The most famous sculptures in the world. The most famous statues in the world

Without sculpture, art cannot be complete.

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 purposes. Please share your favorite pieces of sculptural art in the comments.

David

Michelangelo

Five-meter statue 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 "Poet" and be part of the composition "The Gates of Hell" based on " Divine Comedy"The model for the sculpture was a Frenchman named Jean Bo, a muscular boxer who mainly competed in Paris, in the 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 the Swiss sculptor in 1961, was auctioned at Sotheby's for a record $104.3 million.
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

The 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. It stood on a steep cliff above the sea, its pedestal depicting the bow of a 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 scene of the Virgin Mary mourning her son. The best of them was made by Michelangelo at age 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. Special safety beautiful flowers, giving a large 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 nursed by the she-wolf. During the time of Benito Mussolini Capitoline wolf used as a propaganda symbol that embodied the fascist regime's desire to revive the Roman Empire.

Motherland

Vuchetich and Nikitin

One of the most tall 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

Antony 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 under water.

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 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. Terracotta statues, each of which is absolutely 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 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 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.

There are many varieties of sculpture in form, purpose, and material.

The shape of the sculpture can be round or in relief.

Round the sculpture can be viewed from different angles and is surrounded by free space.

Its main types are: bust, statue, sculptural group.

E. Falconet “Winter” (1771). Marble. Hermitage (St. Petersburg)

Relief

In relief, the figure(s) are partly immersed in a flat background and protrude from it.

High relief on the pediment of the Admiralty. Sculptor Ivan Ivanovich Terebenev
There are three types of relief:
bas-relief (the convex figure protrudes less than half);
high relief (the convex figure protrudes halfway);
counter-relief (the figure is not convex, but concave)

Bas-relief

Bas-relief is a common type of decoration architectural structures And decorative items of all times, known since the Paleolithic era: the first bas-reliefs are rock paintings. Bas-reliefs are also often placed on the pedestals of monuments, on steles, memorial plaques, coins, and medals.

Sculptor S.E. Cherepanov. Memorial plaque on the house in which the science fiction writer G. Altov (Altshuller) lived the last years of his life from 1990 to 1998. Established October 15, 2003 Petrozavodsk

High relief

High relief - a variety sculptural relief, when the image protrudes above the background plane by more than half the volume of the depicted parts. A common type of decoration of architectural structures; allows you to display multi-figure scenes and landscapes.

Counter-relief

Counter-relief is an in-depth relief obtained from a mechanical impression of an ordinary relief in a soft material (clay, wax) or when removing a plaster mold from the relief. Could be used as a seal to produce a raised impression.

Ancient Egyptian counter-relief

Types of sculpture according to purpose

Monumental sculpture

Monumental sculpture associated with architecture. These are monuments that are created to perpetuate memory famous people or significant events. Monumental sculpture is different large sizes and ideology. Monumental art received its name from the Latin monumentum, from moneo - I remind you), it should always be sublime and even majestic. Works of monumental art must be created in harmony with the architecture and landscape.

Henry Moore. Sculpture in the harbor of Riesbach (Zurich-Seefeld)
Monumental art acquires particular significance during periods of global socio-political transformations, during times of social upsurge, intellectual and cultural flourishing, when creativity is called upon to express the most relevant ideas.

Sculptor I. Kozlovsky, architect P. Butenko “The Squad of Alexander Nevsky” (1993). Pskov
The monument is a very significant monument in size. There are entire memorial complexes - territories with monumental architectural structures located on them: mausoleums, pantheons, sculptural groups, obelisks of glory and monuments dedicated to outstanding events from the history of the country and the people inhabiting it.
Memorial complex Khatyn - a village in Belarus, destroyed on March 22, 1943.

punitive detachment as revenge for the murder of several German soldiers. 149 residents of Khatyn were burned alive or shot. In 1969, a memorial complex was opened on the site where the village was located.

Of the adult residents of the village, only the 56-year-old village blacksmith Joseph Iosifovich Kaminsky (1887-1973) survived. Burnt and wounded, he regained consciousness only late at night, when the punitive squads left the village. Among the corpses of fellow villagers, he found his son Adam. The boy was fatally wounded in the stomach and received severe burns. He died in his father's arms. Joseph Kaminsky and his son Adam served as prototypes famous monument at the memorial complex.

