Names of famous sculptors. The most famous and famous sculptures in the world

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- 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. Sculptural composition was erected 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

Completes the list famous statues city ​​symbol 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

Probably the sculptures appeared almost simultaneously with rock art. The figures of people are the same paintings, but only three-dimensional. What the author is trying to express is perceived much easier and better by us, because they are so similar to us and more tangible than, for example, portraits. We have collected 13 of the most famous sculptures, which were created in different times and became an example for admiration and imitation.

"Venus de Milo"

Perhaps this particular sculpture is the most recognizable, but the author has still not been identified. The only thing that is known for certain is the time of its creation - 130 BC. e. Now the statue of Venus de Milo is in the Louvre and is a source of national pride for the French. It is noteworthy that Venus does not only have hands. Initially, the stone girl had jewelry: bracelets, earrings, and a tiara. They disappeared a long time ago, but the holes for securing them are still visible in the marble.

"David"

The creator of “David” is Michelangelo Buonarroti, who lived in Italy during the Renaissance. His "David" is made in full height and does not rely on anything. The sculpture was supposed to become part of the architectural composition, but this did not happen for unknown reasons.

"Thinker"

“The Thinker” by O. Rodin is located in Paris. The model for the creation was the muscular boxer Jean Bo, who subsequently posed for the sculptor on several occasions. Initially, the master called his work “The Poet” and conceived it as an image of Dante. But the thin poet was in no way associated with muscles and strength. After The Thinker became a popular and recognized work of art, Rodin cast 10 more bronze copies.

"Discus thrower"

Another famous representative of ancient art is the “Discobolus” statue, which was cast in bronze back in 450 BC. e. Later, several marble copies appeared, but the original was lost without a trace. Presumably the author of the sculpture was a certain Myron, who was the first to bring to life the idea of ​​movement.

Christ the Redeemer Statue

It is the main attraction of Rio de Janeiro. Every year, to see this grandeur towering over the city, about 2 million tourists come here, ready to overcome 220 steps to get to the monument. Not long ago, the statue was included in the list of Wonders of the World. It was erected back in 1931, and its height is 38 meters.

Moai

Perhaps these are the most mysterious and mysterious sculptures that are located on Easter Island. 50 silent and monolithic giants are turned to face the center of the island. But who installed them and when is unknown. The natives claim that the statues can move independently.

Great Sphinx

Now the Sphinx has a sandy “color,” but during its “youth” it was covered with yellow and blue paint, the remains of which archaeologists were able to discover on its “body.” He also had a beard and a headdress. However, as a result of restoration work, these elements were damaged: part of the beard is still stored in British Museum, but the “cap” could not be restored.

Statue of Liberty

Her full name sounds like “Freedom illuminating the world.” The statue was presented to the Americans by the French, who supported the warlike policies of the state state. To deliver the Liberty to the United States, it had to be disassembled into 350 parts and loaded onto a ship. The difficulty of transportation was that total weight The sculpture exceeds 150 tons, and it took about 4 months to assemble and install the statue.

"Manneken Pis"

The most famous boy from Brussels has been “peeing” since about 1388, and since the 17th century there has been a tradition of dressing him up in a variety of costumes. More than 800 outfits are carefully stored in Royal Museum. Over the course of several centuries, the boy has been in the guise of Santa Claus, Count Dracula, Elvis, Mozart, and even tried on the uniform of the American military.

"The Little Mermaid"

The bronze “Little Mermaid” is not only a symbol of Copenhagen, but also of the whole of Denmark. There is a belief that as long as the little mermaid is safe, everything will be fine in the country. It is for this reason that the authorities passionately fight against vandals: throughout its existence, the girl has lost her head more than once, she has been doused with paint many times and even blown up.

"Nike of Samothrace"

The sculpture of the Goddess of Victory is the most valuable exhibit of the Louvre. She has neither arms nor a head, but this does not in the least prevent her from being a symbol of constant movement forward. Depending on which side you look at it, it is different, but always flying towards the goal.

"The Motherland is Calling"

This sculpture, like no other, conveys the tenacity of Soviet soldiers and selfless devotion to their homeland. In the original project there were two figures: a woman with a Red Banner in her hand and a soldier bowing before her. However, it was decided to abandon this idea, as well as the pedestal with magnificent decoration.

Maitreya Buddha statue

The Chinese Buddha Maitreya is carved into a rock and is located where 3 rivers merge in a dangerous whirlpool. According to legend, the statue was supposed to pacify the water element, and the creators partially succeeded: during the cutting process, stone fragments fell into the river and covered it. It took about 90 years to create one of the tallest monuments in the world.

Planning trip to Greece, many people are interested not only in comfortable hotels, but also in the fascinating history of 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 fine 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 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 human features - relaxed poses, an abstract look, a 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 natural beauty millions of tourists every year.

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 her 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 dying struggle with divine punishment, inspired many sculptors of the late Middle Ages and the Renaissance, and gave rise to a fashion for depicting 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 is 2.09 m high and depicts the supreme Greek god, who raised his right hand to throw lightning in 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 disappeared, which were presumably from ivory and inlaid 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 sporting victory, probably decorated the venue of the competitions 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 reflects 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 holds in her left hand removed clothes, which gently falls onto a 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, as they were reconstructed from 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 was made reveals the style of the 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

The bronze sculpture of a charioteer was discovered during excavations in 1896 at the Sanctuary of Apollo at Delphi, and is a classic example of 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 youth'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 archaism and early classicism - 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 of a weak 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 be as similar to them 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 have not reached modern times, they exact copies can be seen in many museums around the world.

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 of fine art: sculptures and statues are much stronger than such objects of art 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 an eternal and silent guardian of the valley 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 part, as well as 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.

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 in the northern part of the country, and during transportation of the statue, part of the plaster was broken off, and underneath it was 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 of the fairy tale of the same name by 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 at the moment the sculpture, more than 5 meters high, is located in the Florentine Academy 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 you can see copies of it in the world.

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 “ 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, they are located on Easter Island. The statues are carved from monolithic stone. There are 887 of them in total, all of different sizes and weights. The method, and most importantly, the reason for their establishment is unknown.

"Great Sphinx"- the oldest that has come down to us, grandiose sculptures. 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" manufactured French masters and given to the United States in 1885, 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 Belgium. Exact date and details of creation bronze sculpture height 61 cm 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.