Analysis of the Sculpture of General William Tecumseh Sherman - Essay Example

Analysis of the sculpture of General William Tecumseh Sherman Introduction The General William Tecumseh Sherman monument located in the corner of the 60th street fifth avenue was made by an American sculptor named Augustus Saint-Gaudens. He trained in France, and he had the intention of promoting an aesthetic ideal, this is something he had seen happening in France (Reynolds, 113). The difference between a free standing sculpture and a relief sculpture is in the fact that; a relief sculpture normally resembles an image, with its dimensions engraved in a wall or flat surface. This sculpture can normally only be viewed from the front. A freestanding sculptor, on the other hand, is normally a three dimensional piece of artwork that can normally be viewed from all sides. The free standing sculpture can also be denoted as a sculpture in the round. The William Tecumseh monument is a free standing sculpture. This is because the sculpture stands separately and can be viewed in an angle of 360 degrees. For instance in this monument, the statue depicts Sherman on a horse, and in front of him is a woman depicting "Victory" pointing the way forward. The lady has a palm facade in the other hand. These features support the fact that the sculpture is free standing as all the features can be viewed all round. The sculpture is also free standing since; it is massive, and it also proves to be larger, than the life representation of a human figure. A freestanding sculpture normally represents a three-dimensional object (Reynolds, 113). This sculpture uses subtractive carving methods, which entail the removal material from a block, for instance stone. It also uses modeling methods, which shape the work from the material it is made from; in this case the sculpture is made from the metal bronze. To produce the work, techniques such as molding, stamping and casting are used. The sculpture is a monumental sculpture as it depicts a large piece of artwork (Reynolds, 114). The material used in this piece of work is metal, and the type of metal is bronze. Bronze is one of the oldest and most common metals for cast metal sculptures. The cast bronze sculpture can also be referred to as a bronze sculpture. In the early days, bronze and its alloys were commonly used because bronze had an unusual and desirable property of expanding before setting. This property has contributed to the use of bronze to date as it ensures the filling of the finest details of a sculptor. Its strength and its low ductility have also proved to be an advantage, for example, when a sculptor intends to create a figure of action for example, the William Tecumseh monument. This property has promoted the use of bronze, compared to ceramic or stone. When bronze as a metal is used in sculpturing, casting is normally employed. In this case, liquid bronze is normally converted into a mold containing a hollow cavity of the intended shape. The liquid bronze is then given time to solidify, after which it is ejected and molded or broken out to complete the process. This sculpture may have employed the process of casting, considering the complex shapes it has which may be difficult to make using other methods (Reynolds, 116). The medium used in this piece contributes to people’s response to the piece in that; the William Tecumseh monument, which is made of bronze, tends to attract a person’s focus with its momentum versions inside the patterns. People tend to locate the incredible bronze sculpture as it tempts them to think the sculptor is dwelling. The use of bronze in this sculptor has brought with it some elegance, and most people visiting the monument get carried away by its attractiveness. The sculptor tends to increase extra soul in the surrounding considering the material that has been used. The use of bronze as a material in the construction of the sculpture has enabled the sculpture to stay the same way, for decades without fading (Reynolds, 118). The tactile qualities of this artwork can be attributed to the material used in this case it is bronze. The use of bronze has enhanced some toughness, and durability in the William Tecumseh monument. It has resulted to meticulous quality results. These tactile qualities have also enhanced the humane beauty in the sculptor. The sculpture also depicts some smoothness which is as a result of the tactile properties of bronze used in this sculpture (Reynolds, 117). The scale of the work in reference to a viewer comprises a horse figure, which is approximately 14.6 inches, an equestrian figure whose height totals to about 15.6 inches, the genius of victory figure, with a height of approximately 10.6 inches. The statue also comprises, a pedestal, with a length of approximately 42.6 inches and a width of approximately 30.8 inches. The total height of the pedestal is 24.4 inches. The other feature in the sculpture is the plaque, which has a length of approximately 2.1 inches, and a width of ten inches (Reynolds, 120). The sculpture being a free standing sculpture is meant to be seen from all angles. Being a free standing sculpture, this sculpture can be viewed within an angle range of three hundred and sixty degrees. The features of the sculpture for instance human head, the shoulders and other features are noticeable from the full range of vision. They can also be seen from the front. The statue being large depicts the entire human body, though it has a subgenre of equestrian statues portraying a horse and a person riding horses (Reynolds, 125). The base in the Tecumseh Sherman monument, also known as the plinth has some advantage in supporting the sculpture. The base normally provides support to the sculpture in that it defines what the sculpture is mounted on. In this sculpture, the base is seen to be a pedestal, which tends to be cuboid in shape. The base may act as a foundation for the sculpture. The base is also seen to be of importance to the Tecumseh sculpture in that, in case of temperature changes; it allows for the expansion and contraction of the sculpture, considering it is made from a metal. From this, it is evident that the base can protect the sculpture from destruction. The base has also enhanced the creation of space in the area where the sculpture was placed enhancing a better view. This base has enhanced the organization of space, ensuring that everybody can have a proper view of the sculpture (Reynolds, 122). In conclusion, it is seen that the General Sherman Tecumseh monument, has different components that resemble different features. For example, the female figure present at the front of the sculpture represents a symbol of victory. The artist is seen to represent an abstract concept using allegorical figures (Reynolds, 125). Works Cited Reynolds, Donald Martin. Monuments and masterpieces: Histories and views of public sculptures in New York City. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company, 1988. Print. Read More