Page:Catholic Encyclopedia, volume 13.djvu/712

 SCULPTURE

646

SCULPTURE

the period. At all events a great number of these works bear testimonj' to the lively religious interest and also to the seK-sacrifice of that much-condemned age. Furthermore, the Baroque sculptures should not be considered by themselves, but in connexion with the surrounding architecture. This period was ush- ered in by a man who enchained the mind of his contemporaries as hardly any artist has ever done, Lorenzo Bernini, the favourite of six popes. Among others who worked in his spirit was Alessandro Al- gardi (d. 1653); but more independent of his influ- ence was Stefano Maderna (d. 1G36). The paths pointed out by Bernini led sculpture to an abyss, from which no great spirit rescued it. It sank into tri\-iality, exaggerated naturahsm, and virtuosity.

Modern sculpture outside of Italy is in the main dependent on the development of Itahan art. In France, where the Renaissance entered towards the end of the fifteenth century, sculpture, while preserving national peculiarities, is characterized by a sim- ple, sometimes crude naturalism. It attained an im- portant development on the Loire, with Tours as a centre, and Michael Colombe (d. 1512) as chief mas- ter. Not until the middle of the sixteenth century did the Italian influence become so powerful that French sculpture may be said to have reached its zenith. The most important representatives are Jean Goujon, Bontemps, and Pierre Pilon. The work of these sculptors, notwithstanding great for- mal beauty and technical ability, reveals a certain coldness and smoothness; and since 1560 secular sub- jects are preferred. This is even more the case with the younger generation represented by Pierre Pujet, Francois Giradon, and Antoine Coysevox, whose works bear a specifically French imprint, a certain affected, stilted, and theatrical quality, which in the eighteenth century degenerates into an insipid elegance.

In the Netherlands, as elsewhere, native and Italian influences contended with each other until the latter gained ascendency. Here besides some fine choir stalls were produced pulpits of a grandeur and mag- nificence unrivalled in other countries. The stairway, the body of the pulpit, and the sounding-board were treated as a single ornamental structure decorated with statues and carvings. Splendid examples of this sort are the pulpits of the cathedrals of Antwerp by the master, van der Voort, and the Church of St. Gudule in Brussels by Henri Francois Verbriiggen (1655-1724). Other important Flemish sculptors are Francois Duquesnoy (d. 1646), who was a contem- porary of Bernini, under whose influence he carved St. Andrew in the cupola of St. Peter's at Rome; his pupils Arthur Quellinus and Adrain de Fries must also be mentioned.

During the Renaissance period Spanish sculpture was chiefly of a decorative character, and was dis- played especially on the faf.-ades of the churches and palaces and in the towering gilded wooden pulpits (rctahloH). Favourable to its growth was the Spanish custom of erecting in th(! churches sculptured scenes from the Passion and carrying them in processions. One of the most interesting masters is Damian For- ment Cd. 1533), who considered himself the equal of Phidias and Praxiteles; one of his ablest works is a relahlos in the Cathedral del Pilar at Zaragoza. During the lat« Renaissance Pedro de Mena (d. 1693) carved for the church of Malaga forty-two statuettes of such beauty and individuality that they must be numbered among the most important works of all modern sculpture. In England there was no native sculpture for several generations after the disappear- ance of the Gothic style. The first sculptor who was again able to create a living art was Nicholas Stone fl.'>86-1647); the first fo labour in the spirit of the Renaissance wa« Grinling Gibbons, whose finest fleco- rative works arc in St. Paul's, London, and in Trin-

ity College, Oxford. From the complicated and af- fected traits which the works of this period show, sculpture at a later period went to the opposite ex- treme; the first artist to return to the supposed classi- cal purity and severity was Thomas Banks (1735- 1805).

It is not true that Germany until 1500 produced only unimportant works as has often been main- tained. On the contrary the second flower of Ger- man Renaissance sculpture lasted till 1550, and many able masters date from that period. Contemporary with Peter Vischer flourished Pancraz Labewolf (d. 1563), Adolf Dauer (d. 1537), Gregor Erhardt (d. 1540), Hans Backofen (d. 1519), Heinrich and Jo- hann Douvermann (d. 1540), and others. Two mas- ters of the first rank belonging to a later period are Andreas Sliiter (d. 1714) in Berlin and Raphael Don- ner (d. 1741) in Austria.

Under the impetus of the movement for the revival of classical antiquity inspired by Winkelmann, sculp- ture in the nineteenth century achieved an unex- pected development, but it produced but one master who was recognized Ijy all nations as pre-eminent, the Dane, Bertel Thorwaldsen. His numerous works breathe the Classic spirit, and are to a great extent taken from antique subjects. Among his few Chris- tian works "Christ and the Twelve Apostles" in the Frauenkirche at Copenhagen are especiallj'^ cele- brated. Thorwaldsen had many imitators, partic- ularly in Germany. At Munich L. Schwanthaler represented the Classical tendencies under the patron- age of the romantically inclined Ludwig I. In North Germany Schadow and particularly Ranch followed native tendencies, as did also Rietschl, whose "Pieta" is one of the most important modern works of a re- ligious character. After the great wars and victories (1866-70) numerous sculptors filled the public places of German cities with monumental statues, but in these real art is far too frequently eclipsed by trivial and affected accessories. An artist who devoted himself exclusively to religious sculpture was the Westphalian Achtermann (d. 1885), who again created works of deep religious sentiment. Of the now living sculptors we mention Bolte in Miinster, who is a follower of hia countrj^man Achtermann, and George Busch in Mu- nich, who is remarkable for the power and breadth of his creations.

Whereas sculpture in Italy is distinguished by its technical bravure rather than by its spiritual ex- cellences, French sculpture has for a long time taken the lead in the modern development, not only by reason of its admirable treatment of the most varied materials, but also through its universality of thought. Lately indeed an unpleasant naturalism has made itself increasingly felt, even leading to the destruction of plastic form. A pioneer in this dan- gerous i)ath was Rodin whose works have b(>en ad- mired by many as almost wonders f)f the world. At the same time a more ideal teiideiify flourishes, the chief representative of which is Hurtliolome, the sculp- tor of the celebrated tomb at Pere-Lachaise in Paris, which is perhaps the greatest achievement of French sculpture in the nineteenth century.

Babelon, tr. EvETTS, Maniuil of Oriental Antiquitien (London, 1889); Mitchell, A History of Ancient Sculpture (London, 1883); FuRTWANOLER, Mcislerwerkc der griechischen Plaslik (Leipzig- Berlin, 1893) ; OvERBECK, Geschichtc der griechischen Plnstxk (Leipzig, 1893); Kuhn, Geschichte der PlaMik (Einsindcin, 1909); LCbke, Geschichte der Plaslik (2nd cd., LripziR, 1880); J. Soren- BEN, Malerei, Dildnerei n. SchmUekende Kunsl (FrfihurR, 1901); Kleinschmidt, Geschichte der christlichen Kunst (Paorn, 1910); (loNHF, //O sculpture frnn^aise depuis le 1/,. siicle (Puri.s, 189.''>); Reymond, La sculpture florentine (Florenne. 1897-98); Reber and Bayersderfer, Klassischer Skulpturen-Schatz (Mu- nich, 1900) ; Armstrong, Art in Great Hrilain and Ireland (London, 1909); Marqttand and Frothinoham, Hist, of Sculpture (Nhw York, 1897); Short, l/isl. of Sculpture (London. 1907).

BeDA KLEIN'SrHMlDT.

ScTTLPTURE. In England. — The principal representa- tive of the classical tendency in English sculpture was