Republic of the Philippines

CENTRAL LUZON STATE UNIVERSITY

Science City of Muñoz, 3120 Nueva Ecija

JENALYN B. PAGAY, PhD

DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH AND HUMANITIES
COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SOCIAL SCIENCES

Instructional Module for the Course

ARTS 1100: ART APPRECIATION
Module 5
Topic 5: SCULPTURE

Overview

Sculpture is a visual art in which hard or plastic materials are worked into three-dimensional art
objects. The designs may be embodied in freestanding objects, in reliefs on surfaces, or in environments
ranging from tableaux to contexts that envelop the spectator. An enormous variety of media may be used,
including clay, wax, stone, metal, fabric, glass, wood, plaster, rubber, and random “found” objects. Materials
may be carved, modeled, molded, cast, wrought, welded, sewn, assembled, or otherwise shaped and
combined.

A sculpture may draw upon what already exists in the endless variety of natural and man-made form,
or it may be an art of pure invention. It has been used to express a vast range of human emotions and feelings
from the most tender and delicate to the most violent and ecstatic. By exploiting the expressive qualities of
form, a sculptor is able to create images in which subject matter and expressiveness of form are mutually
reinforcing. Such images go beyond the mere presentation of fact and communicate a wide range of subtle
and powerful feelings.

Module 5 describes on sculpture as an art form, its elements, functions, the artist’s tools and media,
including the different methods in making this art in order to develop an appreciation for and enhance
individual traits/values associated with the engagement with sculpture.

Happy reading!
I. Objectives

1. Define sculpture as a discipline and as an art form.

2. Name some examples of sculptural works.

3. Identify the methods or techniques in sculpture.

4. Cite some materials used in sculpture and identify examples of sculptural works made by local or international
artists.

5. Recognize national artists for sculpture.

II. Discussion

Definition of Sculpture

Sculpture is a form of aesthetic expression that has to do with carving into three-dimensional art
objects. The word sculpture came from the Latin term sculpere meaning to carve. However, there are several
methods of sculpting other than carving. These are modeling, casting, assembling, and constructing materials
into figures or forms. The designs may be embodied in freestanding objects, in reliefs on surfaces, or in
environments ranging from tableux to contexts that envelop the spectator.

Before the 20th century, sculpture was considered a representational art. However, its scope has been
extended to include nonrepresentational forms. It has long been accepted that the forms of such three-
dimensional objects as furniture, pots, and buildings may be expressive and beautiful without being in any
way representational; but it was only in 20th century that non-functional, nonrepresentational, three-
dimensional works of art began to be produced.

Sculpture may be either in the round or in relief. A sculpture in the round is a separate, detached object
in its own right, leading the same kind of independent existence in space such a human body or a chair. A
relief does not have this kind of independence. It projects from and is attached to or is an integral part of
something else that serves either as a background against which it is set or a matrix from it emerges.

In the Philippines, Guillermo Tolentino is considered as the “Father of Philippine Sculpture.” His most
outstanding work is the monument of Andres Bonifacio (Figure 71) which can be found in Manila. The said
monument was built in the 1930s. Napoleon Abueva, a pupil of Guillermo Tolentino, is the first modern
Filipino sculptor. His studies in the United States are reflected in his works. Among the early innovations
Abueva introduced in 1951 was what he referred to as "buoyant sculpture"- sculpture meant to be appreciated
from the surface of a placid pool.

Figure 71. Guillermo Tolentino. The Bonifacio monument

2
Sculptural Techniques

Sculpture can be made from almost any organic or inorganic substance. Working on a sculpture entails
two specific techniques, namely: subtractive and additive. The subtractive technique refers to the process of
cutting away from a block of wood or stone and gradually revealing the desired shape. For example, the ice
sculptures in Star City were created through this sculptural process. The additive technique, on one hand,
refers to the method in which the clay modeler adds lumps of clay to a core and works out the desired shape.
Another example of a sculpture, which employs the additive technique, is the creation of a papier-mâché figure
such as an animal. The field of sculpture has broadened in the 20th century which included new techniques
such as welding and assemblage and by other new materials like neon tubing which are products of modern
technology.

1. Carving is a technique of sculpting since prehistoric times. The artist usually substracts or cuts away
unnecessary material until the desired form is reached. It involves a time-consuming and painstaking process
because the material is usually hard and weighty. The design is compact and the nature of the material dictates
the form to be created by the artist.

