How a Sculptor Works.
By Alfred T. Story.
HERE is, perhaps, no art that is less understood by the general public than that of the sculptor. The prevailing idea is that he takes a piece of stone or marble, and goes to work with hammer and chisel till his bust, statue, group, or whatever it may be, is produced. But although it is said that Michael Angelo could do this, it is open to doubt whether he ever did. Certain it is no modern sculptor would dare to attempt it, and chiefly—and in the first place—because a false stroke once made, it is impossible to rectify it, and the marble is spoiled.
Fig. 1.
Fig. 2.
Fig. 3.
Hence, in all important works, the sculptor's first care is to make a sketch of his proposed group or statue. This is called his sketch model; and, in making it, he goes to work exactly as he must needs do in executing the larger design. That is, he must, first of all, construct a framework upon which to build up his figure. Many persons suppose he merely takes a piece of clay of about the size of the proposed work, and gradually fashions his figure, or figures, out of that. Such, however, is not the case. The clay is taken bit by bit, and placed on the framework, or skeleton, where the anatomy requires it, great care being observed to preserve the relative size of the masses, and the exact angles of all the planes, which should be kept as square as possible. This is continued until something like the figure desired has been shaped. Then the details are worked in, either by the hand or by the proper modelling tools. The manner in which the figure grows into form and shapeliness will be seen from the accompanying photographs, which have been taken so as to exhibit the work at each stage. To do this two simple forms were deemed best—one that of a horse, the other the head of a sitter. By this means the reader is more easily enabled to grasp the a b c of the method. The photographs of the horse explain themselves. Fig. 1 shows the skeleton upon which it is built, Fig. 2 the form partly developed; while Fig. 3 exhibits the completing stage. As regards the photographs of the bust, more explanation is requisite. They do not
