A traditional French system for classifying sculpture according to its relationship to the natural size of the human figure, from miniature works to colossal monuments.
Definition
L’Approche is the traditional French approach to understanding sculpture. It first classifies a work by its form and then by its scale relative to the natural dimensions of the subject.
The Two Great Families of Sculpture
Relief
Relief sculpture remains attached to a background plane and is intended primarily to be viewed from the front.
The Five Types of Relief
- Incised Relief – The image is cut into the surface.
- Relief Méplat (Schiacciato) – Extremely shallow relief using subtle changes in depth.
- Bas-Relief – Less than half the subject projects beyond the background.
- Demi-Relief – Approximately half the volume projects from the background.
- Haut-Relief – More than half the subject projects from the background with significant undercutting.
Sculpture in the Round (Ronde-Bosse)
Three-dimensional sculpture intended to occupy space independently of a background plane. Common forms include the statue, bust, torso, herm, and sculptural group.
Traditional French Statuary Scale
| French | English |
|---|---|
| Petite Nature | Small / Miniature |
| Demi-Nature | Half-Size (Échelle 1/2) |
| Grandeur Nature | Life-Size (Échelle 1) |
| Colossale | Colossal |
The Sculptors Lexicon Studio Extension
For contemporary studio practice the historical system may be expanded to: Miniature, Small, Half-Size, Three-Quarter Size, Life-Size, Heroic, Monumental, and Colossal.
Sculptor’s Perspective
Scale changes perception. Monumental sculpture is never simply an enlargement of a maquette; proportion, modeling, and surface must be reconsidered for viewing distance and architectural setting.
Etymology
From the French approche, meaning approach or method.
Sculptor Notes
Illustrate the five types of relief, sculpture in the round, and the traditional French statuary scale with Leonardo drawings.
References
https://www.pierres-info.fr/approche/index.html