In these marble sculptures, Marco Di Lucca explores the human face as a site where history, emotion, and anatomy converge.
Marco Di Lucca is a contemporary sculptor working in marble, combining classical techniques, digital reconstruction, and anatomical study to explore expression and identity.
Roman Man (2021), Awkward Kiss (2023), and Self Portrait (Écorché) (2023) move between classical reference and contemporary psychological realism. Rooted in traditional carving yet informed by digital reconstruction and anatomical study, Di Lucca’s work examines how identity is shaped across time, from ancient portraiture to fleeting, deeply human expressions.
Roman Man, Marco Di Lucca, 2021, marble, 14 x 10 x 11 in. / 35.56 x 25.4 x 27.94 cm.
Roman Man reconstructs a first-century Roman Republic portrait head originally held in New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art. Di Lucca began by digitally modeling a photorealistic version of the ancient subject, imagining skin, eyes, and living presence before translating that vision back into marble. The finished sculpture balances archaeological fidelity with contemporary precision: deeply set features, furrowed brow, and stoic expression convey civic gravity and individuality. The contrast between the refined facial modeling and the rougher base emphasizes the tension between historical permanence and the artist’s interpretive intervention.
Awkward Kiss, Marco Di Lucca, 2023, marble, 16 x 16 x 6 in. / 40.64 x 40.64 x 15.24 cm.
In Awkward Kiss, Di Lucca turns from historical gravitas to intimate vulnerability. The sculpture isolates a fleeting facial moment, eyes shut tight, lips pursed, muscles tensed, capturing the discomfort of a first or unexpected kiss. Marble, traditionally associated with idealized beauty, is used here to preserve an unguarded, emotionally charged expression. Subtle asymmetries and compressed forms reveal the complexity of involuntary reaction, elevating an everyday human experience into something monumental and enduring.
Self Portrait (Écorché), Marco Di Lucca, 2023, marble, 15 x 10 x 12 in. / 38.1 x 25.4 x 30.48 cm.
Self Portrait (Écorché) merges personal identity with anatomical inquiry. The sculpture splits the artist’s face between external likeness and exposed musculature, referencing classical écorché studies used to understand the body beneath the skin. This duality reveals structure without sensationalism, emphasizing precision and restraint. The closed eyes suggest introspection, while the visible anatomy underscores the physical mechanics behind expression. The work positions self-knowledge as both emotional and corporeal, shaped equally by inner awareness and biological reality.
Across these three works, Marco Di Lucca treats marble as a medium of psychological depth rather than distant idealization. Whether reconstructing an ancient citizen, freezing a moment of emotional discomfort, or dissecting his own likeness, Di Lucca demonstrates that the human face remains a powerful archive, of history, sensation, and self-examination. Together, these sculptures reaffirm portraiture as a living dialogue between past and present, surface and structure, permanence and feeling.
Untitled Bust, Marco Di Lucca, 2023, marble, 20 x 15 x 11 in. / 50.8 x 38.1 x 27.94 cm.