Carving and sculpting people, animals and various objects appeared in the history of mankind almost simultaneously with rock art. Sculptures are the same paintings, only physical, and therefore expressing emotions a little differently. What statues tell us is much easier for us to perceive because they are tangible and more like us than works of any other form of art.
In this material we have collected 15 famous and significant sculptures created in different times from different materials with different goals. Please share your favorite pieces of sculptural art in the comments.
David
Michelangelo
The five-meter statue of the biblical hero David, created by Michelangelo when he was only 28 years old, is perceived as a symbol of the Florentine Republic and one of the pinnacles of not only Renaissance art, but also of human genius in general.
The most replicated sculptural image in the world.
Thinker
Auguste Rodin
Another extremely popular image was created by Auguste Rodin in 1882. Initially, the sculpture was supposed to be called “The Poet” and be part of the composition “The Gates of Hell” based on the “Divine Comedy”. The model for the sculpture was a Frenchman named Jean Bo, a muscular boxer who mainly competed in Paris's red light district.
walking man
Alberto Giacometti
The most expensive sculpture in the history of mankind. In 2010, the 183-centimeter “Walking Man” sculpture, made by a Swiss sculptor in 1961, was auctioned at Sotheby’s for record amount at 104.3 million dollars.
The sculpture is considered one of the most important in the work of this master; its image is also featured on the 100 Swiss francs banknote.
Venus de Milo
probably Agesander of Antioch
Famous ancient greek sculpture, created around the middle of the second century BC, was found on the island of Melos in 1820 by a French sailor who decided to search the coast for antiquities for sale. The hands were then safe and sound, but were lost during the conflict between the French (who found them) and the Turks (the owners of the island).
Nike of Samothrace
An ancient Greek marble sculpture of the goddess Nike was found on the island of Samothrace in the territory of the sanctuary of the Kabiri in April 1863. The statue was erected by the inhabitants of the island of Rhodes in memory of the victory they won over the fleet of the Syrian king. She stood on a steep cliff above the sea, her pedestal depicted a nose warship. The powerful and majestic Nika, in clothes fluttering in the wind, is presented in an unstoppable movement forward. Currently located in the Louvre.
Pieta
Michelangelo
Pietà is a common name for depictions of the Virgin Mary mourning her son. The best of them was created by Michelangelo at the age of 24. The impeccable composition, emotionality, humanity and deep symbolism of the sculpture made it an example of the culture of the High Renaissance.
Nefertiti
One of the most famous sculptural cultural monuments of Ancient Egypt. Nefertiti was the wife of the reformer pharaoh Akhenaten. The bust is made entirely of limestone and is completely painted. Particularly preserved beautiful flowers, giving great contrast between brown Nefertiti's face and crown jewels make it a unique work of art. Egypt and Germany, where the bust of the queen is kept, have been quarreling over it for many years, but cannot come to an agreement.
Capitoline wolf
Etruscan bronze sculpture, stylistically dating back to the 5th century BC, never left Rome, the city founded by those who were suckled by the she-wolf. During the time of Benito Mussolini, the Capitoline Wolf was used as a propaganda symbol, embodying the fascist regime's desire to revive the Roman Empire.
Motherland
Vuchetich and Nikitin
One of the tallest statues in the world is located in Volgograd and is perhaps the main symbol of the struggle Soviet people with fascism. The 52-meter figure of a woman stepped forward, calling her sons to fight the enemy.
Another place
Anthony Gormley
Landscape installation “Another Place” - sample contemporary art, evoking philosophical reflection and inducing melancholy. Exactly one hundred human-height cast-iron sculptures were placed in 2006 along a three-kilometer beach line north of Liverpool. They face the sea, and during high tides some of the sculptures are partially or completely submerged.
Citizens of Calais
Auguste Rodin
The sculptural group "Citizens of Calais", commissioned by the municipality of Calais, was completed by Rodin in 1888. During the Hundred Years' War, the English king Edward III besieged the city, and after some time famine forced the defenders to surrender. The king promised to spare the inhabitants only if six of the noblest citizens came out to him in rags and with ropes around their necks, giving themselves up for execution. This requirement was fulfilled. The first to volunteer to give his life to save the city was one of the main rich men, Eustache de Saint-Pierre. Queen Philippa of England was filled with pity for these emaciated people, and in the name of her unborn child, she begged forgiveness for them from her husband.
