Th e Interdependence of Modeling Techniques and Plastic Procedures in the Making of Moldovan Sculptural Nudes

Abstract

Th ere are many various materials suitable for the creation of sculptural nudes, but they are almost identical to those which used to create a sculptural portrait. Among them there are clay, stone (from limestone and granite to marble and some semi-precious stones), metals (bronze, aluminum, silver, gold), wood (of various types), wax (as a preliminary material), plasticine (which is also used for sketches) and gypsum (intended for casting works). J.J. Winckelmann wrote: “Visual arts begin with modeling in clay; then there was modeling in wood, then it was in ivory, and fi nally stone and metal were processed.” Th e interdependence of modeling and plastic techniques in creating nudity makes it more expressive. Th us, the choice of material for creating “nude” is not accidental. Th e modeling technique or, in other words, the quality of the rendering of the external surface, helps to reveal the artistic message of the work.