What does sculpture mean?
Sculpture is a three-dimensional work of art produced by shaping materials such as stone, wood, clay, metal, or plaster through carving, modeling, casting, and related techniques. The term can also denote the artistic practice itself, as in a phrase such as modern sculpture, or the act of shaping an object into a sculptural form. A sculpture need not represent a recognizable subject: it may portray a person, an animal, an abstract arrangement, or an expressive physical form. The word is especially associated with carved stone and modeled clay, although its application extends to many media and modern fabrication methods. In everyday discussion, sculpture names the completed artwork, while sculpt refers more often to the process of making or shaping it. The term has a long history, deriving from the Latin verb scalpere, meaning “to carve or engrave.”
nounA sculpture is a three-dimensional work of art made by carving, modeling, casting, or otherwise shaping a material. By extension, “sculpture” refers to the art or practice of creating such works.
- A three-dimensional work of art, especially one carved or modeled in a solid material.
- The art or practice of making three-dimensional works of art.
- The act of carving, modeling, or shaping an object into a sculptural form.
"The gallery is renowned for its collection of modern sculpture."
"A visitor touched the bronze sculpture in the courtyard."
"She studied sculpture at college before becoming a portrait painter."
Use the plural when referring to multiple individual artworks or sculptural works.
"Several sculptures line the riverside path."
The word sculpture comes from a Latin root meaning “to carve,” so its history begins with the transformation of solid material into form.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does sculpture come from?
Sculpture derives from Latin sculptura, meaning a carving or engraved work, formed from the past participle of scalpere, “to carve or engrave.” English borrowed the word in the early 16th century for the activity or practice of carving, and its sense expanded over time to include works made by modeling and casting as well as carving. Its relatives include sculpt, sculptor, and sculptural, all of which continue the same Latin root.
Related word forms
How sculpture is actually used
The word is commonly used for three-dimensional artworks in materials such as stone, wood, clay, metal, or plaster. It can also refer collectively to an artist’s body of work or to the wider artistic practice.
Easily confused with sculpture
A sculpture is an artwork in the broader medium, which may include abstract forms, while a statue commonly represents a person, animal, or recognizable figure.
A sculpture is the finished three-dimensional artwork, whereas to sculpt is the action of shaping it.