Rodin revolutionaryly insisted on abandoning the pedestal, although his will was carried out only after the death of the sculptor, and the figures are on the same level as the audience.
Pissing boy
The main attraction of Brussels. The exact time and circumstances of the appearance of the statue are unknown. According to some information, the statue existed already in the 15th century. Some Brussels residents say that it was installed as a reminder of the events of the Grimbergen War, when a cradle with the son of Godfrey III of Leuven was hung on a tree in order to inspire the townspeople with the sight of the future monarch, and the child from there urinated on the soldiers fighting under the tree. According to another legend, the statue was originally intended to remind the townspeople of the boy who extinguished the ammunition laid out by the enemy under the city walls with a stream of urine.
Since 1695, the statue has been stolen several times, in last time the statue was stolen in the 1960s, after which it was once again replaced with a copy.
Terracotta Army
At least 8099 sculptures of Chinese warriors and their horses make up this property of China. The terracotta statues, each completely individual, were buried in battle formation along with the first emperor of the Qin dynasty, Qin Shi Huang, who unified China and connected all the links of the Great Wall in the 3rd century BC.
The warriors were supposed to support the power of the emperor in the afterlife.
Golden Buddha
The world's largest solid gold statue is located in Bangkok's Wat Traimit temple - it is about three meters tall and weighs more than five tons.
During the war with Burma, the statue was deliberately covered with plaster, and then no one could reveal the secret of this Buddha. Until 1957, little attention was paid to the statue - until it was transported to a new location. According to rumors, during transportation it began to rain, before which the statue, due to its weight, also fell from the crane transporting it; It was sheltered from the rain, but the water still washed away the covering from one of the areas enough for one of the monks to notice a strange shine. According to another version, the plaster cracked from the fall.
Museums around the world are open to everyone who wishes to become acquainted with the art of sculpture. Figures of people and animals were made in different centuries from different materials. Among the most famous sculptures are statues of gods and ancient sculptures. What inspired the masters and what are the most famous sculptures?
Famous antique sculptures
Antique sculptures are the most famous. We see their image everywhere, including in everyday life."Venus de Milo"
There is probably no more recognizable sculpture than the Venus de Milo sculpture. Many institutions decorate their halls with copies of it. Neither the date of creation nor the author himself are known.Scientists have determined only approximately the time of creation. In their opinion, Venus was sculpted in one hundred and thirtieth BC. e. Today it is on display at the Louvre.
"David"
The author of the bronze “David” is the sculptor Danatello. His work is sculpture in full height standing without support from anything. According to the author's plan, a smiling naked David looks at the head of Goliath, which he has just chopped off. 
The date of creation of this sculpture is one thousand four hundred and forty. “David” is shown at the Florence National Museum.
"Discus thrower"
Another one of the most famous antique sculptures- “Discoball.” Initially, the author cast the sculpture in bronze. The date of creation is approximately four hundred and fifty BC. e. Later, several copies appeared, but in marble. 
The most famous statues of gods
Statues of gods can be found in almost every country. In some places they are of standard size and are displayed in museums, in others they are simply huge and are a city landmark.Statue of Christ the Savior
The huge statue of Christ the Savior stands in Rio de Janeiro and is one of the main national attractions. Almost two million people come to see it every year. 
This statue is a sacred symbol of Brazil. The figure of Christ rises seven hundred meters above sea level. Its height is thirty-eight meters. The sculpture was erected in nineteen thirty-one with donations from the population and the church.
Maitreya Buddha statue
One of the largest statues in the world is the statue of Maitreya Buddha in China. This record-breaking statue is carved right into the rock. Its height is seventy-one meters. 
It is known that work on it began back in seven hundred and thirteen and lasted ninety years. Numerous tourists who come to China are eager to see the statue of God, which for about a thousand years was considered the tallest in the world.
