Top 10 Most Popular Sculptures
By Matthew Simpson
Everybody knows sculptures. Well, everybody pretends to know sculptures when moving about in social circles. "Isn't this Henry Moore just ravishing?" asks Peter. You nod pensively. "Yes, quite, but the lines aren't as assured or provocative as the latest Cynthia Plaster Caster."
Only, chances are you have no idea what you're talking about. So let's take a moment to roam the world and outline the most popular and easily recognizable sculptures ever conceived.
Number 10
Terracotta Army
Built in the city of Xian in Northern China during the third century BC, this pottery army of over 7,000 life-size soldiers was built to protect the tomb of the first emperor Qin Shihuang. In 1974, peasants digging a well stumbled onto the underground mausoleum and it has since become one of China's most popular tourist attractions.
Number 9
Winged Victory of Samothrace
Dating back to the early second century BC, the Nike, as it's often referred to, is one of the Louvre's most famous sculptures. The winged female represented victory to the Greeks and this particular demonstration is its most dazzling example.
This marble piece originally stood on a cliff to commemorate an important naval victory. It was found headless and in more than a hundred pieces by a French archeologist/government official. Experts at the Louvre were tasked with putting back together the eight-foot tall Goddess of Victory.
Number 8
Lincoln Memorial, Daniel Chester
A tribute to one of America's most influential president, the Lincoln Memorial statue of the Bearded One is regarded by many as the greatest sculpture ever made. A symbol of democracy to the world, it took eight years for Daniel Chester French to build the structure that still stands today. Millions of people visit it every year.
The Kiss, Rodin
Sculpted in 1886 by French Realist master Auguste Rodin, his goal was to depict inner feelings through movements of the body. This piece was first intended to be part of his Gates of Hell , but its oozing sensuality proved too noteworthy to be doomed with such an austere label. It sits at the Rodin Museum in Paris.
Number 6
Hermes with Dionysius, Praxiteles
One of the only remaining masterpieces of Ancient Greece sculptor Praxiteles, the sculpture represents a youthful god of athletic and intellectual superiority holding an infant in his left arm. Gracing the Archaeological Museum at Olympia, the marble piece is undeniable proof of the artist's mastery of facial details and hair, which is as of yet unrivaled.
Number 5
Moses, Michelangelo
Michelangelo Buonarroti was truly the quintessential artist. He's known for a variety of stunning successes, most notably for the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, which incidentally is what kept him from finishing the sculpture sooner. It would be his last major sculpture, and he made it using a block of marble rejected as improper by a lesser artist.
He spent thirty years of the 16th century carving the statue representing the prophet sitting down after controlling his anger, which is Freud's theory of the sculpture's significance. Apparently, Charleston Heston was chosen to star in The Ten Commandments because he resembled the statue.
Number 4
The Great Sphinx
Who has honestly never heard of the Great Sphinx of Giza? This mythical beast of ancient times represents the Sun God Ra. It's basically the body of a lion with the head of a man.
It was carved directly from the natural rock of the plateau that also hosts the famed Egyptian pyramids, more than 4,500 years ago. Although perhaps not a traditional sculpture, the Great Sphinx is a technical marvel when you think of the rudimentary equipment the artisans had to work with.
Number 3
The Thinker, Rodin
Our buddy Auguste struck gold again when he chiseled this most famous piece. Rodin never managed to get accepted into art school so he did what every man does when faced with rejection: he joined a monastery.
After much studying and encouragement from his abbot, he got into the game and The Thinker would remain his eternal calling card. His nameless common man lost in thought is the fundamental representation of genius.
Number 2
Venus di Milo
Venus was the goddess of love and beauty in Roman mythology. The famed armless statue made of marble dates back to the first or second century BC. It was found on the Greek island of Melos in the Aegean Sea and the creator of the piece remains anonymous, even today.
Scholars believe that had her arms been found, she would have held a mirror in one hand and a shield in the other. The daughter of Zeus & Dione, Venus was the embodiment of beauty and her statue reminds us of it to this day. You can admire this work of art if you head over to the Louvre in Paris.
Number 1
David, Michelangelo
This has got to be the most recognizable sculpture on the planet. Sculpted in 1504 in a classical style, Michelangelo's David is a far more athletic depiction of the biblical figure than what Donatello achieved in his own version.
The statue was celebrated by everyone in Florence upon its completion, and its representation of strength and wrath was highly praised. The masterpiece is now exhibited at the Galleria dell'Accademia in Florence.
About the Author
By Matthew Simpson
Resources:
www.encyclopedia.com
http://www.nps.gov/linc/
http://www.britannica.com/
http://www.ancient-empires.com/
http://www.michelangelo.com/buonarroti.html
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