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
Jean Lemonnier
Couple de mésanges bleues
Jean Lemonnier
Sculpture - 16 x 11 x 9 cm Sculpture - 6.3 x 4.3 x 3.5 inch
$2,220
Sterne qui plonge
Jean Lemonnier
Sculpture - 39 x 65 x 20 cm Sculpture - 15.4 x 25.6 x 7.9 inch
$5,328
Marie Ackers
The walking cheetah
Marie Ackers
Sculpture - 46 x 100 x 35 cm Sculpture - 18.1 x 39.4 x 13.8 inch
$21,089
The small siting cheetah
Marie Ackers
Sculpture - 42 x 15 x 20 cm Sculpture - 16.5 x 5.9 x 7.9 inch
$8,106
The three riders - Verdigris version
Marie Ackers
Sculpture - 89 x 70 x 30 cm Sculpture - 35 x 27.6 x 11.8 inch
$23,804
The large sitting cheetah
Marie Ackers
Sculpture - 100 x 40 x 40 cm Sculpture - 39.4 x 15.7 x 15.7 inch
$9,650
The Three riders
Marie Ackers
Sculpture - 87 x 70 x 30 cm Sculpture - 34.3 x 27.6 x 11.8 inch
$23,804
Extended trot version 3
Marie Ackers
Sculpture - 40 x 40 x 10 cm Sculpture - 15.7 x 15.7 x 3.9 inch
$5,533
Laurelle Bessé
Papier fleuri (Tondo)
Laurelle Bessé
Painting - 50 x 50 x 2 cm Painting - 19.7 x 19.7 x 0.8 inch
$777
La terrasse du peintre
Laurelle Bessé
Painting - 70 x 50 x 2 cm Painting - 27.6 x 19.7 x 0.8 inch
$888
Un après-midi au Choiseul
Laurelle Bessé
Painting - 100 x 73 x 3 cm Painting - 39.4 x 28.7 x 1.2 inch
$2,886
Petite fleur de roche
Laurelle Bessé
Sculpture - 25 x 25 x 1 cm Sculpture - 9.8 x 9.8 x 0.4 inch
Sold
Jose Margulis
Juxtapose Red and Gray Diptych
Jose Margulis
Sculpture - 101.6 x 165.1 x 10.2 cm Sculpture - 40 x 65 x 4 inch
$18,000
Dual Perspectives
Jose Margulis
Sculpture - 71.1 x 188 x 6.4 cm Sculpture - 28 x 74 x 2.5 inch
$19,000
Expanded Horizon V
Jose Margulis
Sculpture - 76 x 76 x 8 cm Sculpture - 29.9 x 29.9 x 3.1 inch
$7,770 $6,993
Black Undulation
Jose Margulis
Sculpture - 99.1 x 73.7 x 7.6 cm Sculpture - 39 x 29 x 3 inch
$10,800
Orange filled moon II
Jose Margulis
Sculpture - 60 x 60 x 5 cm Sculpture - 23.6 x 23.6 x 2 inch
$4,440
Christian Couaillier
Ours cosmos
Christian Couaillier
Sculpture - 27.5 x 14 x 10 cm Sculpture - 10.8 x 5.5 x 3.9 inch
$5,550
Djenné
Christian Couaillier
Sculpture - 45 x 32.5 x 41 cm Sculpture - 17.7 x 12.8 x 16.1 inch
$9,990
Girafe Zanzibar
Christian Couaillier
Sculpture - 56 x 57 x 13 cm Sculpture - 22 x 22.4 x 5.1 inch
$13,320
Autruche curieuse
Christian Couaillier
Sculpture - 19.5 x 21 x 10 cm Sculpture - 7.7 x 8.3 x 3.9 inch
$5,550
Autruche timide
Christian Couaillier
Sculpture - 21.5 x 19.5 x 9 cm Sculpture - 8.5 x 7.7 x 3.5 inch
$5,550
Pasturo
May the Gods still accept...
Pasturo
Sculpture - 240 x 25 x 15 cm Sculpture - 94.5 x 9.8 x 5.9 inch
$1,776
Promeneur du jour V
Pasturo
Fine Art Drawings - 84 x 53 cm Fine Art Drawings - 33.1 x 20.9 inch
$555
Promeneur du jour IV
Pasturo
Fine Art Drawings - 84 x 53 cm Fine Art Drawings - 33.1 x 20.9 inch
$555
Promeneur du jour III
Pasturo
Fine Art Drawings - 84 x 53 cm Fine Art Drawings - 33.1 x 20.9 inch
$555
Promeneur du jour II
Pasturo
Fine Art Drawings - 84 x 53 cm Fine Art Drawings - 33.1 x 20.9 inch
$555
Guillaume Couffignal
Amphithéâtre
Guillaume Couffignal
Sculpture - 45 x 65 x 37 cm Sculpture - 17.7 x 25.6 x 14.6 inch
$4,440
Petit amphithéâtre
Guillaume Couffignal
Sculpture - 37 x 23 x 20 cm Sculpture - 14.6 x 9.1 x 7.9 inch
$1,998
Petit potlach
Guillaume Couffignal
Sculpture - 51 x 25 x 12 cm Sculpture - 20.1 x 9.8 x 4.7 inch
$2,220
Francky Boy
Sans titre (no comment)
Francky Boy
Sculpture - 31 x 56 x 6 cm Sculpture - 12.2 x 22 x 2.4 inch
$2,220
Quentin Garel
Petit crâne d'oiseau
Quentin Garel
Sculpture - 25 x 26 x 14 cm Sculpture - 9.8 x 10.2 x 5.5 inch
Sold
Agnès K.
Yugen bois serpent aluminium
Agnès K.
Sculpture - 40 x 40 x 3 cm Sculpture - 15.7 x 15.7 x 1.2 inch
$932
Miguel Branco
Landscape with submarine (After Joachim Patinir)
Miguel Branco
Painting - 14.5 x 31 x 2 cm Painting - 5.7 x 12.2 x 0.8 inch
$3,885
The Temptations of St. Anthony
Miguel Branco
Painting - 26 x 18 x 2 cm Painting - 10.2 x 7.1 x 0.8 inch
$3,885
Peter Keizer
Look and look again
Peter Keizer
Painting - 170 x 170 x 3 cm Painting - 66.9 x 66.9 x 1.2 inch
$14,319