Famous ancient sculptures. Ancient Greek sculptures. The most famous sculptures - TOP10. Terracotta Army and Golden Buddha

Sculpture is one of the oldest types of creativity, because people are used to depicting what they think about. Sculpture has a huge advantage over other types of fine art: sculptures and statues are much stronger than art objects such as paintings, dishes.

Ancient sculptures provide an opportunity to look at the world through the eyes of their creators, while at the same time, modern sculptures will open up today's view of the world for posterity. 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 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 of a lying lion with a human head. The impressive dimensions of the sculpture - 20 meters in height and 73 meters in length - make one revere 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 in Giza is located, as an eternal and silent guardian of the valley of the Egyptian pyramids. Today, the Sphinx is going through its hard days: the sculpture is badly 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 of female beauty: 90-60-90. The whole 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 a legend that is popular on the islands of the Aegean Sea, a popular sculptor in his time visited the island of Milos in search of a model, where he discovered a girl of extraordinary beauty. Subsequently, he fell in love with his beautiful model. The statue dates back to about 120 BC, and Venus was discovered already in 1820 by a peasant named Yorgos, who, while cultivating his land, came across an invaluable find.

According to some reports, the sculpture was disassembled: separately the lower and upper parts, 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 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 first publicly exhibited. During the work on the sculpture, Rodin changed direction several times.

Initially, the "Thinker" was "The Poet" and was supposed to be 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 with 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 rises majestically on 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 a truly popular monument: a competition was announced in a popular weekly magazine for the best design of a statue that would become a symbol of Brazil. After the magazine “O Cruzeiro”, about 2.2 million reais were collected through the sale of subscriptions 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 solemn meaning, it was also used as a lighthouse. It is believed that the statue itself is 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.

The famous creator of the Eiffel Tower, Alexander Gustav Eiffel himself, took part in the creation of the Statue of Liberty. The Statue of Liberty. If you go up to the observation deck in the "crown" of the statue, you can enjoy the view of New York Harbor.

The central attraction of Bangkok's Wat Traimit is a golden Buddha statue. The Golden Buddha is the world's largest solid gold statue, weighing 5.5 tons. Presumably the Golden Buddha was cast in the XIII-IV century. Interestingly, such a value was hidden from the public eye for a long time.

The temple itself, in which the statue is located today, was built not so long ago in the twentieth century. And the statue found itself in a very mysterious way: for the temple, an old statue was brought from an abandoned temple from the northern part of the country, and during the transportation of the statue, a part of the gypsum was beaten off, and under it - a statue of pure gold!

On August 23, 1913, the center of Copenhagen was decorated with the Little Mermaid sculpture - a monument to the heroine of the fairy tale of the same name by Hans Christian Andersen. Carl Jacobsen commissioned the statue in 1909, inspired by Russian ballet, but Edward Erickson captured a beautiful fairy tale.

Interestingly, 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 presented the Little Mermaid to Copenhagen, the sculpture repeatedly suffered from the hands of vandals, and also served as a sign of protest. To date, the Little Mermaid - a visiting card of Denmark - has been completely reconstructed.

First, a person came up with an image - the first rock paintings were created back when ancient people lived in caves. Then sculpture appeared, and many sculptors were so talented that their works became the property of mankind.

Statue of the goddess of love Aphrodite- a very famous and very ancient statue. The work is also known as "Venus de Milo". The statue was probably created in the 2nd century BC. This majestic statue of white marble is more than 2 meters high. Today, the Venus de Milo is stored in the Louvre, in a gallery specially designated for her.

"Venus de Milo"

Statue of Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil known throughout the world. The 30-meter statue is installed on the Corcovado hill, at an altitude of more than 700 meters above sea level. The opening of the statue took place in 1931. The sculpture is so popular that in other cities of the world they tried to replicate it.

Statue of Christ the Redeemer, Rio de Janeiro

Moai statues called the mysterious stone inhabitants of Easter Island, which belongs to Chile. Presumably giants appeared in the first millennium of our era. Probably, the statues were created by the inhabitants of ancient Polynesia. These are huge monolithic figures, up to 6 meters high and weighing more than 20 tons. The material from which the moai are made is also unique - these are compressed volcanic rocks.

Moai statues, Chile

A statue "Little Mermaid" is in Copenhagen. This is a monument to the young heroine of the fairy tale G.Kh. Andersen, created by sculptor Edward Eriksen. A touching bronze figurine sits on a stone next to the harbour. The statue was erected in 1913.

Little Mermaid Statue, Copenhagen

Buddha statue in Leshan- This is a gigantic statue carved into the rock. According to historians, the creation of the statue began in 713 and lasted for 90 years. The monument is located in China, in the province of Sichuan.

Buddha statue in Leshan

Nelson's Column installed on Trafalgar Square in London. The height of the statue of the admiral itself is 5.5 meters, but it is mounted on a 46-meter column and looks small. The sculptural composition was installed in 1843 in memory of the famous Admiral Horatio Nelson.

