Great sculpts - in all sizes!

[PaulinKendal]

I'd love to see your pictures of great statues. For me, a great sculpt is the starting point for a great finished figure (and a poor sculpt is very difficult to redeem with paint).

Sculpts come in all sizes, of course, and statues can be inspirational.

I'm currently touring Italy for a few weeks (lucky me). We're in Turin right now, and we stumbled across this frankly astonishing statue of Prince Ferdinand of Savoy, stepping off as his injured horse collapses beneath him. I would give my eye teeth for a miniature of similar dynamism and creativity - I think it's just out of this world.



Perhaps you have a picture of a statue that breaks the rather static mould of Old White Dude on a horse? Do please share!

[john hutton]

Paul,
Lucky you indeed. Agree with what you say and that is a great piece of artwork, very striking if unusual subject matter.

[Steve Ski]

Ya know, if you could get a 3D printing programmer to take a serious look at this you just might be able to get one printed. This is definitely an awesome action figure worthy of the brush. Excellent find, Paul!

[PaulinKendal]

Thanks guys.

What I find incredible is that this statue ever actually got made. Was the sculptor specifically commissioned to produce such a radical image? Or did he just think "I'll produce a statue totally different to anything that's gone before"?

I guess the sculptor would have had to submit a maquette to the commissioning body. So not only was he trying something wildly new, but they had to say "Yeah, we like it, go for it!"

Whatever, I'm glad they said yes.

[Tim Marlow]

Certainly dynamic sculpt Paul. However, looking at it critically, I would say your second shot shows that his neck is a bit too long…..but that may be adoption artistic licence done so that his head is more obvious when you look up at the sculpture from below.
As to artists not producing what was expected, look at Turner’s “Field of Waterloo”. Commissioned by the Duke of Wellington, it was probably not the image expected when it was first displayed…..Butler’s “Scotland Forever” it ain’t!

[Andy the Sheep]

I have always loved that statue, Paulin. As you probably gussed I'm from Turin. . I think you will find many interesting bronze statue there. May I suggest to have a look at the Armeria Reale (Royal Armoury) in Piazza Castello between the Royal Palace and the Regio theatre? You'll find a wonderful collection of XVI - XVII century armours. Moreover, have a look at the artillery museum in what is left of the old Turin citadel: it's small but with very interesting weapons... and it's free.

[Andy the Sheep]

Certainly dynamic sculpt Paul. However, looking at it critically, I would say your second shot shows that his neck is a bit too long…..but that may be adoption artistic licence done so that his head is more obvious when you look up at the sculpture from below.
As to artists not producing what was expected, look at Turner’s “Field of Waterloo”. Commissioned by the Duke of Wellington, it was probably not the image expected when it was first displayed…..Butler’s “Scotland Forever” it ain’t!

The statue of king Vittorio Emanuele II placed on a high column at the crossing of corso Vittorio Emanuele Ii and corso Re Umberto was built with shortened legs on porpouse due to the peculiar perspective from the street.

[PaulinKendal]

Here are those images, resized.

[PaulinKendal]

One more great statue from my travels in Italy. This is the 15th century maniacal preacher, zealot and extremist monk Girolamo Savonarola, sculpted by Stefano Galletti in 1875. What I love about the statue (apart from the fabulously dynamic pose of this firebrand preacher), is the base.

Savonarola condemned many everyday items as potentially leading us into corruption and immorality. On 7th Feb 1497 he urged his followers to burn these items on what came to be known as 'the Bonfire of the Vanities'. He burned secular books, artworks, musical instruments, even cosmetics and mirrors.

As he became more extreme, Savonarola defied the Pope, was excommunicated and ultimately hanged and burned to death. The pile of firewood he stands on is a clever reference to these two key moments in Savonarola's life - and death.

[PaulinKendal]

Seem to have forgotten to add the actual pictures of Savonarola!