James Lucas runs a Twitter (X) account and Substack dedicated to great works of art and their beauty. That doesn't mean sculpture exclusively; he also features architecture, paintings, photography, and an occasional goofy accidental Renaissance meme.

This particular thread, James tells us, was inspired by Giovanni Battista Lombardi's Nymph statue. "The level of detail is simply mind-boggling, and it made me reflect on the other surreal details in many sculptures I admire," he told Bored Panda in an email.

The sculptures are quite captivating in pictures, but seeing them in real life is even more riveting. I remember thinking "It's insane that an actual person did this" when looking at Ancient Roman and Greek sculptures at The Louvre and The MET.

"My father is a sculptor, so I've had the pleasure of seeing many of these remarkable works in person, especially in Italy," James told us. But there is one he's not yet seen and would like to very much. "I would love to see the Veiled Virgin by Giovanni Strazza in St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada," he says.

James' account and the newly launched Substack are all about the beauty of art and beyond. His philosophy is reflected by the last two lines of the John Keats poem "Ode on a Grecian Urn" in the bio: "Beauty is truth, truth beauty,—that is all / Ye know on earth, and all ye need to know." If you want another dose of beauty, be sure to check out his Twitter (X) account and his articles on Substack.

Sculpture as an art form dates back to 32,000 years B.C. Back then, of course, small animal and human figures carved in bone, ivory, or stone counted as sculptures. Today, we associate white marble sculptures with Ancient Roman, Greek, and Renaissance art, but some of the statues in this list are even from the 19th century.

Michelangelo's David is often cited as the most recognizable masterpiece of the Renaissance. It's the most loved and reproduced piece of artwork from Florence; there are 30 full-size replicas of David all over the world. The heart-shaped eyes theory has several explanations. 

Some claim they're not so much heart-shaped as simply reflecting the point where the sun hits the eyes. The technical term is specular highlight. As a heart didn't become a symbol of love until the 1600s, Michelangelo purposefully carving David's pupils into the shapes of hearts wouldn't have made much sense. 

There's one more interesting fact about the sculpture's pupils. Yes, they might be unintentionally heart-shaped, but David is also slightly cross-eyed. Looks like the perfect man isn't so perfect after all, huh? David looks forward with his left eye but gazes at a distant point with his right.

A more humorous take on David's misaligned eyes is that he might've needed glasses to see Goliath. However, experts say that it's highly unlikely Michaelangelo did this on purpose. "It's meant to be seen from a long way up and it's not meant to be viewed face on," Dr. Louise Marshall from the University of Sydney told ABC Australia. "I think the particular way the eyes are carved has everything to do with expressive effects which have to be read at enormous distance."

Michelangelo knew the human anatomy very well, and his many works, David included, reflect that. He's a symbol of youth and perfection, yet his body proportions are slightly off. Because people would at the statue on the roofline of Opera del Duomo from below, his right hand and head are unusually large. This disproportion also gives the illusion that David is alert and ready for action. 

Which little details from these sculptures surprised you the most, Pandas? Or maybe you already knew them? If you know any more interesting facts about the world's most famous sculptures, be sure to share them with us in the comments, and don't forget to upvote your favorites in this list!