Polychrome Sculpture
A sculpture that is painted in many colors, not left in its natural material color.
What is it?
Polychrome means "many colors." A polychrome sculpture is one that has been painted. In medieval and Renaissance times, many wooden sculptures were painted with bright colors and sometimes gold. The paint made the figures look more real and helped tell stories. The sculpture of the Holy Family you saw is a polychrome sculpture: it is carved from wood and then painted with colors like blue, red, and gold.
Why it matters
Polychrome sculpture was common in the past but many have lost their paint over time. Seeing a well-preserved one helps us understand how colorful art used to be.
Where you've seen it
This list grows as you capture more polychrome sculptures.
