One of the major attractions of several tourist places in European cities is their stone sculptures. The Thinker in Paris, France; Venus de Milo, standing armless in the Louvre Museum is yet another famous attraction in Paris. David of Michelangelo, a classic example of Renaissance sculpture, is yet another famous sculpture known worldwide. Like these beauties, are you fond of stone sculptures too?
While it is not possible to decorate one’s home with these classic sculptures which are remnants of the best art movements of their respective times, some people have a liking for stone sculptures like these and embrace their presence in their homes.
Stone sculptures have a beautiful appearance, look magnificent, add tremendous charm to your home, and are quite easy to maintain.
Stone sculptures have been around for a long time. The abovementioned David of Michelangelo itself was created sometime around 1501-1504. These aren’t the only popular stone sculptures around the world.
Stone sculptures can be found in several countries across the world. Some of them are relatively new. The others date back to centuries ago. Popular stone sculptures around the world are different from each other in ways. Some are in the terms of the period when they were built, some are different in terms of the size of the sculpture, and some vary from one another in terms of the kind of stone used in the making of the sculpture.
Stones are not used only for sculpting statues of men and women or animals. Stones have also been extensively used for carving walls and pillars in forts and temples. For example, the Mughal forts found in India boast beautiful stone engravings and carvings.
A characteristic feature of Mughal architecture is the carving of “jaali” or net-like features which refers to a perforated stone or latticed screen. Such nets were created with an ornamental pattern constructed through the use of geometry and calligraphy.
Stone sculptures require delicate care for them to keep looking their best. The best ways to maintain the looks of your sculpture are cleaning, sealing, and polishing.
Things to keep in mind:
1. Albeit stone is a hard substance, it suffers natural wear and tears. To make up for this, it is important to clean your sculpture often.
2. Seal your sculpture. Sealing provides a protective layer to your sculpture. So you need to keep the quality of sealing in check and as soon as you think that the integrity of the seal is no longer the same, seal again. This will help the protective layer of the sculpture be protected and will ensure the long life of your sculpture.
3. Polish your sculpture frequently. People get their furniture, their jewelry polished as well. Polishing helps in maintaining the shine of the sculpture and is an important step towards maintaining your sculpture’s health and long life.
It is important to frequently polish your sculpture for these two reasons:
- Polishing enhances the natural beauty of the stone sculpture and maintains its shine.
- Polishing helps the protective seal stay better on the sculpture thus ensuring more protection for the sculpture
Stone polishing and sealing are methods that have been in use forever to maintain the stone sculpture’s health. Therefore, if you own a stone sculpture, make sure to follow these essential steps to take care of your sculpture.