Maquette

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A maquette (sometimes referred to by the Italian name bozzetto) is a small scale model for a finished sculpture or architectural work. It is used to visualise and test shapes and ideas without incurring the cost and effort of producing a full scale product. It is the analogue of the painter's cartoon or sketch. For commissioned sculptures, especially monumental public sculptures, a maquette may be used to show the client how the finished work will fit in the proposed site. The term may also refer to a prototype for a video game or any other type of prototype.

These works in progress can be at least as much sought after as completed works by highly regarded artists, showing the process of developing an idea. Gian Lorenzo Bernini, a sculptor from the Baroque period, made his bozzetti from wax or baked terracotta to show his patrons how the final piece was intended to look. Eleven of these bozzetti were displayed in an exhibition at the Art Institute of Chicago in 2004.^[1] Some museums specialise in collections of maquettes, such as the Museo dei Bozzetti in Pietrasanta, Italy.

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Maquette at the Tate Gallery's glossary.