STONE CARVING To a sculptor, in the true sense of the word (sculpere, to carve), a knowledge of the nature of marble is essential, for in marble he visualizes his finished work. However, it often happens that he is ignorant through lack of previous training of the very corner stone of his education as a sculptor, and has to entrust the execution of his work to men, who, though skilled in the art of carving, may not possess the artistic fire of the creator. There is a distinction in the words sculptor and carver. Michelangelo was a sculptor, because he wrested his creations from the stone with his own hands; the artisan, who copies in stone from the model given him by the artist, is a carver, who, often, may not have any knowledge of art, and works to the best of his mechanical ability, upon the work entrusted to his skill.
Marble, because of its texture and consistency, as well as its workable qualities, is the stone best suited to the needs of the sculptor, and for the sake of his art he should be taught early the nature of it, and the way of using it. It is as essential as the academic studies of geometry, perspective, anatomy and form (for Nature herself created it for her glory).
The Etruscans, too, knew and made models in plaster, as well as the Greeks, and certainly, the Tuscan artists of a later day. The model itself, however, is nothing but a sketch, an idea, which must later complete itself under the chisel, upon the marble.
After a little familiarity with the subject it is possible, by means of a few points and measurements, to give form to a marble statue; with the help of a small sketch a life size statue may be executed, or one even larger than life, by beginning with the gradual indication of the lines and principal reliefs. For this
indication it will be necessary to use pointed tools. Then with the aid of compasses, measurements are made between the small model and the marble block, to make sure that the finished work will be done in accurate proportion. The statue to be executed is then blocked out in form, always with the help of the pointed tool, taking care to make the indications parsimoniously, though fearlessly. When the pointing is satisfactory, with just regard for reliefs and accurate values, a dented chisel is used, care being taken that the work is done always with due regard for the whole, and avoiding isolating the more fragile details when they are not closely linked with the principal form. This first work on the stone must be maintained at only one value, and care must be taken that no deep cavities are made, which might prevent the making of possible slight changes. When the statue has reached this state, the main plan of the finished work being clearly mapped out, it is placed upon a turning table that is at once manageable and very solidly constructed, so that the blows of the hammer will not cause any oscillations. Approaching the block with greater precision, the sculptor next begins the main work, start ing with the head of the statue. Unlike modelling in clay, wherein from the small one proceeds to the larger and main object, in sculpture one starts with the whole and gradually arrives at the achieved statue as the artist had planned it. For this reason it is necessary upon beginning to work on the model with hammer and dented chisel, to approach with caution and precision toward the release of the final forms. Geometrical working, upon the principles of right angles and squares, has ever been the method of the great masters.