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Sculptures

Sculpture is one of the most enduring forms of artistic expression, defined by its high-quality craftsmanship and technical skill. Spanning from antiquity through to contemporary practice, sculpture is used to examine form, space and the relationship between object, viewer and the environment.

Artists of the classical period established a standard of realism and anatomical precision that would influence the West for centuries. This legacy was revitalised during the Renaissance by masters such as Donatello and Michelangelo, who expanded the expressive possibilities of marble and bronze. The evolution continued through the Baroque works of Bernini, which appeared to be ‘living marble’, and then into the refined, elegant Neoclassicism of Antonio Canova.

Auguste Rodin, Alberto Giacometti, Constantin Brâncuși and Henry Moore redefined the human figure through radically new sculptural approaches in the 19th and 20th centuries. Outdoor sculpture broke free from the confines of a gallery, with artists like Barbara Hepworth and Richard Serra shaping works designed for open environments. Sculptures can be stripped back and conceptual, as in Donald Judd’s minimalist designs, or bold and playful, as seen in Yayoi Kusama’s iconic pumpkin forms.

Its materials are just as varied as its ideas — from traditional marble and bronze to the glass used in Roni Horn's work and the hand-carved woodwork of Martin Puryear. Across styles and eras, sculpture consistently transforms material into expressive three-dimensional experiences.