Throughout history and even to the modern day, sculptures have served a variety of different purposes. Some of the many ways in which they are used across the world are listed below in detail.
Representation
Sculptures are used to represent many different aspects of our lives and societies, which is why they are so good for symbolism. This is why sculptures exist that depict the way that some people live their lives or even portray wild beasts, such as buffalo or moose. They are there to act as a reminder to us all of what has been, what is present, and what the future is, and so they are very important in what they do for us. Further to providing visual representation, sculptures also add to the beautiful surroundings that we find ourselves in. It cannot be denied that the right sculpture in the right place, can dramatically add to the overall aesthetics, transforming an otherwise empty space into a piece of art itself.
Honor
Creating sculpture portraits is an effective way of symbolizing an individual person and what they stand for in a way that everyone can see and understand. Throughout history, members of monarchies, such as kings and queens, have had their image carved into various different materials and then placed in strategic locations throughout their kingdom. This acted as a reminder to the masses of who was in charge. An example of where this happened during history is in ancient Egypt where the pharaohs created statues in their likeness in order to show off their strength compared to ordinary men and women. However, it is not just the ruling classes that have sculptures built in their honor, there are also famous celebrities, sports stars, and movie actors who have all had visual works of art created to represent what they have achieved in their lives. Some of the most famous sporting characters to have been immortalized through sculpture include basketball player Michael Jordan, footballer Cristiano Ronaldo, and even the fictional boxer Rocky Balboa.
Religion
Throughout history, sculptures have been a common way of showing association with a specific religion or sect within a religion. Prior to people developing the skills required to be able to read and write, the only way that religious leaders could deliver their message was through the art form of sculpture. In order to scare followers into abiding by the laws and rules set out in a particular religion, sculptures of demons and devils were created, so that although people could not read, they could clearly understand the message that they should repent or face these characters. In the times of Ancient Greece, a sculpture of the God Zeus was built at Olympia for the purpose of reminding everyone about the god and other gods as well.
A list of the best monumental bronze sculptures that have been created for the purposes of either representation, honor, and/or religion can be found on the link.
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