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Art & Art History vocabulary · Sculpture

Marble

Meaning in art & art history, with examples

/ˈmɑːrbəl/nounCore term

In art & art history, marble means: A hard stone, often white or with coloured veins, that can be carved and polished; it has been used for sculpture and buildings since ancient times.

In Turkish: mermer

How it is used

Sculptors carve, polish and work in marble, and labels name the type, such as Carrara or Parian marble. Ancient marble statues were originally painted, although most of the colour has disappeared over time.

Example sentences

  1. The statue was carved from a single block of Carrara marble.

  2. Scientists have found traces of paint on many ancient marble sculptures.

Common collocations

  • carve in marble
  • white marble
  • marble statue
  • block of marble
  • polished marble
  • sculptureA three-dimensional artwork made by carving, modelling, casting or assembling materials such as stone, metal, wood or clay; also the art of making such works.
  • carveTo make a sculpture or design by cutting away material from a solid block of stone, wood or ivory.
  • statueA sculpture of a person or animal, usually life-size or larger and free-standing, often made of stone or metal and placed in a public space.
  • bustA sculpture of a person's head and neck, usually with the shoulders and upper chest.

More terms: Sculpture

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