Elongated Sculpture

Sculpture has evolved greatly over the centuries. It is integral to the history of art as we know it, having played an important role in civilizations around the globe. In ancient Greece, sculptures of the human form were produced according to what was considered to be the perfect set of proportions. This ideal went on to influence the canon of Western art, and still bears its mark on many contemporary works. The first artist known to depict elongated, distorted human figures in art is 16th and 17th-century Greek artist El Greco.

Over the last century, artists have increasingly challenged tradition when it comes to sculpture, using the art form to explore abstract ideas and forms. While some sculptors produce entirely abstract works, others border the line between abstraction and figuration. One sculptor known for his partially-abstract figurative sculptures is Swiss artist Alberto Giacometti. His signature style of stretched and elongated human forms is influenced by Cubism and Surrealism, mixing elements of imagination and reality. 

The legacy of artists like El Greco and Giacometti has had a great influence on the world of sculpture, with many contemporary sculpture artists finding inspiration in their elongated human figures. From figurative to abstract sculpture, Artsper has curated a selection of contemporary works that depict elongated forms. Join us today to discover the whole selection, with artists such as Caroline Brisset and Maxime Plancque!