Sculpture, or carving, refers to three-dimensional forms created from an artistic perspective. Sculpture fundamentally deals with the occupation, perception, and interaction with space. Sculptures are usually made to depict humans, animals, or objects.
The most famous sculptures and their artists:
• Michelangelo- David
David, created by Michelangelo between 1501 and 1504, is a masterpiece of Italian Renaissance sculpture made of marble. Standing at 5.17 meters (17 ft 0 in) in height, it is the first colossal marble statue of the High Renaissance and has served as a model for the 16th century and beyond, dating back to the classical ancient period. Originally, David was commissioned as one of a series of twelve statues of prophets to be placed along the roofline of the east end of the Florence Cathedral. However, it was instead positioned in the public square in front of the Palazzo della Signoria, the center of civic government in Florence, where it was unveiled on September 8, 1504. In 1873, the statue was moved to the Galleria dell’Accademia in Florence, and in 1910, a replica of the statue was placed at the original location in the square.
• Frederic Auguste Bartholdi- Statue of Liberty
The Statue of Liberty, officially named “Liberty Enlightening the World,” is a monumental statue and observation tower located on Liberty Island in New York City, USA. It has been a symbol of America since its completion in 1886 and is one of the most recognized monuments in the world.
The Statue of Liberty, made of copper, was a gift from France to the United States to mark the 100th anniversary of the country’s founding. It was constructed between 1884 and 1886 and is located on Liberty Island in New York City.
The statue holds a torch in its right hand and a tablet in its left hand. The date “July 4, 1776” (the date of the Declaration of Independence) is inscribed on the tablet. The seven spikes on the statue’s crown represent the seven continents or seven seas. The statue’s height is 46 meters, and with its pedestal, it reaches 93 meters. Visitors can climb 168 steps inside the statue to reach the torch and enjoy views of the New York Harbor. The height of the right hand holding the torch is 13 meters. The tunnel around the torch can accommodate 15 people at a time. The width of the statue’s head is 2 meters, and its height, including the crown, is 5 meters.
The Statue of Liberty is open to visitors. Those wishing to visit take a ferry to the island, where they can climb the stairs to the torch and gaze at the New York Harbor.
• Edvard Eriksen- The Little Mermaid Statue
The Little Mermaid statue, considered the symbol of Copenhagen, Denmark, has been sitting on a rock in the Langelinie Harbor since 1913. Made of granite and bronze, the statue is 1.25 meters tall and weighs 175 kilograms. The Little Mermaid was inspired by the eponymous story by Danish author Hans Christian Andersen.
Sitting on a rock in the middle of the sea and searching for her prince on the shore, the statue has unfortunately been the target of several attacks. It has had its head severed twice, been splashed with paint multiple times, and had its arm cut off once. Despite these incidents, the statue has been restored each time and returned to its place. Although small in size, the Little Mermaid is one of the top attractions to see in Denmark.