Shiva statue
The modern statue of the god Shiva appeared in the twenty-first century in Nepal. Its construction took seven years. Forty-three and a half meters tall, Shiva is the tallest statue of Lord Shiva in the world. The interest of tourists in it is understandable.Other recognizable statues
The art of sculpture is several thousand years old. Over the years, sculptors have created the most various works. Some sculptures are real attractions.Moai
There are eight hundred and fifty monolithic stone statues on Easter Island. What is surprising is that they are all turned towards the center of the island. The length of some of them exceeds six meters and their weight is twenty tons. 
One of the expeditions discovered a gigantic unfinished statue there. Its weight is approximately two hundred and seventy tons, and its height is twenty meters.
"Manneken Pis"
When exactly the Manneken Pis statue appeared in Brussels and who its creator was is unknown. This miniature fountain statue is made of bronze: a naked boy pees in a pool. It is believed that the statue was created in the fifteenth century. 
The Bronze Boy has been kidnapped several times. Copies appeared in its place. From time to time the statue is dressed in different costumes, depending on the memorable date or holiday.
Great Sphinx
The oldest sculpture preserved in Giza - Great Sphinx, lying on the banks of the Nile. This is a monolithic work. The Sphinx is carved from limestone rock. Between his paws, stretched forward, there was once a sanctuary. The face of the lion statue bears a portrait resemblance to one of the Egyptian pharaohs. The Egyptian pyramids themselves are also an attraction. There is a site on the site about Egyptian and other wonderful pyramids.The most famous sculpture in the world
The most widely circulated, most recognizable image of the sculpture in the world is “The Thinker”. This famous sculpture is on display in Paris. Its author is Rodin. 
Born in 1880, he received a large order. The work was to be called “The Gates of Hell.” It was assumed that the author would create several sculptures that would be installed at the entrance to the museum. This project remained unfinished, however, Rodin decided to make a number of sculptures large. Thanks to this, the world saw The Thinker. To the brilliant master managed to accurately convey the deep thought process of a man sitting on a stone.
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Sculpture is one of oldest species creativity, because people are used to depicting what they think about. Sculpture has a huge advantage over other types visual arts: sculptures and statues are much stronger than art objects such as paintings and dishes.
Ancient sculptures provide an opportunity to look at the world through the eyes of their creators, while modern ones will open today’s view of the world for descendants. Well, today it is already possible to single out sculptures that have become famous throughout the world and have become iconic for a people, or a religion, or an era as a whole.
The Sphinx is a majestic sculpture that can safely be called one of the most ancient and mysterious creations of man. The sculpture itself is a monument to a reclining lion with a human head. The impressive dimensions of the sculpture - 20 meters in height and 73 meters in length - make you stand in awe of its creators, given that the age of the sculpture, according to various studies, ranges from 200,000 years to 6000 - 5000 BC.
The famous Sphinx is located in Giza, as eternal and silent guard valleys Egyptian pyramids. Today the Sphinx is going through its troubles better days: The sculpture is severely damaged both by natural forces such as sandstorms, air and water erosion, and by human efforts.
The sculpture of Aphrodite, made of snow-white marble, also known throughout the world as the Venus de Milo, is an iconic sculpture as it has almost ideal parameters, recognized as the standard female beauty: 90-60-90. The entire history of Aphrodite from the island of Milos from creation to discovery and current state is shrouded in mystery.
The name of the sculptor of Venus is still a mystery to historians, but according to legend, which is popular on the islands of the Aegean Sea, a popular sculptor in his time, in search of a model, visited the island of Milos, where he discovered a girl of extraordinary beauty. Subsequently, he fell in love with his beautiful model. The statue dates back to approximately 120 BC, and Venus was discovered already in 1820 by a peasant named Yorgos, who, while cultivating his land, came across a priceless find.
According to some reports, the sculpture was disassembled: the lower and upper parts were separated, as well as the hands, one with an apple. To date, the hands themselves have not been found, but, despite this defect, the sculpture of the Venus de Milo is considered one of the most valuable exhibits of the Louvre.
In 1980, Auguste Rodin began work on the composition “The Gates of Hell” and for two years he worked on perhaps his most famous creation, and in 1888 “The Thinker” was publicly exhibited for the first time. While working on the sculpture, Rodin changed direction several times.