S. Selikhanov. The main monument in Khatyn
No less famous are the memorial complexes Brest Fortress(Brest), Mamaev Kurgan (Volgograd), Victory Park (Moscow), etc.

Monumental and decorative sculpture

It includes all types of decoration of architectural structures and complexes (Atlantes, caryatids, friezes, pediment, fountain, garden sculpture, etc.).

Atlanta

Atlas is a sculpture of a man supporting the ceilings of a building, balcony, cornice, etc. The name of this architectural element dates back to Ancient Greece: Atlas or Atlas in ancient Greek mythology was the name of the mighty titan holding the firmament on his shoulders. Atlas is a symbol of endurance and patience.

Atlanta (Hermitage)

Caryatids

A caryatid is a statue of a dressed woman that replaces a column or pilaster in a building. These figures were used in the architecture of Ancient Greece.

Caryatids. Athens, Greece)

Caryatids as a pilaster

Frieze

Frieze (French frise) – decorative composition in the form of a horizontal strip or ribbon framing part of an architectural structure.

Sculptural frieze on one of the Empire-era churches near Moscow

Gable

Pediment (French fronton, from Latin frons, frontis - forehead, front part of the wall) is the completion (usually triangular) of the facade of a building, limited by two roof slopes on the sides and a cornice at the base.

Pediment of the Greek National Assembly building in Athens

Fountains

Fountains (usually hydraulic structures that perform a decorative function) are often decorated with sculptures.

Fountain "Samson" in Peterhof
The Manneken Pis is one of the most famous attractions in Brussels. This is a miniature bronze fountain statue in the form of a naked boy peeing in a pool.

Sculptor – Jerome Duquesnoy (1619)
This statue has been stolen several times and also dressed up in costumes.

"Manneken Pis" in the form of the American Air Force

Garden sculpture

Landscape sculpture is intended for decorating gardens and parks. It can be decorative, propaganda, educational or memorial in nature.

Sculpture "Cupid and Psyche". Workshop of Lorenzo Bernini, 17th century. Summer garden(St. Petersburg)

There are also short-lived types of sculptures: ice, sand, more durable ones made of clay, wood, as well as modeling, carving, art casting, forging, embossing, etc.

First a person came up with an image - the first cave drawings 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- very famous and very ancient statue. The work is also known as "Venus de Milo". The statue was supposedly created in the 2nd century BC. This is a majestic sculpture made of white marble, more than 2 meters high. Today, the Venus de Milo is kept in the Louvre, in a gallery specially designated for it.

"Venus de Milo"

Statue of Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, is 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 other cities around the world have tried to replicate it.

Statue of Christ the Redeemer, Rio de Janeiro

Moai sculptures They are called the mysterious stone inhabitants of Easter Island, which belongs to Chile. Presumably the giants appeared in the first millennium AD. The sculptures were probably 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 - it is compressed volcanic rock.

Moai sculptures, Chile

Statue "Little Mermaid" is in Copenhagen. This is a monument to the young heroine of the fairy tale by G.Kh. Andersen, created by sculptor Edvard Eriksen.

A touching bronze figurine sits on a rock next to the harbour. The statue was installed 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 Sichuan province.

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 installed 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 USA. The height of this sculpture with a pedestal is 93 meters. “Lady Liberty” holds a torch in one hand and a tablet in the other. The statue has indeed become a symbol for a long time, and its image often adorns everything that is in one way or another connected with the United States.

Statue of Liberty, USA

The list of famous statues is completed by the symbol of the city Brussels in Belgium. This monument does not have any special grandeur, and it can hardly be called an example of beauty. Nevertheless, Manneken Pis statue very famous. Many legends are associated with its origin. What is certain is that the statue is not even a century old.

"Manneken Pis", Belgium, Brussels

The most beautiful sculptures and statues in the world (30 photos)

Human sculpture

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To paraphrase the German art theorist Friedrich Wilhelm Joseph Schelling, we can say that sculpture is music frozen in stone. While millions of tourists take pictures against the backdrop of the world famous masterpieces Bernini, Michelangelo and Rodin, we offer you a selection of 25 lesser-known but noteworthy stone, bronze and steel sculptures.

