ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Big 4 (sculpture)

Okay kiddo, let's talk about something called the "Big 4" in sculpture. You know how sometimes you see really big statues in parks or cities or museums that are really fancy and cool to look at? Well, the Big 4 are four famous sculptors who are known for making really important and amazing statues like that.

Their names are Donatello, Michelangelo, Raphael, and Leonardo da Vinci. You might have heard of them in your art class or from your parents because they were artists a long, long time ago – hundreds of years ago, in fact, when there weren't computers or phones or cars like we have today.

Donatello, Michelangelo, Raphael, and Leonardo da Vinci were all from a place in Italy called Florence, which is known for having lots of art and artists. They each had their own style and way of making sculptures, but they were all very talented at it.

Donatello was really good at making sculptures of people and animals that looked very real, like they could come to life and start moving at any moment. Michelangelo was famous for carving huge blocks of marble into statues that were incredibly detailed and lifelike. Raphael was known for his beautiful paintings as well as his sculptures, and often focused on religious subjects. Leonardo da Vinci was a genius who did a little bit of everything – he made sculptures, painted, drew, and even created blueprints for machines that hadn't been invented yet!

Now, when people talk about the Big 4 today, they're usually referring to these four artists and their impact on the world of art. They were some of the most important artists of their time, and their work continues to be studied and enjoyed by people all over the world. So next time you're looking at a big, beautiful statue, remember that there were four amazing artists who paved the way for sculpture as we know it today.