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sculptural
All techniques

Carving

Marble carving

A subtractive practice in which point, tooth, rasp, and abrasive reveal form from stone.

Detail of a carved Baroque marble group

Materials & tools

  • Marble
  • Point chisel
  • Tooth chisel
  • Rasps and abrasives

Marble carving proceeds from broad removal to increasingly fine definition. Because every cut is irreversible, sculptors often transfer measurements from a model before refining planes, texture, and polish.

The Met: Marble sculpture

The process

  1. 01

    Select and orient the block

  2. 02

    Transfer the model

  3. 03

    Rough out the mass

  4. 04

    Refine planes and details

  5. 05

    Finish or polish the surface