Funny and cute, sometimes strange and scary, they lift the spirits of passers-by and make the cities they are in a little more unusual.

Mustangs of Las Colinas in Irving (Texas, USA)


This is one of the largest sculpted groups of horses in the world. It symbolizes the dynamism and liberated spirit that characterized Texas during its development.

Expansion, New York, USA

The author comments on this sculpture: “From the moment we are born, the world offers us a ready-made shell into which we must fit: social security number, gender, race, profession. I thought: what are we really - this outer shell in which we live, or what is underneath it, inside each of us? Will we recognize ourselves if we go beyond the limits of our body?

Monument to the unknown passerby, Wroclaw, Poland


The sculpture symbolizes the suppression of the individual during communism and the underground anti-communist activities of Poles in the 1980s.

Salmon, Portland, USA


Portland is a major port city, and this fish attracts visitors to one of its most famous restaurants.

People by the river, Singapore


The author of this composition, Chong Fah Cheong, is known for a large number of sculptures depicting people who live and work on the banks of the Singapore River

Shoes along the banks of the Danube, Budapest, Hungary

The sculpture perpetuates the memory of Jews killed by the Nazis in Budapest during World War II. They were ordered to take off their shoes and shot near the water. The bodies of the victims fell into the river and were carried away by the current. Only shoes remained as a reminder of the tragedy.

"No to Violence" sculpture (also known as "The Knotted Gun"), New York, USA


It was created by Swedish artist Carl Fredrik Reuterswärd at the end of 1980 in memory of the murder of John Lennon, who was a friend of the sculptor.

Break through from your mold, Philadelphia, USA


This composition symbolizes the desire for immortality. The 4 figures are one and the same person, who gradually awakens from sleep, throws off his shackles, and breaks out towards eternal life.

Black Ghost (Juodasis Vaiduoklis), Klaipeda, Lithuania


According to legend, in 1595, one of the Klaipeda castle guards saw a ghost who warned the guard that the city needed to increase its grain and timber reserves. Having said this, the spirit evaporated. It is believed that if you make friends with supernatural being, it will bring wealth and good luck.

Travelers (Les voyageurs), Marseille, France


A series of sculptures by the Frenchman Bruno Catalano was installed in the port of Marseille in 2013. Each figure is missing a significant portion of its body. One can only guess about the reasons for such emptiness: is it because these people lack something, or did they simply leave a part of their soul somewhere during their travels?

Nelson Mandela Memorial, South Africa


The composition was installed in honor of the 50th anniversary of the arrest of a human rights activist during the apartheid period. The monument was erected where Mandela was arrested and consists of 50 steel columns, symbolizing the prison bars behind which the 8th President of South Africa was held for 27 years.

De Vaartkapoen, Brussels, Belgium


Created in 1985, this humorous statue shows a police officer tripping over an intruder who was hiding in a sewer manhole.

Cattle drive, Dallas, USA

Maman (giant spider), London, UK


Bronze sculpture giant spider located in the Tate Modern gallery of contemporary art.

Hippopotamuses, Taipei, Taiwan

Sinking building State Library, Melbourne, Australia

Iguana Park, Amsterdam, Netherlands

Observer, Bratislava, Slovakia


In English this sculpture is called “Worker”, however, its name is translated from Slovak as “observer”. This bronze plumber watches passersby directly from a manhole. Tourists believe that if you rub the hand of the sculpture, all your wishes will come true.

Mihai Eminescu, Onesti, Romania

Monument to a classic of Romanian literature
Episode of the First World War with full-length figures of soldiers, Eceabat, Türkiye


During the First World War, land battles of the Dardanelles Operation took place in the area.

Hanging man, Prague, Czech Republic
25 unusual sculptures that you may not have known about


Who do you think this sculpture represents? Oddly enough, this is the founder of psychoanalysis, Sigmund Freud. Sculptor David Černý created this work in response to the question of what role intellectuals will play in the new millennium. According to the author, the founder of psychoanalysis is the embodiment of the 20th century intellectual.

