Classic sculptures

 A classical style is not very difficult to spot: it is figurative and the realism is carried to its maximum. Marble is the material most used for these creations. The whiteness of a statue and its great realism are often the two characteristics that designate a classical style. 

Above all, the classical style in sculpture mainly reproduces human bodies, such as bronze statues of men or women, in a wide range of forms. From children to old men, from horsemen to illustrious figures or beautiful women, classical sculpture likes to represent the human body as faithfully as possible and in all its diversity.
 

The materials used are mainly marble, stone, bronze and sometimes clay. The technique used is that of stone or the use of casts. Sculptors mainly use chisels. Nowadays, techniques can vary more widely, and they can also be deliberately diverted to create a contemporary work influenced by the classical style.
 

The history of the classical style begins in the Archaic period in ancient Greece. In the history of art, the first sculptures of this style can be recognized by the kouroi, which are statues of naked men in a standing position. The Egyptian influence is strong in this period. Realism was not yet very pronounced but soon developed. The classical period in ancient Greece was the real starting point: sculptors increasingly focused on human anatomy and the study of movement. It was during this period that the famous Doryphorus of Polyclitus was created. This was followed by the Hellenistic period in Greece, where sculptures became even more realistic and detailed. 

The emphasis is often on scenes of life or on the (highly developed) musculature of male subjects. The Roman period then took over this style. For a long time, Roman artists copied Greek artists and then developed their own style of sculpture. The emphasis is on the individual, especially on the important figures of the time (the Roman emperors, for example). Above all, the Romans invented portrait sculpture, such as the bust of the emperor Hadrian (127 AD). Later, the Renaissance turned to the past and took up the hitherto forgotten codes of classical sculpture. This revival allowed this style to endure in history and made possible its further development, such as the invention of the neoclassical style in the 18th century.
 

The classical style is attached to the ancient period but is also found later in history. It still has an influence on sculptors of all times. Because this style is oriented towards realism, it is an excellent way to learn sculpture, and above all, to know how to reproduce bodies faithfully. They are not all men of antiquity or of the Renaissance. The influence of ancient style is such that we find classical sculptors up to our contemporary time.

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