Initially, “The Thinker” was “The Poet” and was supposed to become part of the composition dedicated to the “Divine Comedy”. Initially, the prototype of “The Thinker” was Dante himself. Later, inspired by the works of Michelangelo, Rodin awarded his creation physical strength and expanded the image of the poet to the universal image of the artist, but at the opening Rodin noted that “The Thinker” is a monument to the workers of France.
84 years ago, on October 12, 1931, one of the most majestic statues of our time, the statue of Christ the Redeemer, was unveiled in Rio de Janeiro. This thirty-meter sculpture of Christ with arms outstretched over Rio stands majestically on the top of Corcovado. The erection of such a monument is timed to coincide with the centenary of Brazil's independence.
It is noteworthy that the statue of Christ the Redeemer is truly a national monument: a competition for best project statues that would become a symbol of Brazil. After the magazine “O Cruzeiro”, through the sale of subscriptions, about 2.2 million reais were collected for the construction of the monument, which lasted about nine years. Today, the statue of Christ the Redeemer is in excellent condition thanks to regular reconstruction work.
The Statue of Liberty is an iconic structure in American culture and history. The sculpture itself symbolizes freedom and democracy, and in addition to its ceremonial meaning, it was also used as a beacon. It is believed that the statue itself was a gift from France for the centenary of US independence, but the opening of the monument was delayed for 10 years and was successfully held in 1885.
Participated in the creation of the Statue of Liberty famous creator The Eiffel Tower is Alexander Gustav Eiffel himself. Statue of Liberty. If you go up to the observation deck at the “crown” of the statue, you can enjoy the view of New York Harbor.
The central attraction of Bangkok's Wat Traimit temple is the golden Buddha statue. The Golden Buddha is the world's largest solid gold statue, weighing 5 and a half tons. Presumably the Golden Buddha was cast in the 13th – 4th centuries. I wonder what the value is for a long time was hidden from the public eye.
The temple itself, in which the statue is located today, was built not so long ago in the twentieth century. And the statue revealed itself in a very mysterious way: an old statue was brought for the temple from an abandoned temple from the northern part of the country, and during transportation of the statue, part of the plaster was broken off, and under it - a statue made of pure gold!
On August 23, 1913, the center of Copenhagen was decorated with a sculpture of the Little Mermaid - a monument to the heroine fairy tale of the same name Hans Christian Andersen. Carl Jacobsen commissioned the statue in 1909, inspired by Russian ballet, and Edward Erikson captured the beautiful fairy tale.
It is interesting that two models posed for the creation of the sculpture: Elline Price, the ballerina, became the “face” of the little mermaid, and the wife of the sculptor himself, Elline Erickson, posed for the figure. After Carl Jacobsen gave the Little Mermaid to Copenhagen, the sculpture repeatedly suffered at the hands of vandals and also served as a sign of protest. Today the Little Mermaid is business card Denmark - completely reconstructed.
IN modern world There is a huge variety of sculptures to suit every taste. Perhaps each of them has its admirers, but only a few are known to a wide audience. We invite you to familiarize yourself with the Top 20 most famous and best sculptures in the world.
Let's start with the most replicated sculpture, namely “ Venus de Milo". It is no secret that copies of this work can often be seen in the halls of various institutions. The author and date of creation of the sculpture are unknown, but it is assumed that it appeared around 130 BC. The original is on display in the Louvre.
For a long time, a statue by Michelangelo adorned the central square of Florence. This work, illustrating the biblical story of David and Goliath, appeared in 1504. On this moment The sculpture, more than 5 meters high, is located in the Florentine Academy of Fine Arts, and the main square is decorated with a copy of it.
The most famous sculpture by Auguste Rodin was completed in 1882. And in 1906, this masterpiece was cast in bronze and enlarged to 181 cm. Now the original is in the Rodin Museum in Paris. And in different cities of the world you can see its copies.
The statue is one of the most popular ancient sculptures. The original bronze statue, presumably by Myron, was lost, but you can admire its copies made in Ancient Rome.
