Listing the best or most famous of anything is really a dangerous game to play. It creates controversy, disagreement, and often even – for some reason – anger, and inevitably something gets left out.
Yet, in the world of sculpture, there are some works that really just define particular moments in art history and sculptural history. There are some that are just so important that they can’t be overlooked. And there are others that, although not hugely significant artistically speaking, are recognisable by everyone at a moment’s glance.
Indeed, the notion of ‘fame’ in terms of sculpture really sheds light on an interesting aspect of this art form. And that is that statues, sculptural works, carvings, and figurines are not limited to the realm of ‘art’. Artworks are not just innocently expressive works of beauty.
Rather, they perform important social functions. From prehistoric civilizations to antiquity, from the classical period to contemporary art, sculpture has always been about power, cultural and national identity, prestige, wealth and spirituality. And the success of these projects is paid testament to by the fact that we all recognise these images.
So, here we’ll consider the monumental works of public art. We’ll look at some of the most sophisticated achievements of the visual arts. And we’ll cover some of the important functions and ideas behind sculpture throughout history – from memorialisation to glorification, pure beauty to practical use.
Let’s take a look. Comment below if you think we’ve missed something – and no anger please!
And, if you fancy, check out our pieces on the basics of sculpture - and important sculptural styles.
The Great Sphinx of Giza (c. 2500BC)
Whilst not the earliest of ancient sculptures – with the sculptures and figurines of the Paleolithic and Upper Paleolithic and from Mesopotamia – the Sphinx is one of the most recognisable sculptures to ever have existed. This statue from ancient Egypt is also one of the iconic images of the ancient world.
The sphinx is a mythical creature – with the body of a lion and the head of a human – and its face in this instance is thought to represent that of Pharaoh Khafre, who reigned between 2558 and 2532BC.
It’s thought to be both a figure for the worship of the sun. Yet, the fact that its face represents the Pharaoh shows the intertwinement of secular power and spiritual. Right from the beginning of sculpture, then, you see these colossal images being used for lots of different purposes.
Quick Facts About The Sphinx
- It is believed to have been built during the reign of the pharaoh Khafre.
- Missing Nose - One theory suggests that it was deliberately destroyed by a cannonball fired by Napoleon's soldiers during their campaign in Egypt in the late 18th century. Another theory suggests that it was destroyed by a Sufi Muslim named Muhammad Sa'im al-Dahr, who was angered by the local peasants making offerings to the Sphinx instead of to him.
- The Great Sphinx of Giza is approximately 66 feet (20 meters) tall. It is one of the largest and oldest statues in the world.
- The statue symbolizes power and strength.
Statue of Zeus at Olympia (c. 435BC)
This one is a bit of a controversial one. Because, in the history of western art, this may be one of the most influential sculptures, but it is also one that we have never seen. One of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, this sculpture was apparently over forty feet tall and made of gold and ivory.
The statue was made in Ancient Greece, by the sculptor, Phidias, one of the most important names in Greek sculpture. His influence on the art world has been huge: he is considered one of the major influences on Hellenistic sculptural design – and his work influences all Greek and Roman art after him.
The figurative sculpture depicted Zeus – the king of the Greek deities – sat upon a large throne. The belief of the art historian is that the temple in which the statue sat was destroyed by fire in the fourth century – with the statue itself irremediably damaged.
Quick Facts About The Statue Of Zeus
- The Statue of Zeus at Olympia was a giant seated figure of Zeus, the king of the Greek gods, created by the sculptor Phidias.
- The statue was created by the renowned Greek sculptor Phidias and stood approximately 12 meters (40 feet) tall. Unfortunately, the statue was destroyed in a fire in the 5th century AD, and today only its ruins remain.
- he Statue of Zeus was created around 435 BC and stood in the Temple of Zeus at Olympia for over 800 years.
Nike of Samothrace (c. 200BC)
Of all the masterpieces of ancient art that still survive, there are few that are more influential for the arts up until today. The Nike of Samothrace is a sculpture in the round depicting the Greek god of victory, Nike.
