Allegorical sculpture are sculptures of
personifications of abstract ideas as in
allegory.[1] Common in the
western world, for example, are statues of
Lady Justice representing
justice, traditionally holding scales and a
sword, and the statues of
Prudence, representing Truth by holding a mirror and squeezing a serpent.[2]
This approach of using the human form and its posture, gesture, clothing and props to wordlessly convey
social values and
themes.
It may be seen in
funerary art as early as 1580. They were used on
Renaissance monuments when
patron saints became unacceptable. Particularly popular were the
four cardinal virtues and the
three Christian virtues, but others such as
fame,
victory,
hope and
time are also represented. The use of allegorical sculpture was fully developed under the
École des Beaux-Arts. It is sometimes associated with
Victorian art, and is commonly found in works dating from around 1900.
^Lederer, Joseph, photographs by Arley Bondarin, ‘’All Around Town: A Walking Guide to Outdoor Sculpture in New York City’’, Charles Scribner’s Sons, New York, 1975 p. 86