Bronze - the creation of Donatello, created in 1440. The sculpture illustrates the victory of David, looking with a mysterious smile at the severed head of the defeated Goliath. The original is located in the Florence National Museum.
The sculpture by Michelangelo was created in 1499. Depicts the Virgin Mary holding the crucified Jesus in her arms. The original is in the Vatican. The height is 1.74 meters.
The statue is the embodiment of the goddess Themis. There are many sculptures of this theme, it is difficult to choose the best one. But we can say for sure that this antique image is very popular.
Sculpture made of marble by Auguste Rodin in 1889. Is one of the illustrations for the work “ The Divine Comedy» Dante Alighieri. The original is on display at the Rodin Museum in France.
The only work of the ancient Greek creator Praxiteles that has survived to this day. The approximate year of its creation is 343 BC. The height with the pedestal is 3.7 meters. Now located in the Olympic Archaeological Museum.
Sculpture Christ the Redeemer 38 meters high, completed in 1931, it was elected one of the seven New Wonders of the World. The monument is located in Rio de Janeiro and is the main attraction of Brazil.
The most mysterious sculptures are located on Easter Island. The statues are carved from monolithic stone. There are 887 of them in total, all different sizes and weight. The method, and most importantly, the reason for their establishment is unknown.
"Great Sphinx"- the oldest of the grandiose sculptures that have come down to us. It is carved in the form of a huge sphinx from solid rock. The length is 73 meters, height - 20 meters. Located on the banks of the Nile River in the city of Giza.
Statue "Freedom" Made by French craftsmen and donated to the United States in 1885, it is a symbol of America. The height is 46 meters, with a pedestal - 93 meters, located on Liberty Island near Manhattan.
The most famous statue in Belgium. Exact date and the details of the creation of the 61 cm tall bronze sculpture are unknown. Located in Brussels.
The statue is a landmark of Copenhagen. Created in 1913, the height of the sculpture is 1.25 m. It has been repeatedly subjected to acts of vandalism.
Buddha statue 71 meters high, located near the city of Leshan, this is one of the tallest Buddha images. The construction of this monument lasted 90 years, and began in 713.
Shiva statue 44 meters high, located in Nepal, it was built over 7 years from 2003 to 2010.
located in Trafalgar Square, this monument was erected in honor of Admiral Horatio Nelson in 1843. The 5.5 meter tall statue stands on a 46 meter high column.
Copper statue "Buddha of the Spring Temple" the highest on Earth, its height is 128 meters. It is located in China in the village of Zhaotsun, completed in 2002.
The emergence of sculpture dates back to the primitive era. First with labor activity man and his beliefs.
The first great sculptors, whose preserved in the history of art, were sculptors Ancient Greece And Ancient Rome- Myron, Phidias, Scopas, Polykleitos, Lysippos, Praxiteles. They are addressed to free citizens and in many ways are the plastic embodiment of ancient myths. In the images of heroes, warriors, athletes Olympic Games and the gods embodied the ideals of a harmoniously developed personality. The work of these sculptors most fully revealed the humanistic essence of Greek sculpture: the beauty of the human body and the affirmation of significance human personality.
The real heyday of this art form occurred in the Middle Ages. Donatello and A. Verrocchio made a very important step forward in the creation of free-standing statues, at this time the technique of bronze casting and chasing was improved, and the technique was used.
Among the sculptors of the Renaissance, J. Pilon and J. Goujon in France, A. Kraft and F. Stoss in Germany, and M. Pacher in Austria also stand out.
One of the peaks of the Renaissance are the sculptures of Michelangelo, full of titanic power and intense drama. His creations “Moses”, “The Rebel Slave” and “The Dying Slave”, “Pieta” are full of tragedy, plastic power and internal tension.
At the end of the 19th century, the star of the great French sculptor Auguste Rodin, who created works of great emotional impact: “Citizens of Calle”, “The Thinker”, “The Kiss”.
Famous Russian sculptors
There were also many famous sculptors in Russia who left a noticeable mark on world art.