Nelson's Column, London

famous Statue of Liberty called the symbol of New York and the symbol of the United States. The height of this statue with a pedestal is 93 meters. In one hand, "Lady Liberty" holds a torch, and in the other, a tablet. The statue has indeed become a symbol for a long time, and its image often adorns everything that is somehow connected with the United States.

Statue of Liberty, USA

The symbol of the city completes the list of famous statues. Brussels in Belgium. This monument does not have any special grandeur, and it is difficult to call it a model of beauty. Nonetheless, Manneken Pis statue very famous. Many legends are associated with its origin. It is only certain that the age of the statue is not a single century.

"Manneken Pis", Belgium, Brussels

It is not so easy to choose a certain number of the most famous statues in the world, because for each nation the concept of “the most famous” is different. If, for example, for New Yorkers it is the Statue of Liberty, then for Copenhageners it is the Little Mermaid, for Volgograd residents it is the Motherland, and for the inhabitants of Prague it is a monument to Kafka.

1. The work of the great Michelangelo "David"- is a symbol of the Renaissance and personifies the power of human creative genius. The young and ambitious Michelangelo created his David in 1501. to decorate the Florence Cathedral. Unlike the traditional image of David with the head of a defeated Goliath, the sculpture represents a young hero preparing to enter the battle. David is one of the most copied sculptures in the world today.

2. Venus de Milo by an unknown author. This legendary statue has graced the Louvre since 1821. According to experts, the statue was made in the period from 130 to 100 BC. Presumably, the ancient masters Agesander or Praxiteles could have been the authors of the work. The height of the white marble statue exceeds 2m. Found a statue in the ground on Milos in 1820. Then she was whole and had hands, but in the course of conflict situations for her possession, her hands were damaged and are considered lost.

3. The work of Rodin "The Thinker". It was also recognized as the best work of the author, although originally "The Thinker" was planned as part of a sculptural composition that was supposed to decorate the gates of the Museum of Decorative Arts in Paris. But, having completed the work, Rodin realized that the statue reveals a broader theme - a person experiencing a deep inner struggle. Dante himself became the model for the future sculpture.

4. Pietta Michelangelo "Lamentation of Christ". The sculpture, 174 cm high, was created in 1499. and today is the decoration of St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. The Lamentation of Christ is Michelangelo's first and most famous pieta; it represents two life-size figures - the Virgin Mary and Christ: a mother holding her dying son in her arms. The author carved the composition from a single piece of marble.

5. Sculpture of Octavian Augustus. The first Roman emperor is known to everyone since the school bench, his main merits were the cessation of internecine wars and the establishment of peace in Rome. Found a two-meter sculpture in 1863, it is a copy of a bronze original, which was created in 20 BC. The sculpture is said to be a portrait resemblance to Octavian himself.

6. Sculpture by Rodin "Kiss". Love has always been the main inspirational force for artists. Rodin, imbued with the vibes of one of the most romantic couples in the history of Paulo Malates and Francesca Rimini, created and dedicated his sculpture “The Kiss” to them. During the creation of the composition, the author himself was an absorbing wave of love for the young Camille Claudel, who was 26 years younger than Rodin, and therefore his work was perfectly able to convey all the sensuality and passion of such a classic plot.

7. Statue of Themis - the goddess of justice. She is one of the most recognizable in the world. A woman, blindfolded, with scales in one hand and a sword in the other, determines the "weight" of a person's good and bad deeds in order to decide his posthumous fate. The double-edged sword not only promises retribution, but also warns of responsibility.

8. The masterpiece of the ancient Greek sculptor Myron - "Discobolus". The original bronze sculpture, dating from the 5th century BC, is kept in the National Museum of Rome. Miron's contemporaries describe him as an unsurpassed expert in anatomy, but, unfortunately, he does not have the talent to reflect feelings on people's faces. The main characters of Myron's works were animals, gods and famous warriors.

9. Ancient sculpture "Hermes with the baby Dionysus" by the Greek Praxiteles. The author created his masterpiece around 330-340. BC. His marble work was discovered in 1877. during the excavations of the temple of Hera. The height of the sculpture on the pedestal was 3m70cm, Hermes himself is depicted with a height of 2m12cm. - he leans against the trunk of a tree, resting on the way. The baby, probably reaching for a bunch of grapes (it has not been preserved, like one hand of Hermes), has, according to the tradition of classical art, the proportions of an adult.

10. Sculpture by master Silvio Gow Jadson “Girl from Savannah feeding the birds”. The work was completed relatively recently - in 1936. The author created it as a garden sculpture to decorate the Massachusetts garden. Four copies were made of the statue, and one of them was installed on the territory of the Savannah cemetery in Georgia.

Women's beauty has always been admired. She was sung by poets and musicians, portrayed by artists and sculptors. The latter especially managed to convey the strength and fragility of a woman in a wide variety of materials...

Luo Li Rong creates incredibly feminine and realistic sculptures. Her work is elegant and graceful. It seems that they are about to come to life.

Briton Richard Stainthorp has been making metal wire sculptures for 20 years. He especially succeeds in female characters - smooth lines, beautiful silhouettes. According to Richard, working with wire is like solving a puzzle, but the result is worth it.

