The most fascinating sculptures to see in Italy once in a lifetime

Italy has a boundless artistic and cultural heritage, its works bear witness to centuries of creativity. Sculpture is the most intriguing of all artistic applications, transforming matter, giving it a shape, giving it a story, making it alive is one of the most evocative artistic acts, delivers the artist's genius to the observer.

The art of sculpture in Italy has ancient origins starting from the classical period, passing through the sublime Renaissance, the Baroque, up to modern and contemporary sculpture. In this article we will take you to discover the most famous and fascinating sculptures to see in Italy and in addition to the most famous works you will find some curious and evocative gems on sculptures to discover outside the cities of Florence and Rome.

For our itinerary in search of the most fascinating sculptures in Italy, we will start from where it all began: the classical period. In this era, sculpture has a strong Greek influence and is characterized by a search for formal perfection and a more harmonious and organic representation of the human figure, through an accurate study of anatomy. One of the sculptural masterpieces of classical art is the Group of Laocoon and his sons preserved in the Vatican Museums, it is undoubtedly one of the sculptures that is absolutely worth seeing among the countless ones present in the Vatican Museums. It is a marble sculpture more than 3 meters high, in which we perceive all the drama of Laocoon and his sons attacked by sea serpents. The statue was found in 1506 in a vineyard on the Oppian Hill.

A fundamental sculpture for understanding the history of Ancient Rome is the Capitoline Wolf, preserved in the Capitoline Museums in Rome, a life-size bronze sculpture of the Wolf suckling the twins Romulus and Remus. The two twins who gave life to the great Rome could only have the protection of a fearsome beast. Inside the Capitoline Museums there are many sculptures from the classical period. Consider that both of these museums are included in the Visit Rome Pass, a single App that includes access to Rome’s main attractions and unlimited use of the city’s public transport.

The most fascinating sculptures of the Classical Period: 

The group of Laocoon and his sons – Vatican Museums

The Capitoline Wolf – Capitoline Museums

Our itinerary continues in the flourishing period of the Renaissance, Rome and Florence are the two main cities where you can see the most famous sculptures of this historical period. Let's start with what is rightfully considered an absolute masterpiece of the Renaissance era: Michelangelo's David, created by the artist when he was only 26 years old. The David is kept in the Gallerie dell'Accademia in Florence, and is a white marble statue just over 5 meters tall, Michelangelo was inspired by the perfection of classical art and today the David is considered an ideal of male beauty. It took the artist 3 years to sculpt it. Staying in the area, but moving about 12 km north outside Florence, another Renaissance sculpture, very curious and fascinating, is the Colossus of the Apennines located in the Medici Park of Pratolino.

In the Renaissance another city becomes the protagonist for art and sculpture, we are talking about Rome, in the capital of Italy wherever you turn you discover magnificent pieces of Renaissance art, the most fascinating and precious is Michelangelo's Pietà inside St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican, the marble sculpture represents the Virgin Mary holding the body of the dead Christ. The sculpture is today behind a glass case, inside a side chapel at the entrance to the Basilica, this is because a mythomaniac tried to damage the structure. Also by Michelangelo is the sculpture of Moses preserved in the splendid Basilica of San Pietro in Vincoli in Rome. If you are wondering if there are famous and interesting sculptures outside Rome, the answer is yes, a very curious and suggestive destination could be to reach the park of the Monsters of Bomarzo, also from the Renaissance period and get lost in the woods in search of the most fascinating sculptures.

The most fascinating sculptures of the Renaissance: 

David by Michelangelo – Gallerie dell’Accademia Florence 

Colossus of the Apennines – Parco Mediceo di Pratolino (12 km from Florence)

La Pietà by Michelangelo – Basilica of St. Peter in the Vatican (Rome)

Moses – Basilica of St. Peter in Chains (Rome)

Parco dei Mostri di Bomarzo - Viterbo

Baroque sculpture is almost an immersive experience, sculptors created works that emotionally involved the viewer. Among the most interesting examples of Baroque sculpture in Rome we find the works of Gian Lorenzo Bernini, in particular the Ecstasy of Saint Teresa kept in the church of Santa Maria Vittoria in Rome, Apollo and Daphne and the Rape of Proserpina kept in the Galleria Borghese in Rome.

Another magnificent example of sculpture from the Baroque period is the Veiled Christ by Giuseppe Sanmartino, kept in the Sansevero Chapel in Naples. It seems that this marble sculpture has the ability to move anyone who looks at it. The Veiled Christ was made from a single block of marble and portrays the body of Jesus stretched out and life-size, a work that evokes magic and mystery, like all the masterpieces present in the Neapolitan capital.

The most fascinating sculptures of the Baroque: 

Ecstasy of Saint Teresa by Bernini – Rome Church of Santa Maria Vittoria

Apollo and Daphne by Bernini – Rome Galleria Borghese

Rape of Proserpina by Bernini – Rome Galleria Borghese

Veiled Christ by Giuseppe Sanmartino – Naples Cappella Sansevero

Our itinerary in modern and contemporary sculpture must certainly include some works by Arnaldo Pomodoro such as the Sfera Grande, lying on a water surface of a fountain in front of the sea of Pesaro. It is a bronze work made in 1998, it is a copy of the original that is instead in front of the entrance of the Farnesina in Rome. Another sphere by Arnaldo Pomodoro is instead placed in the Pigna garden, inside the Vatican Museums.

Moving on to examples of Contemporary sculpture, if you are an enthusiast the best advice we can give you is to visit the Art Parks or Artist Gardens scattered from the north to the south of Italy, enchanting places where nature intertwines with the creativity of man without being invasive and finding a form of communication. We recommend you visit the Tarot Garden in Capalbio, the Chianti Sculpture Park and Arte Sella in Trento are just a few examples.

The most fascinating sculptures of the Modern and Contemporary period: 

Large Sphere by Arnaldo Pomodoro – Piazzale della Farnesina Rome

Sphere by Arnaldo Pomodoro – Giardino della Pigna Vatican Museums

Tarot Garden by Niki de Saint Phalle – Capalbio

Chianti Sculpture Park

Arte Sella - Trento

A trip to discover the most fascinating sculptures in Italy can be organized throughout the year, especially considering that the main sculptures to see are located in the cities of Rome, Florence and Naples and their surroundings. The suggestion is to include your visit to the most fascinating sculptures in Italy within a larger tour that also includes the other attractions of these wonderful cities. It is always good to plan the trip in advance and consider using a City Pass such as the Visit Rome Pass and the Florence Pass. These city passes will allow you to have access to all the major attractions of the city at your fingertips (including the Museums where the Sculptures are located) and unlimited use of public transport: all in a single App.

But if you also want to include within your tour a visit to the Art Parks and Artist Gardens where the contemporary sculptures are located, the most suitable period is the beautiful season, from late spring to early autumn. Most of the parks we have suggested are located in the middle of nature and are only open during the hot season! Have a good trip in search of the charm of Art!