2. Modeling is a technique of sculpting in which materials are added to create a form. The materials used in
modeling are generally soft and yielding and can easily be shaped, enabling rapid execution. This provides
the sculptor to capture and record fleeting impressions in much the same way a painter does in a quick sketch.
Since ancient times, clay or claylike substances are usually baked to achieve increased durability.

3. Casting involves a manufacturing process by which a liquid material is poured into a mold, which contains
a hallow cavity of the desired shape and allowed to solidify. The solid casting is ejected or broken out to
complete the process. Casting is used to form hot liquid metals or various materials that could set after mixing
of components. It is most often used for making complex shapes that are generally difficult to be made using
other sculptural techniques.

The beauty and durability of bronze alloys have made them one the most popular materials for cast
metal sculptures throughout history. Indeed, bronze sculptures have been found among the ruins of ancient
civilizations in China, India, Greece, and Rome, and bronze casting has remained a preferred practice among
sculptors to this day. Its resistance to breakage allows artists to sculpt elongated forms in virtual “action,” and
due to natural or chemically induced patinas, bronze can take on various gorgeous, earthy shades of the artist’s
choice. Also through casting, the sculptor can achieve smooth rounded shapes and a glowing reflective surface,
such as we see in Sphere Wing (Figure 72).

Figure 72. Sphere Wing Sculpture, 8 H x 6 W x 3 in Karl Geckler

United States

The most common method for casting metal is called lost-wax process, sometimes known by its French
name, cire perdue. Dating back to the third millennium BCE, the concept is simple and ingenious. A sculpture
cast in this way is unique, for the wax original is destroyed in the process. Important traditions of bronze
3
sculpture are Greek, Roman, Indian (especially Cxda), African (Bini and Yoruba), Italian Renaissance, and
Chinese.

4. Construction and Assemblage is the technique of using various materials found in the immediate
environment that are pieced or assembled together to form a sculptural design. These methods originated from
collage. The French painter Jean DuBuffet to refer to his own work, which he made out of collage, coined the
term assemblage. At this modern time, the said term is sometimes used interchangeably with the term
construction. However, for the purpose of distinction, assembling is a process by which individual pieces or
segments or objects are brought together to form a sculpture; that is, certain parts of the sculpture are simply
placed on or near each other. Constructing, on one hand, involves a process by which individual pieces are
actually joined together. Numerous techniques are employed for joining these components, most of them
derived from crafts other than traditional sculptural ones; for example, metal welding and brazing, wood
joinery, bolting, screwing, riveting, nailing, and bonding with new powerful adhesives (Pagay, 2013).

Figure 73. David Smith. Cubi IX. 1961. Stainless steel,

8’9 ¾” x 4’105/8” x 3’77/8. Collection Walker Art Center, Minneapolis.

Materials in Sculpture

The principal materials used in sculpture are the following:

1. Stone - carving is an ancient activity where pieces of rough natural stone are shaped by the controlled
removal of the stone. Examples of stones are basalt and diorite (black and hard), marble (finely-grained,
crystalline sparkle), granite (tough, coarse-grained), and sandstones (softer).

The earliest societies indulged in some forms of stonework because of its permanence as a material.
In using stone as a material, there are techniques implemented to achieve the desired outcome such as those
described below.

a. Petroglyphs (rock engravings) – the figures are created by removing part of a rock which remains
in sites through incising, pecking, carving, and abrading.

Figure 74. Reclining Buddha at Gal Vihara, Sri Lanka.

The remains of the image house that originally enclosed it can be seen.

4
 Figure 75. A petroglyph of a caravan of bighorn sheep near Moab,
Utah, United States; a common theme in glyphs from the desert southwest

b. Monumental Sculpture – it covers large works and architectural sculpture which is attached to
buildings.

Figure 76. Abraham Lincoln: The Man is a larger-than-life size bronze statue of Abraham Lincoln, the 16th president of the
United States. The original statue is in Lincoln Park in Chicago, and it was completed by Augustus Saint- Gaudens in 1887.

5
 Figure 77. The Statue of George Washington (1882) is a statue by American sculptor John Quincy Adams Ward

a. Hardstone Carving – this is carving for artistic purposes of semi- precious stones such as jade,
agate, onyx, rock crystal, sand or carnelian, and a general term for an object made this way.
Engraved gems are small-carved gems, including cameos originally used as seal rings.

