Sculptures in the Renaissance became more lifelike. Skilled sculptors worked to recreate the human form, demonstrating the precision their tools. One of the most famous sculptures of the Renaissance period, Michelangelo's "David," depicted the religious hero nude, showing Michelangelo's skill at recreating the human body in stone. Similar works of the time also demonstrated this lifelike quality and attention to detail.
Renaissance sculpture adapted a new philosophy of art, suggesting that sculpture should be viewable from every angle. As a result, sculptors from the period began paying added attention to the details of their work from other angles. Sculptures were moved from the wall into the middle of rooms, allowing viewers to see the work from any angle of the room and appreciate this new attention to detail. As a result, sculpture became an art, independent of the architecture of its surroundings.
Sculptors in the Renaissance period began creating works that were much larger than previous artists. As an example, Michelangelo's David stood a full 17 feet tall. The increased size of Renaissance sculpture helped create an overwhelming feeling in viewers that added to the period's appeal and helped influence later artists. Additionally, this furthered the idea that a piece of sculpture was independent of the building where it was presented.
Renaissance sculptures began exploring emotion in their art and revealing this emotion through their increased detail. For instance, Michelangelo's "Pieta" depicted Mary holding the body of Christ after his crucifixion. In the work, the solemn look on her face depicts the emotion of a mother who had lost her son, while her pose is carefully constructed to depict a mother holding a child in her lap. The addition of strong emotion into Renaissance sculpture added a touching quality to the period's work that helps connect it to the emotions of its viewers.