A-Z: Armature

Art History Glossary

Illustration of the Statue of Liberty’s Hand

Armature

| ˈärməCHər | noun |

An armature is a metal framework around which a sculpture is built. It is the proverbial skeleton of a large sculpture that could not stand on its own.

Example: Gustave Eiffel’s Statue of Liberty, France’s gift to the United States celebrating the nation’s independence and abolition of slavery, requires a large armature to stand. Illustrations from the time show the now-famous exterior as it wraps around the hidden armature during construction.

See cire perdue, maquette, sculpture.

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