SCULPTURE, the process of graving or cutting hard materials; from the Lat. sculpo, in Gr. glyph°. Its common application is to artistic carving or cutting. Sculpture is the art of expressing ideas or images in solid materials. In this sense processes which do not, strictly speaking, involve the cutting of hard substances are included in the term. Sculpture, as an art. includes the molding of soft materials as well. Clay, and even wax, have been in all ages of the art employed, sometimes for the purpose of sketches or models for reproduction in marble or metal, sometimes as the material of the finished work. The art of sculpture is as old as any that has been handed down to us. The Scriptures allude to the working of brass and other metals in the beginning of human society, and we read of the images of Laban carried off by his daughter. The great nations Of antiquity all practiced it, though only Nineveh and Egypt have left us anything like a fair representation of the state of the art in those early times. From the nature of this art its productions have proved more durable than those of painting, and have come down to us in more numerous instances even than works of architecture. While the latter have been destroyed, and their materials used up, works of sculpture, being smaller, have remained buried, and. from time to time have been reproduced for the instruction and enjoyment of modern nations.
As an art, or means of recording facts and representing ideas, sculpture has many disadvantages as compared with painting, neither color nor picturesque backgrounds being properly admissible in sculpture. To this rule, however, we shall find exceptions in the works of Ghiberti in the 15th century.
Sculptures are distinguished by different terms, according to the nature and com pleteness of the work. distinguished or figures completely represented are said to be " in the round." Those only partially detached from the mass or background are said to be "in relief." This. again, is called "high" or low relief," according as the figure stands fully or slightly above the mass behind it. The ancient Egyptians employed
another kind of relief, their figures being sunk below the surface, and only the prom inent portions remaing level with it. In this case the background or unoccupied space is not cut away, but the figures are worked downward into it. Another process is called " intaglio," the whole figure being regularly designed and molded, but " cut into" the material and inverted. Thus is usually applied to the making of gems and seals, Another sculptural process is that used in tile treatment of metals, As metals are both harder than stone and more valuable, it is not possible to cut or grave works out of masses of metal as is done in stone or gems. The metal is fused by heat, and the form is given it while in that state. This is done by first forming or molding the design in clay or other soft material. Round the model thus formed a mold is formed of sand, winch is prepared and pressed round it in a wet state till it takes the complete form of the mold, which is then removed, and the liquefied metal poured in. It takes the exact shape of the model by this means. These are said to be "cast," because of the casting of the liquid metal into the mold. Other processes, however, have in the finer works to be applied. The metal retains the rough surface of the sand in which it has chilled. It is therefore worked over with a graving tool to give it a final surface, and express every delicacy of form inteadad by the artist. In soma cases this " engraving" is in the form of ornamental design, such as dress, etc. Some times the whole design is engraved without any previous casting. In this case the metal has had its form given by " hammering" or " beating." The metal, hot in the ease of iron or bronze, or cold in the case of silver and gold, softer metals, is beaten on th anvil into its form. A coarser and deeper method of engraving is called " chasing," where deeper sinkings and bolder prominence are given to the different parts of tl•s design.