Kelpies, Grangemouth, UK


Kelpie in Scottish mythology is a water spirit hostile to people, living in many rivers and lakes. He appears in the guise of a horse grazing near the water, but can turn into a sea lizard, and therefore he is often associated with the Loch Ness monster.

Pigs in front shopping center Rundle Mall, Adelaide, Australia


The piggies' names are Oliver, Augusta, Horatio and Truffle.

Unknown official, Reykjavik, Iceland

Perhaps the only statue in the world dedicated to faceless bureaucratic work.

Headington Shark, Oxford, England

Created by sculptor John Buckley, the shark caused much controversy when it first appeared in public. Oxford City Council attempted to remove it from the building on safety grounds and then on the grounds that it had not given planning permission for the shark statue. It was suggested that it be moved to a local swimming pool, but many locals supported the idea of ​​leaving the shark on the building. By the way, the meaning of the sculpture is much deeper than it might seem at first glance: it was installed on the 41st anniversary of the fall atomic bomb to Nagasaki. In a sense, the shark represents a beautiful but potentially deadly missile.

The first creations of human hands, which can be called sculpture, appeared in prehistoric times and represented the idols that our ancestors worshiped. Over the past hundreds of thousands of years, the art of sculpting has reached unprecedented heights, and today in museums and on the streets of many cities around the world you can see real masterpieces that invariably evoke admiration among visitors and passers-by. So which of the famous Russian and foreign masters different eras can claim to have his name included in the category of “famous sculptors,” and which of their works are included in the golden fund of world art?

Famous sculptors of the ancient world

As already mentioned, the art of sculpture originated many thousands of years ago, as evidenced by numerous stone and clay volumetric images people, animals and mythical creatures, found at archaeological excavations. Of course, no one knows who their authors were, but history has preserved the names of some great sculptors who worked in the period from the 14th century BC. e. and until the 1st century AD. e.

For example, when asked who the most famous sculptors are ancient world, among others, the great ancient Egyptian sculptor Thutmose the Younger is necessarily mentioned. He worked at the court of Pharaoh Akhenaten and created one of the most famous works art of the Amarna period - bust of Queen Nefertiti. There is much more information about who the most famous sculptors of Greece and Rome are ancient period. In particular, the masters Critias and Nesiot created in the 5th century BC. e. the magnificent composition of Harmodius and Aristogeiton, which subsequently inspired sculptors of later times more than once. The great Phidias achieved even greater heights in the skill of sculpting, being the author of gold and ivory, recognized as one of the wonders of the ancient world. It is impossible not to note the enormous contribution to the development ancient art, which was contributed by such famous sculptors as Scopas, Praxiteles and Lysippos, who created the so-called quadriga of St. Mark. As for Roman sculptors, most of their creations, for example the famous Apollo Belvedere, are copies of Greek originals.

Famous sculptors of the world: the Middle Ages

As you know, the beginning historical period, which came after the fall of the Western Roman Empire, was not the best time for the development of art. That is why no particularly significant works of sculpture dating back to the 5th-12th centuries are known today. Fortunately, over time, the dictates of the church began to weaken, and sculptures of saints and rulers appeared, the authors of which allowed themselves to deviate from the strict canons religious art and make your creations more realistic. As an example, we can cite such masters as the father and son Pisano, who worked at the end of the 13th and beginning of the 14th century. And, of course, when we're talking about About the most famous sculptors of the Gothic period, one cannot fail to mention Adam Kraft, who created the luxurious altarpiece of the Tetzel Chapel.

Renaissance Sculpture Art

Perhaps there is hardly a person who does not know who the most famous sculptors and their works of the Renaissance are. After all, it is from this era that such masterpieces as the statue of David, copies of which decorate Catholic churches around the world, as well as the monument to Donatello’s Gattamelata and Benvenuto Cellini’s “Perseus,” belong. Of the French masters, it is worth noting Jean Goujon and Germain Pilon, who worked under the influence of their Italian colleagues.