This mysterious, but at the same time sensual sculpture is located in the famous Staglieno cemetery in Genoa (Italy). More bewitched and no less beautiful sculptures can be seen here.

Jean-Michel Bihorel has taken the internet by storm with his unusual digital sculptures of women made from... flowers. Original and fantastically beautiful.

The Italian Vittorio Tessaro managed to portray a woman with the grace that poets praised, but at the same time made her image modern.

“When the eroticism of bronze rolls over” - this is how they write about the work of the American sculptor Benjamin Matthew Victor (Benjamin Matthew Victor). Benjamin managed not only to breathe life into the soulless material, but also to make the sculptures stunningly realistic.

Philip Jackson is a Scottish sculptor whose every work tells its own extraordinary story. His creations are so expressive that it is hard to believe that they are just stone sculptures and not real people.

Massive sculpture "Ecstasy" by Karen Cusolito (Karen Cusolito) is made of recycled steel. The silhouette, gestures, curves of the figure and the material itself together express the contradictions that tear apart not only the female nature, but also our modernity.

Robin Wight is a wire craftsman. From such a seemingly inelegant material, he creates surprisingly graceful sculptures. When you look at them, you get the feeling that they will now take off from the ground and fly after the wind.

Toronto-based sculptor Gosia creates delicate images filled with femininity and a desire for self-discovery.

Antonio Corradini was a Venetian sculptor who lived in the 18th century, known for his incredibly fine work with marble. The beautiful female figures he created, covered with a veil, still amaze the imagination with their realism.

Adam Martinakis creates digital sculptures that delight with the depth of the topics covered and the originality of the execution. Adam "speaks" to his fans with the help of metaphorical images. Women in his works look the most fragile and vulnerable.
Bonus: "Ghost Girl"

"Ghost Girl" - the work of British sculptor Kevin Francis Gray (Kevin Francis Gray) causes many mixed feelings. The girl's face is covered with a veil of crystals, which symbolizes her unwillingness to put up with reality.

Museums of the world are open to anyone who wants to get 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 antique sculptures. What inspired the masters and what are the most famous sculptures?

Famous ancient sculptures

Antique sculptures are the most famous. We see their image everywhere, including in everyday life.

"Venus de Milo"

Perhaps there is no more recognizable sculpture than the sculpture of the Venus de Milo. Many institutions decorate their halls with copies of it. Neither the date of creation nor the author himself are known.

Scientists have determined the time of creation only approximately. According to them, Venus was sculpted in the year 130 BC. e. Today it is on display at the Louvre.

"David"

The author of the bronze "David" is the sculptor Danatello. His work is a full-length sculpture, standing without any support. As conceived by the author, a smiling naked David looks at the head of Goliath, which he had just cut off.

The date of creation of this sculpture is one thousand four hundred and forty. "David" is demonstrated by the Florentine National Museum.

"Discus thrower"

Another of the most famous ancient sculptures is the Discobolus. Initially, the author cast a bronze sculpture. Date of creation - approximately four hundred and fifty years BC. e. Later, several copies appeared, but already made of marble.

The most famous statues of the gods

Statues of gods can be found in almost every country. Somewhere they are of a standard size and are displayed in museums, somewhere they are simply huge and are a landmark of the city.

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. Nearly 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 1931 with donations from the population and the church.

Maitreya Buddha Statue

The largest statue in the world is the Maitreya Buddha statue 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 was started in the seven hundred and thirteenth year and lasted ninety years. Numerous tourists who come to China strive to see the statue of God, which for about a thousand years was considered the highest in the world.

Shiva statue

The modern statue of the god Shiva appeared already in the twenty-first century in Nepal. Its construction took seven years. Shiva with a height of forty-three and a half meters is the tallest statue of the god 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 a variety of works. Some of the sculptures are real sights.

Moai

There are eight hundred and fifty monolithic stone statues on Easter Island. Surprisingly, they are all turned towards the center of the island. Some of them are over six meters long and weigh twenty tons.

One of the expeditions found a giant unfinished statue there. Its weight is approximately two hundred and seventy tons, and its height is twenty meters.

"Manneken Pis"

It is not known exactly when the Manneken Pis statue appeared in Brussels and who was its creator. This miniature statue-fountain is made of bronze: a naked boy pissing into the pool. It is believed that the statue was created in the fifteenth century.

The Bronze Boy has been repeatedly kidnapped. 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 is the Great Sphinx lying on the banks of the Nile. This is a monolithic work. The Sphinx is carved from a rock of calcareous origin. Between its paws, stretched forward, there was once a sanctuary. The face of the lion statue has a portrait resemblance to one of the Egyptian pharaohs. The sights are the Egyptian pyramids themselves. The site has a site about Egyptian and other wonderful pyramids.

The most famous sculpture in the world

The most replicated, most recognizable image of the sculpture in the world is The Thinker. This famous sculpture is on display in Paris. Its author is Rodin.

Rodin in 1880, got a big 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". The ingenious master managed to accurately convey the deep thought process of a man sitting on a stone.
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