an art by which, in taking away, or adding to matter, all sorts of figures are formed by the hand, either in the stone, wood, wax, or metal. In its full latitude it signifies both the art of working in creux, properly called engraving; and of working in relievo, which is more strictly called sculpture.

The first works in sculpture were with clay, not only in making statues, but in forming models; and to this day a sculptor never undertakes any thing considerable, without forming a model, either in clay or wax. In making figures of these materials, they begin and finish their work with their hands, using only three or four pieces of wood, which are roundish at one end, and at the other flat, with a sort of claws and teeth, which are to smooth and scratch the work. For waxen models, to every pound of wax add half a pound of colophony; some add turpentine, and melt it together with oil of olives; more or less of the latter being used as they would have the matter harder or softer; some also add a little vermilion, to give it a colour; this is wrought and moulded with the fingers like clay.

For sculpture in wood, which we properly call carving, the first thing required is to choose wood proper for the work the sculptor is to perform. If it be any thing large, and that requires a great deal of strength and solidity, the hardest and most durable wood is to be chosen; and for smaller works and ornaments, the softer wood is used; but it must be such, however, as is firm and close; for a large work, though it be only a single figure, it is better to make use of several pieces of wood, or bits of board, glued together, than of one whole piece, which is more liable to crack; for a thick piece of wood may not be dried to the heart, however it may appear on the outside.

In sculpture in marble and other stone, the first thing to be done is to saw out a block of marble, of the bigness of the work to be performed; and this being done, the superfluities are to be taken off by a rubbed point and a heavy mallet; thus bringing it near the measures required, the sculptor reduces it still nearer with a finer tool, called a dog's tooth, it having two points, but one not so sharp as the other. After this he makes use of his gradine, which is a flat cutting tool, with three teeth: he then takes off, with a smooth chisel, the scratches the gradine left on the marble, and uses it with dexterity and delicacy, to give softness and tenderness to his figure; till at length, taking rasps of different degrees of fineness, the work is gradually rendered fit for polishing. To polish the work, the sculptor uses pumice-stone and smalt; then he goes over it with tripoli; and when he would give it more lustre, rubs it with leather and straw ashes. There are several other tools used by sculptors, adapted to the different parts of the work, and the nature of the stone they make use of. As the models of clay shrink as they grow dry, whenever sculptors undertake a considerable piece of work, they only use the model for making a mould of plaster or stucco, in which is formed a figure of the same matter, which serves them thenceforth for a model, and by which they adjust all their measures and proportions. To proceed the more regularly, on the head of the model they place an immovable circle divided into degrees, with a moveable rule or index, fixed in the centre of the circle, and divided also into equal parts: from the end of the rule hangs a line with a plummet, which serves to take all the points, to be transferred thence to the block of marble, from whose top hangs another plummet, like that of the model. But there are some excellent sculptors, who disapprove of this method; urging, that the smallest motion of the model changes their measures, for which reason they choose rather to take all their measures with the compasses.