Plinth – refers to a solid base or box on which a sculpture is placed

To remember what plinth means, recall the following:

She planted a hyacinth (plinth) in a pot and placed it on a solid base, as if it were a statue.

Plinths give otherwise unsteady statues a solid base to stand on. They can be inconspicuous or a decorative part of the installation and help the statue stand tall above everything else.

Ignoring Lady Liberty herself, the statue is made up of almost 50% plinth.

Ignoring Lady Liberty herself, the plinth she stands on is also impressive.

Stock photo of the Hans Haacke sculpture on the Fourth Plinth at London's Trafalgar Square. Garry Knight from London, England - The Anatomy of the Horse - 5

Stock photo of the Hans Haacke sculpture on the Fourth Plinth at London's Trafalgar Square.

Garry Knight from London, England - The Anatomy of the Horse - 5

The Fourth Plinth is probably one of the most famous art installations in the world. The original statue was never finished due to money issues, but in 1998 it was decided that it would be used as an art project for several artists to display their work for a year or two, then a new project would be displayed.

Plinth Project

For this project, we are going to create our own plinth. You will need: 3 mini terracotta pots (around 5cm tall) which come with their own saucer (these can be purchased cheaply online or found in craft stores and garden centres), strong glue, grey paints, a sponge and a small figurine that will fit on top of the pot.

For this project, we are going to create our own plinth. You will need: 3 mini terracotta pots (around 5cm tall) which come with their own saucer (these can be purchased cheaply online or found in craft stores and garden centres), strong glue, grey paints

Start by gluing the terracotta pots together in the order as shown below. Place an upside down saucer on the bottom and glue a pot the right way up onto this base saucer. An upside down pot should then be glued around the circumference and attached to the pot on the saucer. Another pot can then be added by gluing their two bases together. Finally, an upside down saucer should be glued to the top pot.

First, gluing the pots together as you go, stack your pots so there is a upside down saucer on the bottom, an upside down pot on top of that, a pot the right way up, then a pot upside down and finally an upside down saucer on the very top.

Once the glue is dry, paint the pots grey. You can use a sponge to dab on other colours of grey to give them a more authentic stone look.

Do the same with your figurine, until it also looks like it's made of stone and once dry, glue it to the top of your plinth.

You now have a statue on top of a plinth!

Plinth.