Figure 1.--Here is an Egyptian sculpture of the boy pharoe Tutenkamen. We do not have any details about the sculpture at this time. Of scourse the most famous sculpture of him is the magnificent golden face mask.

Man has used sculpture as a form of expression since pre-historic times. Some of the earliest sculpture finds are not realistic expressions. This of course is important for HBC as our interest is in realism because we are looking for detailed depictions of fashion. With the rise of civilization, more realistic sculptures appeared, in part because of developing technology and refinement of skill. The Greeks developed sculpture to a new level, moving away from the rigidity of archaic forms. Greek scuplture during the the classical and Hellenistic eras focused on the idealization of its primary subject--the human form. This tells us little about fashion, but of course a great deal about intelectual development. Sculpture as an art form declibed after the Hellenistic era until the European Renaisance. Modern scuplture has moved away from realism as has art in general, presumably reflecting the impact of photography.

Pre-History

Man has used sculpture as a form of expression since pre-historic times. The prehistoric art known to art historians is primarily parietal art meaning mostlt cave art. This consists primarily of cave painting and cave petroglyphs. Pre-historical sculpture is much less common. There was no monumental sculpture. The first sculptures were small portable item which meant that they were less likely to survive to modern times. But as three dimensional art is more of a challenge than two-dimensional art (drawing). Some of the earliest sculpture finds are not realistic expressions. This of course is important for HBC as our interest is in realism because we are looking for detailed depictions of fashion. Another issue was the human mind. Anatomicall modern man appeared and replaced Neanderthals (50,000-20,000 BP). It is as this time tha the first realistic depiction of humans appeared. Stone Age men was more concerned with animals than people. Only at the end of the Stone Age do we have sculptural depictioins. The arliest know depiction of beauty is known today as the Venus of Brassempouy believed to date to about 25,000 BP. There are no known sculptural depictiions of children.

Ancient Civilizations

With the rise of civilization, more realistic sculptures appeared, in part because of developing technology and refinement of skill. Here economics was incolved. Individuals could devote their entire lives to artisanry and specific skills, including artisanry. The greater the wealth of the society, the highrer the quality of the work that could be achived. The first master works in sculpture came from the River Valley civilizations. Egypt and Mesopotamia produced a great number and variety of sculptures. Some especially in Egypt were monumental works. These were works created for both political statements and religious ritual. And curiously only in Egypt so we find sculptures of children, beginning in the Old Kingdom. We note them done in both in clay and ivory. Egyptian sculptures are not as highly regarded in artisic terms as subsequnt classical sculpture because they are not as realistic. It should not be thought that Egyptian sculptors were not as capable. It is just that the Egyptians developed a style of sculpture and art and there was no impetus to change. Early Greek sculpture shows many of the charactristics of Egyptian sculpture, but unlike the Egyptians, the Greks did not endlessly repeat the same same style, there devloped a dive for realism never achived by any other ancient society. The Greeks developed sculpture to a new level, moving away from the rigidity of archaic forms. Greek scuplture during the the classical and Hellenistic eras focused on the idealization of its primary subject--the human form. This tells us little about fashion, but of course a great deal about intelectual development. The Greek work were such magnificent works that they served as the ideal for nearly two millenia of European sculptures and still leave us in awe today. Sculpture was also imporant in Rome and was an evn richer society. The Romans poduced vast numbers of sculptures to decorate both private and public spaces. There was, howevr, no further refinement of Greek forms which even the Romans egarded as the peak of perfection.

Native Americans

Sculpture in the Americas developed primarily to adorn temples. They were largely symbolic to depict gods and ritual figures. They thus did not leave us depictions of clothing, although the limited numbers of paintings surviving the Spanish Conquista did provide some information.

Renaisance

Sculpture as an art form declibed after the Hellenistic era until the European Renaisance.

Modern Sculpture

Modern scuplture has moved away from realism as has art in general, presumably reflecting the impact of photography.

Created: 2:58 PM 1/19/2007
Last updated: 12:08 AM 10/4/2020