Sporting Sculptures

Sporting art depicts a wide range of activities including hunting, fishing, and horse racing. This genre of fine art explores how the human race has passed time over the years while leaving behind the struggles and troubles of everyday life in search of joy, exercise, and spirited competition.

The subject of sporting is often associated with 18th and early 19th century art, which focused on the popular rural sports of the time. However, sporting art can be traced back to Greek vase painting and sculpture of athletic contests.

Though the popularity of sporting art has dwindled in the 21st century, this reflection of history and culture is still pursued by contemporary artists as they redefine the genre and challenge our definition of sporting today.

Quick Facts

• Sporting art is a relatively modern term
• Though he is often associated with his paintings and sculptures of ballet dancers, Edgar Degas also created elegant depictions of horse racing scenes, including sculptures
• In the 18th and 19th centuries, sporting art works were often commissioned by those who took part in the sports to display their success