Sculpture

/ˈskʌlptʃər/ noun

Definition

A sculpture is a three-dimensional work of art made by shaping or carving materials such as stone, metal, wood, or clay.

Etymology

From Latin “sculptura” meaning “the art of carving,” from “sculpere” meaning “to carve.” It has long been tied to physical shaping of solid materials.

Kelly Says

Unlike a painting, a sculpture changes as you walk around it—every angle creates a new picture. Your movement becomes part of how the artwork is experienced.

Translations

AFAfrikaans
beeldhouwerk
AMአማርኛ
ጥረቢያ
ARالعربية
نحت
BGБългарски
скулптура
BNবাংলা
ভাস্কর্য
CACatalà
escultura
CSČeština
socha
DADansk
skulptur
DEDeutsch
Skulptur
ELΕλληνικά
γλυπτική
ESEspañol
escultura
ETEesti
skulptuur
EUEuskara
eskultura
FAفارسی
مجسمه
FISuomi
veistos
FRFrançais
sculpture
GLGalego
escultura
HEעברית
פסל
HIहिन्दी
मूर्ति
HRHrvatski
kiparstvo
HUMagyar
szobor
IDBahasa Indonesia
patung
ITItaliano
scultura
JA日本語
彫刻
KO한국어
조각
LTLietuvių
skulptūra
LVLatviešu
tēlniecība
MNМонгол
баримал
MSBahasa Melayu
arca
MYမြန်မာ
ပန်းပု
NLNederlands
beeldhouwkunst
NONorsk
skulptur
PLPolski
rzeźba
PTPortuguês
escultura
RORomână
sculptură
RUРусский
скульптура
SKSlovenčina
socha
SLSlovenščina
kiparstvo
SRСрпски
вајарство
SVSvenska
skulptur
SWKiswahili
sanamu
TAதமிழ்
சிற்பம்
TEతెలుగు
శిల్పం
THไทย
ประติมากรรม
TRTürkçe
heykel
UKУкраїнська
скульптура
URاردو
مجسمہ
VITiếng Việt
điêu khắc
ZH中文
雕塑

Ethical Language Guidance

Gender History

Sculpture as a field has often favored male creators and male subjects, with women’s bodies used as objects and women sculptors marginalized. Canonical sculpture histories have underrepresented works by women and non-Western artists.

Inclusive Usage

Discuss sculpture by acknowledging diverse creators and subjects; avoid assuming classical male-centered canons as the default.

Inclusive Alternatives

["3D artwork","statuary (where appropriate)"]

Empowerment Note

Highlighting sculptures by women and gender-minority artists helps correct museum and textbook biases that have long sidelined their work.

Related Words

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