In visual art, scale refers to the size of the object represented in relation to the human body or the real-life counterpart of the object being represented. Thus, in art it is possible to speak of a work being life-size, and by this, it is understood that the object is re-presented on a 1-to-1 scale. In other words, a unit of measurement of the art object equals the unit of measurement of the actual object in real life. Proportion refers to the parts and how they relate to the whole. Therefore, scale and proportion are relative measures.
The scale of the work may be adjusted away from 1-to-1 in relation to the actual object. Not doing so may result in a work of art that is too small, causing it to lose some of its communicative power or ability to function as the artist intends it. A brilliant case in point is the Kofi/Cuffy figure in the 1763 Monument. Imagine if atop the elaborate spiraling structure Kofi were life-size, or only slightly larger than life-size. The presence of Kofi, commanding attention and dominating the space would be lost. By adjusting the scale of the figure, the artist, our venerable Philip Moore (d. 2012), is able to communicate the importance and character of the real-life person we commemorate.