Famous 18th century sculpture masters

An excellent example of the art of sculpture of the New Age is the famous Trevi Fountain on the Palazzo Poli in Rome, considered one of the symbols of the Italian capital. Its authors are Nicolo Salvi and Pietro Bracci, who created the figure of Neptune and the tritons. In the 18th century, famous sculptors from France Edmond Bouchardon and Jean Baptiste Pigalle worked and became famous for their tombstones of the popes. As for the English masters, among them we can distinguish a peculiar trio consisting of John Flaxman, Joseph Nollekens and Thomas Banks.

19th century European sculpture

The beginning of the century before last was marked by the appearance of a bright star of world sculpture - Bertel Thorvaldsen, who in 1803 presented his "Jason" to the public. After a high-profile world debut, he became an extremely sought-after master among eminent customers from different countries, and during his rather long creative life he sculpted many excellent compositions and portraits of famous people. In particular, it is worth mentioning the huge frieze depicting the exploits of Alexander the Great, created by him in 1812 to decorate the Quirinal Palace.

When considering who the most famous sculptors were and their works of the 19th century, one of the first names that comes to mind is Auguste Rodin. And this is not at all surprising, since his creations “The Thinker” and “The Kiss” are recognized greatest masterpieces world art. As for the masters of sculpture in Germany, then special mention deserves L. Schwanthaler, who created many wonderful works decorating palaces and other significant buildings in Munich.

Sculptors of the 20th-21st centuries

In the last century, the traditions of the great Italian masters continued by Giacomo Manza, who became famous for his creation “The Doors of Death”, made for in Rome. In addition, it is worth mentioning such masters as Jacques Lipchitz and Ossip Zadkine, who worked in a surrealist style. The category of “The most famous sculptors in the world” includes the one who created the work “Walking Man” in 1961, which was valued at Sotheby’s at 104.3 million US dollars. Other sculptors of the late 20th century include Lynn Chadwick and Barry Flanagan.

Famous sculptors of Russia from the 18th-19th centuries

There is no need to talk about the art of sculpture in Russia in the pre-Petrine era, since it simply did not exist. The founding of St. Petersburg made us think about decorating its palaces and squares sculptural compositions, as was customary in European countries, so they began to invite foreign masters to the court. Thus, the first famous “Russian” sculptors were foreigners. For example, several have reached us three-dimensional portraits, cast by the father of the future great architect - K. B. Rastrelli.

After Catherine founded the Second Academy of Arts, Russians also began to study there. In particular, during her reign the following pioneers distinguished themselves Russian art sculptures such as F. Shubin, M. Kozlovsky and F. Gordeev, who created the famous Samson. Especially many talented craftsmen appeared in the 19th century. In particular, it was during this period that such famous Russian sculptors as M. M. Antokolsky, the author of the monument to Peter the Great in Peterhof, A. M. Opekushin, P. Velionsky, as well as I. N. Schroeder, worked.

One of the most recognizable works of sculpture of the first half of the 20th century is, of course, the famous monument to Vera Mukhina “Worker and Collective Farm Woman” - recognized masterpiece socialist realism. No less interesting are the works of E. Vutechich, who created the “Warrior-Liberator” for Berlin’s Treptower Park and the world-famous statue “Motherland”, and M. Anikushin, the author of the monuments to A.P. Chekhov and A. Pushkin, which was installed in Leningrad in 1957.

As for who the most famous Russian sculptors are post-Soviet period, then, probably, Ernst Neizvestny should be included among them, who, having begun his work back in the days of the USSR, was forced to emigrate to the USA, and his most significant work— “Mask of Sorrow” for the Magadan memorial to victims of Stalin’s repressions — created in 1996. Another master of sculpting, widely recognized in last decades, - M. Shemyakin, among whose works the multi-figure composition “Children - Victims of the Vices of Adults” deserves special mention.

Planning trip to Greece, many people are interested not only in comfortable hotels, but also fascinating story this ancient country, an integral part of which are art objects.

A large number of treatises by famous art critics are devoted specifically to ancient greek sculpture, as the fundamental branch of world culture. Unfortunately, many monuments of that time did not survive in their original form, and are known from later copies. By studying them, you can trace the history of the development of Greek visual arts from the Homeric period to the Hellenistic era, and highlight the most striking and famous creations of each period.

