The sculpture exists since the paleolithic one (about 25.000 years ago) and the small figurine of Lespugue, on Ivoire of Mammouth, is very an good example of sculpture (direct size by pressure or abrasion while rubbing on a covered sand stone) and of polishing in completion. The term of " sculpture" comes etymologiquement from Latin " sculpere" who means: to cut or remove pieces with a stone. This definition which distinguishes between " sculpture" and " modelage" , the importance given to the size of the stone in Roman civilization illustrates. At the 10th century, one speaks d'" ymagier" and most of the time, the work of the sculptor is a team work with a Master and masons stone (See " Romanesque architecture " and " Romanesque art "). Several teams work simultaneously on the large building sites of the Cathédrales. At the 19th century, one still distinguishes the " sculpteur" who cuts stone, wood or ivory (solid materials) to create an original single form and the " statuaire" who carries out models out of ground (Argile), in Plâtre or Cire intended to be reproduced (technical indirect of the " cut with setting with the points") or moulded (technique of the " cast iron with wax perdue" to run the Bronze).

One calls sculpture an artistic form of expression in three dimensions. There exist basically three manners of considering the creation of a three-dimensional work, the modelling , the size and the assembly .

* the modelling : The idea of modelling immediately makes think of the modeling clay which one so easily works with the fingers. But the works of art S are generally carved in the hard and compact materials (Marbre, stone, wood), which one painfully starts with the graver or the chisel. Thanks to a process of fusion long and complex, one carves also figure of bronze. Many Artist S modern, in search of innovation, employs for their creations of unexpected materials: metal sheets, parts and even of the plastics!

the method consists to add or withdraw matter around one or several centers which will become “the heart” of the sculpture. This technique of modelling applies to materials known as “plastic”, i.e. likely to become deformed reversibly under the effect of tiny forces (clay, the wax, plaster and of various modeling clays). Constantly, of the matter can be withdrawn or added, the repentances are allowed (up to a certain point, however). The flexibility of material makes it possible to record the most fugitive impressions with a total freedom. The principal limitation of material lies in its resistance often rather low. The slow drying of the sculpture is the following stage for clay and the plaster, cooling for wax and cooking for dry clay.

* the size , whose principle is to withdraw, using a tool struck by a roller (prehistory) or a two-handed hammer, glares in a matter lasts to release from its gangue a form: there exist two fundamental techniques of size to carve the stone or wood: direct size, without sketch prélable nor model and which takes account of the original shape of the block to make emerge a form imagined by the sculptor and the size with developments, which recopies a model starting from exact measurements accurately.

* the assembly

History

The first sculptures carried out by the man and having crossed time are small cut rudimentary figurines, out of stones or bones, which were probably used for magic practices and allowed, thinks one, to exert a power on their models (human, animal). One can easily imagine that modelled objects, out of ground, also existed, but in the absence of techniques of perpetuation (cooking), that can be only a hypothèse.
Although this use ic Chaman declined, the representation of the man remains the favorite topic of the sculptors. According to the times and the Civilizations, the Artiste S carried out these figurines in a realistic way, or, on the contrary, they took greatest freedom to interpret their subject. At all events, they respected for a long time the Loi of frontality.

Materials

Sculpter is the Art to withdraw matter or to assemble or give a form to an object, whatever the size of this object or material used. Traditionally, materials used in sculpture are generally origin Mineral E, stone (Marbre, Granite, Calcaire, Jade), Cement (which can to be moulded) or Concrete (in the direct face during the time of catch), Clay (Porcelaine, Terra cotta, Pâte Fimo which dries with the furnace or the Loam which dries with the free air in 24:00), but can also be out of metal (Bronze, Acier, Aluminum, tin) and still of animal origin such ivory and vegetable such wood, some Fruit S, vegetables or Cucurbitaceous S (the pumpkin of Halloween). The modern and contemporary sculpture also uses the textile (already used since the 16th century, as on “Marietta”), glass, the salt, the sand (sand castles), the ice, the water, the liquid crystals and other materials manufactured by the man, such as the plastics, and in particular the LDCS (Methyl polymétacrylate) known under registered trade names like Plexiglas or Altuglas, like any found object. The Papier chewed is also a material extrèmement economic, and the techniques of realization of sculptures with this material are simple to implement. Also, the possibilities of associations with other matters are quasi unlimited.

The sculpture can remain naked or be painted (as the sculptures of the Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris from which the colors practically disappeared today) or patinated.

In its last writings, Joan Miró even affirmed that in the future, one could imagine sculptures using gases like material. He making echo, Louis Leygue, in his speech of reception of Nicolas Schöffer with the Academy of the Art schools, defined the sculpture thus:

“The sculpture can be carried out according to three processes: that which consists in taking the matter in a compact block, that which consists in working a soft matter to create forms, finally that which consists in manufacturing what one wants to carry out. ”

Thus, other contemporary sculptors, opened the way with new research, associating traditional materials with high technology. In these reflections on contemporary creation, the sculptor Eduardo Leal of the Official reception, adopts a radically opposite position with the drifts encouraged by important patrons, regarding as sculpture, the fact of presenting in a window, a genuine calf divided and preserved in formol. (work of Damien Hirst).

Marta Side, interested by the reports/ratios of architecture and the sculpture, carried out monumental sculptures integrated in the architecture of public spaces and urban like " Perspective" in the Park of the Sources of the Beaver to Guyancourt.

Forms

One distinguishes two main categories of sculptures: the relief and the sculpture in the round .

• relief: a sculpture which remains attached to a background, drawing up itself out of this background. According to the degree of projection of the figures above the plan, the reliefs are qualified differently: the relief crushed (stacciato relievo): whose relief is very weak. Contours of the figures are finely incised (ex: certain Assyrian reliefs).
• the Low-relief (basso-relievo): the projection of a figure out of the plan is lower than half of its volume, without undercut. The average or mezzo-relievo (mezzo-relievo): the projection of the figure out of the plan is equal or slightly higher than half of its volume, with sometimes of light undercuts.
• the High relief (viola-relievo)) : the forms are almost complete (with regard to their volume), but they remain attached to the bottom. Certain parts (members, the head) are completely detached and in undercut. Let us distinguish the Entaille : relief where the subject is incised in the thickness of the plane surface. It was used by the Egyptians, from where the name of " relief égyptien". Another name of the Notch is " relief cœlanaglyphique". The highest parts of the figure level on the surface, while their contours are deeply notched. It is to some extent a process of engraving.
• the Sculpture in the round: it is about a sculpture conceived in order to be able to be observed on all the sides. Or almost all sides: the sculpture in the round often rests on the ground and it is sometimes placed in a niche.

One will notice Michel-Angel playing with these 2 principles and executant of the statues of which characters emergent of the block (of marble) but not completely.

Sculpture of the world

• Each Year, at the beginning of February, is held at the time of the Festival of the snow of Sapporo a big competition of sculpture on ice, in France the equivalent is the festival of Valloire.

• In the area of Rawdon to Quebec, one finds a creator of “ice floe”: it lets run a filament of water on a tree trunk, in winter, and thus carries out a sculpture of ice that it names its “vertical basin” (see bond below)
• Sculpture of sand on the Belgian side

The sculptors affix to sometimes them Signature on their works. Example: Pio Fedi which signs on the base of two statues of the great men of Florence to the Piazzale of the Offices.

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