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
Jazzu
Zed
Flexo diptyque rencontre inattendue
Zed
Sculpture - 86 x 46 x 36 cm Sculpture - 33.9 x 18.1 x 14.2 inch
$2,132
Christophe Charbonnel
Le centaure, Chiron
Christophe Charbonnel
Sculpture - 146 x 48 x 80 cm Sculpture - 57.5 x 18.9 x 31.5 inch
$67,314
Orphée III semi-monumentale
Christophe Charbonnel
Sculpture - 125 x 44 x 46 cm Sculpture - 49.2 x 17.3 x 18.1 inch
$67,314
Tête de cheval
Christophe Charbonnel
Sculpture - 101 x 60 x 36 cm Sculpture - 39.8 x 23.6 x 14.2 inch
$50,485
Cavalier II Bronze
Christophe Charbonnel
Sculpture - 57 x 63 x 30 cm Sculpture - 22.4 x 24.8 x 11.8 inch
$24,401
Orphée Monumental
Christophe Charbonnel
Sculpture - 220 x 141 x 85 cm Sculpture - 86.6 x 55.5 x 33.5 inch
$168,285
Dryade II
Christophe Charbonnel
Sculpture - 51 x 48 x 48 cm Sculpture - 20.1 x 18.9 x 18.9 inch
$20,194
Fabien Novarino
Kristen pop
Fabien Novarino
Photography - 80 x 80 x 2 cm Photography - 31.5 x 31.5 x 0.8 inch
$1,111
Philippe Buil
Montagne Yogi 120-21
Philippe Buil
Sculpture - 21 x 18 x 12 cm Sculpture - 8.3 x 7.1 x 4.7 inch
$1,066
Bouteille Champagne Prince 17-24
Philippe Buil
Sculpture - 30 x 13 x 13 cm Sculpture - 11.8 x 5.1 x 5.1 inch
$1,122
Bouteille champagne 66-22
Philippe Buil
Sculpture - 30 x 10 x 10 cm Sculpture - 11.8 x 3.9 x 3.9 inch
$785
L'age de glace 16-24
Philippe Buil
Sculpture - 12 x 14 x 12 cm Sculpture - 4.7 x 5.5 x 4.7 inch
$673
Jeu de plume 13-24
Philippe Buil
Sculpture - 32 x 30 x 10 cm Sculpture - 12.6 x 11.8 x 3.9 inch
$673
Pavarti Cantatrice
Philippe Buil
Sculpture - 35 x 15 x 13 cm Sculpture - 13.8 x 5.9 x 5.1 inch
$1,402
Montagne Yogi 65-22
Philippe Buil
Sculpture - 27 x 18 x 10 cm Sculpture - 10.6 x 7.1 x 3.9 inch
$1,066
Daniel Arsham
Wanted! Grand Palais, Signé
Daniel Arsham
Print - 70 x 50 x 0.1 cm Print - 27.6 x 19.7 x 0 inch
$785
Eroded DeLorean
Daniel Arsham
Sculpture - 8.5 x 31 x 14 cm Sculpture - 3.3 x 12.2 x 5.5 inch
$6,170 $5,553
Futur Relic 09 / Keyboard
Daniel Arsham
Sculpture - 10.2 x 101.6 x 27.9 cm Sculpture - 4 x 40 x 11 inch
$3,366
Future Relic 02
Daniel Arsham
Sculpture - 10.6 x 15.9 x 9.5 cm Sculpture - 4.2 x 6.3 x 3.7 inch
$8,134
Cumbone
Mask
Cumbone
Fine Art Drawings - 60 x 90 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 23.6 x 35.4 x 0 inch
$1,010 $808
Jef Aérosol
De la musique avant toute chose
Jef Aérosol
Print - 60 x 60 x 0.01 cm Print - 23.6 x 23.6 x 0 inch
$785
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
$5,161
Jeff Koons
Balloon Dog (Blue)
Jeff Koons
Sculpture - 40 x 48 x 16 cm Sculpture - 15.7 x 18.9 x 6.3 inch
$58,339
Balloon Rabbit (Violet)
Jeff Koons
Sculpture - 29 x 14 x 21 cm Sculpture - 11.4 x 5.5 x 8.3 inch
$19,633
Diamond ( Red )
Jeff Koons
Sculpture - 32.4 x 39.2 x 32 cm Sculpture - 12.8 x 15.4 x 12.6 inch
$24,682
Ballon Animals
Jeff Koons
Sculpture - 39.2 x 34.9 x 20.9 cm Sculpture - 15.4 x 13.7 x 8.2 inch
$39,266
Luo Li Rong
Je me souviens de toi
Luo Li Rong
Sculpture - 30 x 26 x 12 cm Sculpture - 11.8 x 10.2 x 4.7 inch
$6,731
Porter par le vent
Luo Li Rong
Sculpture - 100 x 100 x 50 cm Sculpture - 39.4 x 39.4 x 19.7 inch
$53,290
Pablo Picasso
Table with Fish, Black Background
Pablo Picasso
Fine Art Drawings - 55 x 70 x 1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 21.7 x 27.6 x 0.4 inch
$157,066
Visage Brun-Bleu
Pablo Picasso
Sculpture - 30.5 x 38.1 x 2.5 cm Sculpture - 12 x 15 x 1 inch
$40,000
Philip Hearsey
Shorebreak 6/9
Philip Hearsey
Sculpture - 11.5 x 34 x 13 cm Sculpture - 4.5 x 13.4 x 5.1 inch
$1,963
Second Chance [A]
Philip Hearsey
Sculpture - 55 x 35 x 16 cm Sculpture - 21.7 x 13.8 x 6.3 inch
$2,584