Aphrodite de Milo

The world famous Aphrodite from the island of Milos dates back to the Hellenistic period of Greek art. At this time, through the forces of Alexander the Great, the culture of Hellas began to spread far beyond the Balkan Peninsula, which was noticeably reflected in the fine arts - sculptures, paintings and frescoes became more realistic, the faces of the gods on them have a human traits– relaxed postures, distracted gaze, soft smile.

Aphrodite statue, or as the Romans called it, Venus, is made of snow-white marble. Its height is slightly larger than human height, and is 2.03 meters. The statue was discovered by chance by an ordinary French sailor, who in 1820, together with a local peasant, dug up Aphrodite near the remains of an ancient amphitheater on the island of Milos. During its transportation and customs disputes, the statue lost its arms and pedestal, but a record of the author of the masterpiece indicated on it was preserved: Agesander, the son of Menidas, a resident of Antioch.

Today, after careful restoration, Aphrodite is exhibited in the Louvre in Paris, attracting millions of tourists every year with its natural beauty.

Nike of Samothrace

The creation of the statue of the goddess of victory Nike dates back to the 2nd century BC. Research has shown that Nika was installed above the sea coast on a steep cliff - her marble clothes flutter as if from the wind, and the tilt of the body represents constant forward movement. The thinnest folds of clothing cover the strong body of the goddess, and powerful wings are spread in joy and triumph of victory.

The head and arms of the statue were not preserved, although individual fragments were discovered during excavations in 1950. In particular, Karl Lehmann and a group of archaeologists found right hand goddesses. The Nike of Samothrace is now one of the outstanding exhibits of the Louvre. Her hand was never added to the general exhibition; only the right wing, which is made of plaster, was restored.

Laocoon and his sons

A sculptural composition depicting the mortal struggle of Laocoon, the priest of the god Apollo and his sons, with two snakes sent by Apollo in revenge for the fact that Laocoon did not listen to his will and tried to prevent the Trojan horse from entering the city.

The statue was made of bronze, but its original has not survived to this day. In the 15th century, a marble copy of the sculpture was found on the territory of Nero’s “golden house” and, by order of Pope Julius II, it was installed in a separate niche of the Vatican Belvedere. In 1798, the statue of Laocoon was transported to Paris, but after the fall of Napoleon's rule, the British returned it to its original place, where it is kept to this day.

The composition depicting Laocoon's desperate death struggle with divine punishment inspired many sculptors of the era late Middle Ages and the Renaissance, and gave rise to a fashion for displaying complex, whirlwind movements human body in fine arts.

Zeus from Cape Artemision

The statue, found by divers near Cape Artemision, is made of bronze, and is one of the few pieces of art of this type that has survived to this day in its original form. Researchers disagree about whether the sculpture belongs specifically to Zeus, believing that it can also depict the god of the seas, Poseidon.

The statue has a height of 2.09 m, and depicts the supreme Greek god, who raised his right hand to throw lightning at righteous anger. The lightning itself has not survived, but from numerous smaller figures it can be judged that it had the appearance of a flat, highly elongated bronze disk.

From almost two thousand years of being under water, the statue was almost undamaged. Only the eyes, which were presumably made of ivory and inlaid, were missing. precious stones. You can see this work of art at the National Archaeological Museum, which is located in Athens.

Statue of Diadumen

A marble copy of a bronze statue of a young man who crowns himself with a diadem - a symbol of sports victory, probably adorned the site of the competition in Olympia or Delphi. The diadem at that time was a red woolen bandage, which, along with laurel wreaths, was awarded to the winners Olympic Games. The author of the work, Polykleitos, performed it in his favorite style - the young man is in slight movement, his face displays complete calm and concentration. The athlete behaves like a deserved winner - he does not show fatigue, although his body requires rest after the fight. In the sculpture the author managed to very naturally convey not only small elements, but also general position body, correctly distributing the mass of the figure. Full proportionality of the body is the pinnacle of development of this period - classicism of the 5th century.

