Canvas vs Stone

“Because a sculptor makes a man, like God makes a man.”

Bernardo held out his open palm, as though he were cupping something solid. 

“Just like He makes olive trees and grapes.

Pleased with himself, he sat tall on the donkey and looking straight ahead over the donkey’s bobbing head for a long time.

“But to make a man feel like there’s flesh and blood and a beating heart on a flat wall, that’s the highest genius of all,” Salvatore said.

“Spreading paint is easier than hammering stone.  It doesn’t ask as much of a man.”

“That’s ridiculous.”

“It’s easier on the back,” Bernardo said scornfully, looking down at Salvatore walking in the road.  His long ears looked just like the ass’s ears.

“You’ve got pebbles for eyes.”

“You’ve got pudding for a brain.”

Life Studies by Susan Vreeland p. 181

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That is a big debate isn’t it.  Which is more artistic or difficult …doing a sculpture trying to make it human or painting on a canvas to make it feel human.

One of the most remarkable sculptures is that of Gian Lorenzo Bernini called the “Rape of Proserpina” which he did when he was only 23 years old!  The indentation of his fingers on her flesh is just amazing and shows a force on the woman that she is not welcoming.

I think sculpture would be much harder and less forgiving especially if made out of stone!