Sculptures provide an ethnographic record of our history and never cease to engage us because of the human interest. Some of the oldest known portrait sculptures are of Egyptians and they are found on tombs, but bronze sculptures have been found in the tombs of Chinese emperors, in Pompeii and around Mesopotamia. Early sculptures were made from clay and stone, but the discovery of the ability to smelt metal led to bronze becoming a popular medium.

The Industrial revolution enabled foundries to spring up all over the place and people desired to have their likeness cast in metal. Paris was a particular hub for sculptors in the 1800′s and the art form drew in people from far and wide to make use of the talents of the artists. Although the first portrait sculptures were only accessible to the wealthy or famous, they are now more widely available. However, they are still a luxury item as they require the skills of trained artist. Even today, the portrait sculptor is not out of business. In fact, we have not diminished our desire for portraits at all and they are still commissioned to honour and give public recognition to the dead, such as Nelson in Trafalgar Square, London. A sculpture of a fellow human helps to preserve their memory and honour them, and maybe this could be the reason for our enduring love affair with them.

Sculpture like most forms of art is created with the idea of expressing a view. That view can be personal, political, religious, or other in nature. Invariably the view is meant to also meant to trigger an emotion in the heart and head of the viewer. Determining the quality of a sculpture is very difficult and is subjective as best. Artists as well as artist styles go in and out of vogue. But generally, any sculpture which can cause an emotion whether it is bringing tears to your eyes or joy to your heart can safely be considered art by most people.

A sculpture, even if not particularly distinctive in and of itself, can also be considered art if has influenced other major artist or art pieces. Paintings and sculptures also seem to attain “art” status as they survive the passage of time. That is why prehistoric drawings that you see in museums are treated as art even though they would not pass muster if an art student painted them today. Sculpture is a unique form of art – related to but separate from painting, music, poetry, and writing. Unlike the others, a sculpture is a three dimensional work of art. From its very beginnings, a sculpture was meant to last. Sculpture pieces were created using materials that themselves had passed the test of time – stone and marble, hard metals such as gold and silver, and wood.

One reason art is so hard to define is that artists, especially the creative ones, are often attempting to break the mold, to create something new. They want to create something unlike anything else around. And many times when that happens, the people of that time aren’t willing to accept the work as art. It’s just too far ahead of its time. Then later, if it lasts, people gradually begin to see the layers of complexity in it. They begin to understand and appreciate its meanings and nuances. Early and even some later Pablo Picasso sculptures are a perfect example of this. When Picasso’s 50 foot high untitled sculpture was first placed in Chicago’s Civic Center Plaza. Many considered it a monstrosity. Some newspapers panned it. And now, what was once so controversial, has become an undisputed landmark for the city of Chicago.

Unlike stone sculpting, metal sculpture can be painted and polished to create additional effects. Also, metal sculpture is not limited to the use of metal alone. The final work of art can have metal combined with other materials such as wood, rubber and plastic, to create a variety of effects and meanings.

Metal sculpture also need not be static. Pieces of metal may be joined to each other in such a way that there is flexibility that allows the sculpture to bend and moves, as in the case of a working weather vane held in the raised hand of a human figure. A more modern take on this is the motorized metal sculpture. Electric and even gasoline engines are fixed to a sculpture allowing parts of it to move with mechanized precision.

Metal sculpture comes in all sizes from a one inch statue of a Pixie to a ten plus foot tall sculpture of an Amazon. Metal sculpture need not be realistic. Surreal creations using wired shapes and things found in a junk yard or at the back of a garage can be combined into great works of art. These is also almost no limit to the materials that can be used for metal sculpture. Any metal that can be cast, joined or shaped – which with today’s technology is nearly everything – can be used for creating meal sculptures.

And these works of art no not need to be only decorative. Metal sculpture can be designed or modified for practical applications. A sculpture with a flat top may be used as a table. One which is slim and tall maybe converted into a lamp. A small hollow one can be converted into a decorative flower pot. Unlike stone sculpture which are fragile in nature, metal is strong and if the design permits, any number of practical applications are possible.