Although the bronze original has not survived to this day, copies of it can be seen in many museums around the world - the National Archaeological Museum in Athens, the Louvre, the Metropolitan, and the British Museum.

Aphrodite Braschi

The marble statue of Aphrodite depicts the goddess of love baring herself before taking her legendary, often mythical bath that restores her virginity. Aphrodite in her left hand holds the removed clothes, which gently fall to standing nearby jug. From an engineering point of view, this solution made the fragile statue more stable and gave the sculptor the opportunity to give it a more relaxed pose. The uniqueness of Aphrodite Brasca is that this is the first known statue of the goddess, the author of which decided to depict her naked, which at one time was considered unheard of audacity.

There are legends according to which the sculptor Praxiteles created Aphrodite in the image of his beloved, the hetaera Phryne. When her former admirer, the orator Euthyas, found out about this, he raised a scandal, as a result of which Praxiteles was accused of unforgivable blasphemy. At the trial, the defense lawyer, seeing that his arguments did not satisfy the impression on the judge, tore off Phryne’s clothes to show those present that such a perfect body of the model simply could not conceal dark soul. The judges, being adherents of the concept of kalokagathia, were forced to completely acquit the defendants.

The original statue was taken to Constantinople, where it died in a fire. Many copies of Aphrodite have survived to this day, but they all have their own differences, since they were restored according to verbal and written descriptions and images on coins.

Marathon youth

Statue young man made of bronze, and supposedly depicts greek god Hermes, although no prerequisites or attributes of it are observed in the hands or clothes of the young man. The sculpture was raised from the bottom of Marathon Bay in 1925, and since then has joined the exhibition of the National archaeological museum in Athens. Thanks to the fact that the statue long time was under water, all its features were very well preserved.

The style in which the sculpture is made reveals the style famous sculptor Praxiteles. The young man stands in a relaxed position, his hand rests on the wall against which the figure was installed.

Discus thrower

The statue of the ancient Greek sculptor Myron has not survived in its original form, but is widely known throughout the world thanks to its bronze and marble copies. The sculpture is unique in that it was the first to depict a person in complex, dynamic movement. Such a bold decision by the author served a shining example for his followers, who with no less success created works of art in the style of “Figura serpentinata” - a special technique depicting a person or animal in an often unnatural, tense, but very expressive, from the point of view of the observer, pose.

Delphic Charioteer

A bronze sculpture of a charioteer was discovered during excavations in 1896 at the Sanctuary of Apollo at Delphi, and represents classic example ancient art. The figure depicts an ancient Greek youth driving a cart during Pythian Games.

The uniqueness of the sculpture lies in the fact that the inlay of the eyes with precious stones has been preserved. The young man's eyelashes and lips are decorated with copper, and the headband is made of silver, and presumably also had inlay.

The time of creation of the sculpture, theoretically, is at the junction of archaic and early classic - its pose is characterized by stiffness and the absence of any hint of movement, but the head and face are made with quite great realism. As in later sculptures.

Athena Parthenos

Majestic goddess Athena statue has not survived to this day, but there are many copies of it, restored in accordance with ancient descriptions. The sculpture was made entirely of ivory and gold, without the use of stone or bronze, and stood in the main temple of Athens - the Parthenon. Distinctive feature goddess - a high helmet decorated with three crests.

The history of the creation of the statue was not without fatal moments: on the shield of the goddess, the sculptor Phidias, in addition to depicting the battle with the Amazons, placed his portrait in the form frail old man, who lifts a heavy stone with both hands. The public of that time ambiguously assessed Phidias's act, which cost him his life - the sculptor was imprisoned, where he took his own life with poison.

Greek culture became the founder for the development of fine arts throughout the world. Even today, considering some modern paintings and the statues can detect the influence of this ancient culture.

Ancient Hellas became the cradle in which the cult was actively nurtured human beauty in its physical, moral and intellectual manifestation. Residents of Greece of that time they not only worshiped many Olympian gods, but also tried to resemble them as much as possible. All this is reflected in bronze and marble statues - they not only convey the image of a person or a deity, but also make them close to each other.

Although many of the statues did not survive to modern times, they exact copies can be seen in many museums around the world.