Today, it is headless. However, the sculpture represents the peak of figurative sculpture of the ancient art world. There are a huge number of replicas – in parks and the odd museum of art across the world – of this testament to the artistic skill of ancient civilizations.
And what makes it particularly interesting is that it is one of the few Greek sculptures that survives – rather than just a replica from Roman art.
In itself, it is a beautiful sculpture that makes the most of the three dimensions that characterise the form. Rather than mere reliefs, this sculpture engages with the space around it – in a way that wouldn’t happen again until the High Renaissance.
Lewis Chessmen (c. 1200)
The Lewis Chessmen are probably the most famous representatives of the sculptural tradition that existed in Europe outside of the Romanesque tradition that led to the Italian Renaissance.
The chess pieces are beautiful examples of small sculpture and are thought to have been by sculptors in Trondheim, Norway. However, they were discovered on the Scottish island of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides.
Depicting the whole team of chessmen, the pieces are made of walrus ivory and whale’ teeth.
Quick Facts About Lewis Chessmen
- The Lewis Chessmen are a group of chess pieces carved from walrus ivory and dating back to the 12th or 13th century.
- There are a total of 93 Lewis Chessmen in existence. These chess pieces were discovered on the Isle of Lewis in Scotland in the early 19th century.
- The majority of the Lewis Chessmen are currently held by the British Museum in London, England. The museum has 82 of the original 93 pieces, while the remaining 11 are held by the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh.
David (1504)
To modern and contemporary eyes, Michelangelo’s figure sculpture, David, may well be the most recognized representational piece ever to have existed.
In the period of Donatello and Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo pushed the art of sculpture to its most beautifully naturalistic, elegant, and anatomically accurate.
Made of white marble, the statue was admired by artists and painters – and it influenced all types of outdoor sculpture and religious sculpture since.
A classicist in style, Michelangelo developed ways of doing sculpture that would influence everyone up to contemporary artists. And if you don’t know this sculpture, you’ve got a lot to learn!
Interesting Facts about David Statue
- The David statue is a renowned masterpiece created by the Italian artist Michelangelo. It is located in Florence, Italy. The statue depicts the biblical hero David, who defeated the giant Goliath.
- The David statue stands at approximately 17 feet (5.17 meters) tall, from the base to the top of the head.
- The statue represents the ideal male form and symbolizes courage, strength, and beauty.
Learn more about history's most famous sculpture artists!
Ecstasy of Santa Teresa (1652)
Capturing, and taking to their zenith, the Baroque principles of design, the Ecstasy of Santa Teresa by Gian Lorenzo Bernini rests in a church in Rome.
It has been a huge influence on modern art with its use of dynamism, characters in movement, and its engagement with its surrounding space.
It’s a bit of a controversial piece – as characterized in a famous Dan Brown novel – as there is something quite sensual about the position of the saint’s body.
Interesting Facts About Ecstasy of Santa Teresa
- The Ecstasy of Saint Teresa is a sculpture by Italian artist Gian Lorenzo Bernini. It depicts Saint Teresa of Ávila experiencing a mystical vision in which an angel pierces her heart with a golden arrow, causing her both pain and divine rapture.
- The sculpture "Ecstasy of Santa Teresa" can be found in the Cornaro Chapel of the Church of Santa Maria della Vittoria in Rome, Italy.
- Bernini worked on the sculpture for several years, starting in 1645 and completing it in 1652. He used a technique called "chiaroscuro" to create dramatic contrasts of light and shadow, which adds to the emotional impact of the sculpture.
Trevi Fountain (1762)
Remaining in Rome, the Trevi Fountain needs to have a place in this list. With its equestrian figures, gushing streams, and powerful swirling lines, this mammoth water feature is the most famous fountain in the world.
However, as this piece is not in an art museum or in one of the city’s cathedrals – but rather in the centre of town – it is often heaving with selfie-stick-wielding tourists capturing its gorgeous whiteness.
It is a piece of public art, commissioned originally by the Pope, and the resulting design was chosen through a competition. Again, this is sculpture used to show off prestige and power. Yet, given that the whole thing was influenced by the genius Bernini, it’s at least quite a stunning testament to wealth.
