Sculpting is a complex art form, requiring absolute precision in proportions and texture in order to make the piece believable to our eyes. Some of the greatest artists are able to turn stone into softly pressed flesh or a billowing piece of cloth. They created these pieces using refined techniques and prior knowledge. The old renaissance sculptures used accuracy, texture and previous Roman and Greek techniques, styles and concepts to make their works.
Sculptors in the renaissance tried to be as accurate as possible with their renditions of the human body. A good example of the accuracy strived for in these works would be in Michelangelo’s David. This piece showcases David standing upright before his battle with Goliath. This sculpture accurately portrays the different muscle groups, most notably in the front with visible pectorals and abdominal muscles. The proportions of the limbs in this piece are realistically proportionate to the human body. …show more content…
With a good sense of texture one can make a slab of marble seem like soft cloth. This use of texture is often visible in the sculptor Bernini’s works; many of his works use texture, to name a few, The Ecstasy of Saint Theresa and The Rape of Proserpina. The Ecstasy of Saint Theresa displays its use of texture through the sculpting of the cloth. The Rape of Proserpina uses texture wonderfully with skin, specifically at the point where Pluto is grasping Proserpina Bernini managed to sculpt the flesh pressed by hands. These uses of texture further infused sculptures with a sense of realism along with