Figure 78. Mughal dagger hilt in jade with gold, rubies, and emeralds.

Figure 79. Ancient Roman cameo engraved gem of Augustus

6
 Figure 80. Cup of the Ptolemies in onyx, probably Alexandria, 1st century BCE or CE.

2. Wood – the artist usually used a cutting tool to create, for example, a wooden figurine or a sculptural
ornamentation of a wooden object. Wood is lighter and softer. Its grains have a charm of texture which
challenges the sculptor to use its lines in determining the form. It also invites intricate carving and concavities
which are not possible in stone. The advantage of wood is that it is cheap, available, and easy to cut. It also
polishes well and has a smooth shiny surfaces and beautiful color. However, it is limited in size, discolors,
decays, and burns easily.

3. Terra Cotta – the clay is shaped, glazed, and baked. This is the most tender of sculptural materials. It yields
to even the slightest pressure, and can be worked and reworked until the artist has achieved the desired form.

4. Bronze – the most popular metal for cast metal sculptures, specifically large-scale forms. Common bronze
alloy contains unusual and desirable property of expanding slightly just before they set, thus filling the finest
details of a mold. Their strength and lack of brittleness is an advantage when figures in action are to be created,
especially when compared to various ceramic or stone materials. The disadvantage of bronze is the difficulty
and intricacy in casting it. Furthermore, most large bronze statues are hollow because using a solid metal
would make the statue heavy and very expensive. There is also the tendency for it to crack when cooled.

Figure 81. Patinated bronze (above) and ormolu (below)

Empire style clock, c. 1810, by Pierre-Philippe Thomire

5. Clay – is a very soft material. The artist can create many designs. If he makes a mistake, he can remove the
error quickly. However, clay must be kept workable. The sculptor must cover his work with damp rags every
day, and from time to time he must add water to the unused clay in the bin and pound it. In addition, when
modeling is finished, the statue is by no means ready for exhibition for clay does not last long.

7
III. Assessment

Read the following statements carefully and try to answer the given questions. Write the letter of your answer
in the space provided before each number.

_______1. This covers large works and architectural sculpture which is attached to buildings.
a. petroglyphs c. hardstone carving
b. bronze casting d. monumental sculpture

_______2. This is a type of sculptural technique wherein the figures are created by removing part of a rock which
remains in sites through incising, pecking, carving, and abrading.
a. petroglyphs c. hardstone carving
b. bronze sculpture d. monumental

_______3. The sculptor of the statue of George Washington

a. Karl Geckler c. John Quincy Adams Ward
b. David Smith d. Augustus Saint- Gaudens

_______4. The sculptor of the Bonifacio Monument

a. Napoleon Abueva c. Andres Bonifacio
b. Gregorio Batongbakal d. Guillermo Tolentino

_______5. This a kind of sculpture which is a separate, detached object in its own right, leading the same kind of
independent existence in space such a human body or a chair.
a. sculpture in the round c. mobile sculpture
b. buoyant sculpture d. relief sculpture

_______6. Which material is not being used for sculpting?

a. stone c. metal
b. terra cotta d. liquid

_______7. This is the most popular metal for cast metal sculptures, specifically large-scale forms
a. hard stone c. brass
b. bronze d. stainless steel

_______8. This material is cheap, available, and easy to cut, polishes well and has a smooth shiny surfaces and
beautiful color.
a. gem stone c. metal
b. wood d. clay

_______9. This material is shaped, glazed, and baked, and the most tender of sculptural materials.
a. wood c. ivory
b. Terra cotta d. metal

_______10. The “Father of Modern Sculpture” is

a. Napoleon Abueva c. Andres Bonifacio
b. Gregorio Batongbakal d. Guillermo Tolentino

8
IV. References

Ariola, M. M. (2008). Introduction to art appreciation. Metro Manila: C & E Publishing, Inc.

Berger, R. & Lloyd, E. (Eds). (1986). Art and technology. New York: Paragon House Publishers

Pagay, J. B. & Gutierrez, M. (2018). Fundamentals of art appreciation. Philippines: Saint Andrew Publishing
House.

Pagay, J. B. (2013). Art appreciation: Introduction to humanities. Philippines: Saint Andrew Publishing House.

Lamucho, V. S., Pagay J. B., Cabalu, D. H., Pascual, J. C., & Noroña, L. F. (2003). A humane experience:
Introduction to humanities. Valenzuela City: Mutya Publishing House.