Since the beginning of the 18th century, interest in large sculpture has been awakening in Russian culture. At this time, classicism was established, symbolized by the sculptor Etienne Falconet to Peter I in St. Petersburg, as well as the works of Carlo Rastrelli. Until 1716 he worked mainly in France. In Russia, Rastrelli participated in the creation of many decorative and sculptural complexes, including the decoration of the Peterhof Grand Cascade. The sculptor also worked a lot on the image of Peter I. While the Tsar was still alive, in 1719, he removed a wax bust of Peter and then created him.
During for long years Rastrelli worked on the monument to Peter I. In 1800, an equestrian statue was erected in front of the Mikhailovsky Castle.
In the 19th century, an academic school of Russian sculpture was formed, which was represented by a galaxy outstanding masters: M.I. Kozlovsky, F.I. Shubin, F.F. Shchedrin, V.I. Demut-Malinovsky, I.P. Martos, F.P. Tolstoy.
In the mid-19th century, the famous animal painter Pyotr Karlovich Klodt created 4 sculptural groups “Horse Tamers” for the Annenkov Bridge in St. Petersburg.
The Soviet pavilion at the Paris exhibition was built according to Iofin's design. The building ended with a gigantic pylon raised 33 meters, which was crowned with a sculpture by Mukhina.
The leading master of Soviet sculpture was Vera Ignatievna Mukhina. Her work is characterized by powerful architectonics sculptural composition. One of the most famous works The sculptor is “Worker and Collective Farm Woman”, created for the international “Art of Technology and Life”, organized in Paris in 1937.
Ancient Greek myths tell about the adventures and exploits of many heroes. Legendary heroes and simple people who act together with the gods have captured the imagination of people for many centuries. Here are just some of the characters included in the “golden fund” of legends and myths of mankind.
Hercules, according to Greek legend, was the son of the powerful Zeus and Alcmene, the Theban queen. Zeus knew that his son would certainly become a hero, a protector of people. The training of Hercules was corresponding. He knew how to drive a chariot, shot a bow accurately, owned other types of weapons, and played the cithara.
The future hero was strong, brave and over time turned into a real hero.
The greatest fame for Hercules came from him. He dealt with the Nemean lion, killed the disgusting Lernaean, caught alive the fleet-footed Cerynean doe and the Erymanthian boar. The hero accomplished his fifth feat by defeating the sacred man-eating birds.
The sixth task turned out to be very difficult. Hercules had to clean out the stables of King Augeas, which had stood untouched for many years. The hero turned the river beds and directed two streams into the Augean stables, after which the stormy waters washed out the entire barnyard. Then Hercules caught the Cretan bull, stole the horses of Diomedes and, at the risk of his life, took possession of the belt of the Amazon queen. The tenth feat of the Greek hero is the abduction of the cows of the giant Geryon.
After another adventure, during which Hercules brought magic golden apples to King Eurystheus, the hero had a chance to go to kingdom of the dead- gloomy Hades. Having successfully completed the next and last mission, Hercules set off on long journeys. Being the favorite of the gods, Hercules, by the will of Zeus, eventually gained immortality and was taken to Olympus.
Feat of Prometheus
The ruler of Olympus, Zeus, summoned Epimetheus, the son of the powerful Iapetus, and ordered him to descend to earth to give animals and people everything that would allow them to earn food for themselves. Each animal received what it needed: fast legs, and keen hearing, claws and fangs. Only people were afraid to come out of their hiding places, so they didn’t get anything.
Epimetheus's brother, Prometheus, decided to correct this mistake. He planned to give people fire, which would bring them undivided power on earth. In those days, fire belonged only to the gods, who carefully guarded it.
Having set himself the goal of benefiting humanity, Prometheus stole fire and brought it to people.
Zeus's anger was indescribable. He brought down terrible punishment on Prometheus, ordering Hephaestus to chain the hero to a granite rock. For many years, Prometheus experienced suffering. Every day a huge eagle flew to the punished titan and pecked his flesh. Only the intervention of Hercules allowed Prometheus to be freed.
Icarus and Daedalus
One of the most famous myths Ancient Greece - the legend of Daedalus and Icarus. Icarus's father, Daedalus, was a skilled sculptor, architect and artist. Not getting along with