Interesting Facts About Trevi Fountain
- The fountain is known for its stunning Baroque design.
- One of the most iconic features of the Trevi Fountain is the central figure of Oceanus, the god of the sea, riding a chariot pulled by two sea horses. This statue stands at the center of the fountain and is surrounded by other mythical figures.
- The Trevi Fountain has been featured in several famous movies, including Federico Fellini's "La Dolce Vita" and Audrey Hepburn's "Roman Holiday."
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Psyche Revived by Cupid’s Kiss (1793)
One of our personal favourites in this list is the marble sculpture by Antonio Canova known as Psyche Revived by Cupid’s Kiss.
Depicting the Greek gods in passionate movement, Canova’s statue is absolutely representative of the neoclassical – and emerging, Romantic – movements of his age.
It is famous for having no single preferred viewpoint – with action happening at all different perspectives.
You’ll find it in the Louvre - one of the world's most important sculpture collections - with pretty much everything else.
Interesting facts about Psyche Revived by Cupid’s Kiss
- The sculpture "Psyche Revived by Cupid’s Kiss" depicts the mythological story of Psyche being revived by a kiss from Cupid after she was put to sleep by a potion.
- The sculpture "Psyche Revived by Cupid's Kiss" was created by the Italian sculptor Antonio Canova. Canova.
- There are replicas and copies of the sculpture "Psyche Revived by Cupid's Kiss." This famous sculpture was created by Italian artist Antonio Canova in the late 18th century. The original marble sculpture is housed in the Louvre Museum in Paris, France.
Statue of Liberty (1886)
In terms of sculpture as public art project, the Statue of Liberty is the most iconic, the most politically explicit, and obviously the most famous.
Stood on Liberty Island at the entrance to the docks of New York, this site specific work was intended to remind visitors and immigrants arriving by boat of the central values of the United States of America.
Interesting Facts about The Statue of Liberty
- The Statue of Liberty was a gift from the people of France to the United States, and it was dedicated on October 28, 1886, as a symbol of freedom and democracy.
- It was designed by Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi and Gustave Eiffel and dedicated on October 28, 1886.
- The statue stands 305 feet tall from the ground to the tip of its torch, and the pedestal upon which it stands adds another 154 feet, making for a total height of 459 feet.
The Thinker (1902)
Probably the most influential sculptor of the last two hundred years, Auguste Rodin brought modernism into sculpture and developed the artistic language that would go on to influence all of the aspects of abstract sculpture and contemporary sculpture: kinetic sculpture, glass sculpture, architectural sculpture, landscape gardens, paper sculpture and the like.
Whilst Rodin himself didn’t experiment with medium and material as much as his successors would, his impressionistic style took the pompous posing out of the art for good.
The Thinker is his most famous work, depicting a man sitting with his chin on his hand. And whilst, when we think of twentieth-century sculpture, we might immediately think more of Pablo Picasso and Brancusi, Rodin is where it all started.
Interesting Facts about The Thinker
- The sculpture was made by French artist Auguste Rodin.
- It was initially created in 1880 as part of a larger work called "The Gates of Hell," which was based on Dante's Divine Comedy.
- The original bronze cast of The Thinker can be found at the Musée Rodin in Paris, France.
Christ the Redeemer (1931)
Apparently, Rio de Janeiro’s famous image of Christ is one of the wonders of the modern world. We don’t know if it deserves quite this designation, but, as sculptures go, it’s pretty famous.
Standing high above the Brazilian city, this statue, like the Statue of Liberty in a way, communicates the values and ideals of the country in which it is placed.
Interesting facts about Christ the Redeemer
- It stands at a height of 98 feet and has a wingspan of 92 feet. The statue was designed by French sculptor Paul Landowski and was constructed by Brazilian engineer Heitor da Silva Costa.
- Christ the Redeemer is a symbol of Christianity and an important cultural icon of Brazil. It represents peace and welcomes visitors to the city.
- Christ the Redeemer was unveiled on October 12, 1931. This date is significant as it coincided with the 100th anniversary of Brazil's independence from Portugal.
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