Elements, Principle, and
Periods
Form becomes essence,
Essence becomes form

Sculpture Vocabulary
 Articulation —the movement from one element to the next in sculpture, painting, and photography
 Negative space —an open air space in the sculpture

3 types of sculpture
 Full-round —fully three-dimensional sculpture; meant to be viewed from every angle
 Relief —a somewhat three-dimensional sculpture attached and bound to a background
 Linear —sculpture made with linear items such as wire or neon tubing

3 Methods:
 Subtraction —technique of carving
 Addition —technique of starting from a small amount of raw material and adding element to element until finished (a.k.a. “built sculpture”)
 Manipulation —molding a material

Sculpture: Elements & Principals
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Form —three dimensional shape; can be geometric or organic
- Other elements of design apply as well.
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Line (Focal Point) —point of emphasis that the eye is directed to in sculpture
Proportion —relationship of forms and their sizes within the sculpture

Interpreting Form:
 Open Form —sculpture that directs the eye through the piece and off into space
 Closed Form —sculpture directs the eye to the form itself

Finding the E&P in Sculptures
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David , Michelangelo
Pieta
, Michelangelo
Man Pointing , Giacometti
Parthenon Pediment
Porch of the Maidens
Laocoon and His Two Sons
Pauline Borghese
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Move on to periods…

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• Statues called kouros are stiff, posed fully frontal
• Emphasis is on physicality and athleticism
• Statues lack refinement

• Attempts to show movement
• Funerary and temple art
• This Kouros is 6’4”

• This statue is either from about 500 BC or a good forgery
• It represents the ideal youth (stylized)
• The statue is 6’9” tall

Kritios Boy
• Sculpted about 480
BC
• The first example we have of a body at rest (contrapposto)
• Stands 34 inches high

• Idealized, perfect men originally cast in bronze
• Most of the examples we have today are reproductions done by later artists
• Highly stylized

Porch of the Maidens:
Colonnade

• Natural pose
• Folds in his chiton (the dress he is wearing) are natural showing depth and movement)
• Part of a celebratory statue

The Discus
Thrower
• Idealized form
• Controlled movement
• A Roman copy of the Greek original

The Riace
Warrior on the left is a strong contrast to the earlier
Kouros
List how….

• greater emphasis on emotion
• Detail and subtle characteristics
• Natural and realistic

Hermes and the
Infant Dionysus
• Subtle modeling
• Arm is carefully supported by robes hiding support
• Roman copy of the original

• Differences in individuals are explored
• Subjects reflect the spread of
Greek influence beyond
Greece
• Reality of the subject is apparent to the viewer

Nike of Samothrace

The Dying Gaul:
Pathos

The Veiled Dancer