
This drawing was done using graphite pencils on 9×12 inch Canson XL Mixed Media paper. It was copied from a marble sculpture by the artist Luigi Pampaloni. The sculpture is entitled ‘Filippo Brunelleschi’ because it is a sculpture of Filippo Brunelleschi. One of Pampaloni’s celebrated works, the statue of Filippo Brunelleschi for Florence Cathedral, portrays the architect seated, gazing upward as if contemplating his groundbreaking dome design. The statue is admired for its realism and for capturing Brunelleschi’s intellectual intensity.
Let’s talk more about Luigi Pampaloni.
Me: Who is Luigi?
Microsoft Co-Pilot: Luigi is a beloved video game character created by Nintendo. He is Mario’s younger brother and sidekick, known for his green outfit and slightly timid personality. Wait! Wrong Luigi!
Luigi Pampaloni (1791–1847) was an Italian sculptor renowned for his work in the Neoclassical style. (Neo means new, classical means old, style means style) He studied under Lorenzo Bartolini in Florence and became known for his elegant and naturalistic sculptures. He drew inspiration from the classical sculptures of ancient Greece and Rome, emphasizing harmony, balance, and lifelike details in his creations.
Luigi Pampaloni made significant contributions to the Neoclassical movement through his sculptures, which blended classical ideals with a touch of naturalism. He studied under Lorenzo Bartolini, a prominent sculptor, and was influenced by the classical traditions of ancient Greece and Rome. Pampaloni’s works often emphasized harmony, balance, and lifelike details, hallmarks of Neoclassical art2. Neoclassical is a definitive revival of classical antiquity’s iconic styles and spirit, confidently reinterpreting its elegance for the modern world. (Thank you to Grammarly.com for its ‘make assertive’ and ‘shorten’ options for writing.)
By combining technical precision with emotional resonance, Pampaloni helped bridge the gap between the rigid classical canons and a more humanistic approach to art, impacting the Neoclassical movement in a lasting way.
Pampaloni’s smaller pieces often touched on warm and personal themes, like kids and animals. These works showed a gentler side of Neoclassicism.
I am going to leave it here. I will talk more about Neoclassical sculpture in the future. So buckle your safety belts!