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
Liselotte Andersen
La mère & l'enfant
Liselotte Andersen
Sculpture - 31 x 19 x 13 cm Sculpture - 12.2 x 7.5 x 5.1 inch
$3,572
Stan & Mathilde
Liselotte Andersen
Sculpture - 103 x 36 x 3 cm Sculpture - 40.6 x 14.2 x 1.2 inch
$16,521
Silhouettes - famille
Liselotte Andersen
Sculpture - 59 x 8 x 2 cm Sculpture - 23.2 x 3.1 x 0.8 inch
$4,130
Reda Amalou
Ceci n'est pas un vase Or
Reda Amalou
Sculpture - 45 x 12 x 12 cm Sculpture - 17.7 x 4.7 x 4.7 inch
$3,907
Jacques Villeglé
Lumière noire
Jacques Villeglé
Sculpture - 29.2 x 14.5 x 14.5 cm Sculpture - 11.5 x 5.7 x 5.7 inch
$10,605
Irena Tone
Small Stainless Steel Bear - Lunes
Irena Tone
Design - 20.5 x 13.5 x 16 cm Design - 8.1 x 5.3 x 6.3 inch
$1,060 $954
Spikelet sculpture
Irena Tone
Sculpture - 38.5 x 16 x 10.5 cm Sculpture - 15.2 x 6.3 x 4.1 inch
$1,105
Monochrome Giraffe Pattern
Irena Tone
Painting - 40 x 40 x 3.5 cm Painting - 15.7 x 15.7 x 1.4 inch
$324
Frame Small Tiny Stainless Steel Bear 1
Irena Tone
Sculpture - 20 x 15 x 4.5 cm Sculpture - 7.9 x 5.9 x 1.8 inch
$558
Dark bronze wall sculpture
Irena Tone
Sculpture - 29 x 23 x 10 cm Sculpture - 11.4 x 9.1 x 3.9 inch
$1,674 $1,507
Small Stainless Steel Bear 'Thomas'
Irena Tone
Design - 20.5 x 13.5 x 16 cm Design - 8.1 x 5.3 x 6.3 inch
$1,060
Small Stainless Steel Bear 'Kerry'
Irena Tone
Design - 20.5 x 13.5 x 16 cm Design - 8.1 x 5.3 x 6.3 inch
$1,060
Aziz Anzabi
Human in the auction 1
Aziz Anzabi
Sculpture - 21 x 11 x 10 cm Sculpture - 8.3 x 4.3 x 3.9 inch
$16,744
Simone De Rosa
Life is beautiful
Simone De Rosa
Sculpture - 26 x 26 x 10 cm Sculpture - 10.2 x 10.2 x 3.9 inch
$324
New Magic potion
Simone De Rosa
Fine Art Drawings - 20 x 30 x 0.2 cm Fine Art Drawings - 7.9 x 11.8 x 0.1 inch
$201
Serge Hamad
Childhood Perception Series
Serge Hamad
Sculpture - 48.3 x 29.2 x 7.6 cm Sculpture - 19 x 11.5 x 3 inch
$3,800
Temporal Perception # 126-b
Serge Hamad
Photography - 76.2 x 101.6 x 0.3 cm Photography - 30 x 40 x 0.1 inch
$1,000
Temporal Perception "Golden Moment #1"
Serge Hamad
Photography - 76.2 x 101.6 x 0.3 cm Photography - 30 x 40 x 0.1 inch
$1,000
Temporal Perception # 45
Serge Hamad
Photography - 91.4 x 121.9 x 0.3 cm Photography - 36 x 48 x 0.1 inch
$2,250
Temporal Perception # 220 A
Serge Hamad
Photography - 91.4 x 182.9 x 0.3 cm Photography - 36 x 72 x 0.1 inch
$3,375
Temporal Perception #114
Serge Hamad
Photography - 114.3 x 152.4 cm Photography - 45 x 60 inch
$3,600
Francesco Marino Di Teana
Composition musicale dyptique 1/2
Francesco Marino Di Teana
Fine Art Drawings - 23 x 30 x 2 cm Fine Art Drawings - 9.1 x 11.8 x 0.8 inch
$2,233
AUBE Version limitée cuivrée
Francesco Marino Di Teana
Sculpture - 11 x 10 x 2 cm Sculpture - 4.3 x 3.9 x 0.8 inch
$558
Chaise architecturale
Francesco Marino Di Teana
Design - 42 x 44 x 99 cm Design - 16.5 x 17.3 x 39 inch
$6,698
Liberté H.20cm Brossée
Francesco Marino Di Teana
Sculpture - 20 x 10 x 9 cm Sculpture - 7.9 x 3.9 x 3.5 inch
$670
Hommage à Lao Tseu H.16 cm chromée
Francesco Marino Di Teana
Sculpture - 16 x 8.5 x 4 cm Sculpture - 6.3 x 3.3 x 1.6 inch
$447
Cercle Cube Désintégré
Francesco Marino Di Teana
Sculpture - 25 x 29 x 25 cm Sculpture - 9.8 x 11.4 x 9.8 inch
$22,325
Etude pour une frise
Francesco Marino Di Teana
Fine Art Drawings - 29 x 27.5 cm Fine Art Drawings - 11.4 x 10.8 inch
$2,233
Mel Ramos
Virginia Benedicto
Les demoiselles
Virginia Benedicto
Painting - 73 x 54 x 2 cm Painting - 28.7 x 21.3 x 0.8 inch
$1,340
Max Ernst
Un Acteur de Talent - Original Frottage
Max Ernst
Fine Art Drawings - 36 x 28 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 14.2 x 11 x 0 inch
$36,837
Relief en bronze VIII
Max Ernst
Sculpture - 34.2 x 39.2 x 0.2 cm Sculpture - 13.5 x 15.4 x 0.1 inch
$7,591
Fureur, tu me traites comme la tristesse
Max Ernst
Print - 52.1 x 43.2 x 2.5 cm Print - 20.5 x 17 x 1 inch
$3,000
Christian Michaud
Lenteur nécessaire
Christian Michaud
Sculpture - 50.8 x 61 x 3.8 cm Sculpture - 20 x 24 x 1.5 inch
$910
Repartir du bon pied
Christian Michaud
Sculpture - 50.8 x 61 x 2.5 cm Sculpture - 20 x 24 x 1 inch
$910
Variation Soleil Nocturne
Christian Michaud
Sculpture - 48.3 x 78.7 x 2.5 cm Sculpture - 19 x 31 x 1 inch
$1,175
Inspiration-expiration
Christian Michaud
Sculpture - 36.8 x 61 x 2.5 cm Sculpture - 14.5 x 24 x 1 inch
$700