Bases and columns – give your work a foundation

What function should the plinth or base fulfil?

A plinth can fulfil a variety of tasks: highlighting a work, protecting it, giving it stability. To decide on a suitable plinth, especially for larger sculptures, ask yourself some very practical questions: Should the sculpture be placed indoors or outdoors? Do I have a level or uneven surface? Should the plinth be heavy or light? How much weight should it be able to bear? Do I want to be able to change the colour of the base? Does the base need a pin to hold the sculpture in place? This will determine which materials and shapes are suitable.

Bases, columns and pedestals for sculptures are available in many different materials, sizes, shapes and colours. The classic materials include stone , wood and metal.

How do I find out the right size for a pedestal or column?

The right proportions are important when choosing a plinth: plinths and columns should be precisely matched to the object that is presented on them. The plinth should therefore be neither too large nor too small, match the object in terms of material and colour and not dominate the sculpture. This is the only way a plinth can optimally support the quality of a sculpture! In principle, the plinth is not an integral part of the sculpture, unless this was the conceptual intention – the sculptor Constantin Brancusi, for example, dealt intensively with this question  
.To find the right size for the base, take your time and experiment: for example, place a piece of paper or cardboard under your sculpture and try out different sizes to determine what format the base should have. The best height of the plinth can be found in a similar way, e.g. by placing wooden blocks underneath it.

How do I attach a sculpture to the plinth?

The next step is to place the sculpture correctly on the plinth and fix it in place if necessary. The sculpture should stand upright or at the right angle and – be protected from falling over, especially in publicly accessible spaces. For this purpose, bildhau offers you various plinth aids  available. If you would like to fix your stone sculpture to a plinth with a pin, we can offer you our services for the corresponding drill holes. Just get in touch with us!

Customised plinth for sculptures

bildhau has some plinths and columns made of stone, MDF boards (gallery plinths) and solid wood in various heights and floor plans, e.g. square or rectangular, in stock. We are also happy to manufacture stone plinths or wooden plinths to your dimensions!