, Black Bottom 21
Anna Celie Nastasia Meyer
Sculpture - 56 x 16 x 15 cm Sculpture - 22 x 6.3 x 5.9 inch
$5,037
White Top 37
Anna Celie Nastasia Meyer
Sculpture - 23 x 16 x 11 cm Sculpture - 9.1 x 6.3 x 4.3 inch
$2,614
White Top 40, Red Bottom 12
Anna Celie Nastasia Meyer
Sculpture - 63 x 20 x 19 cm Sculpture - 24.8 x 7.9 x 7.5 inch
$5,755
Miguel Amate
La coz y el martillo
Miguel Amate
Painting - 92 x 73 x 2.5 cm Painting - 36.2 x 28.7 x 1 inch
$14,046