Behind the Statue: Maria Panfilova’s Beauty & the Beast

Not all romance is meant to be tamed — and nobody knows this better than Beauty and her Beast. In spite of the Beast’s fearsome appearance, this classic fairytale love blossomed from within a locked-away castle. Now that dark romance is available to collect in statue form, uniquely reimagined through an artist’s perspective.

We discussed all things art with Maria Panfilova, including how she imbues movement into her dynamic Premium Format™ Figures and statues for Sideshow as well as where she finds inspiration for character design. Learn more about Maria Panfilova’s Beauty and the Beast Statue below!

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Maria Panfilova Artist Interview

The dichotomy of dark and light on this Beauty and the Beast Statue is mesmerizing. How did you approach making these two characters so distinct yet also complementary?

I like the contrast of yin and yang, the feminine and the masculine. I’ve explored this theme several times in different works. Modern culture often emphasizes creating strong women, but I like to take the opposite approach — portraying them as vulnerable, fragile, and innocent. Not always, but with this particular work, that’s definitely what I set out to achieve.

For those of us interested in the technical aspects, how did you create dynamic movement on a stationary statue? She literally looks like she’s being carried away off and out of the base!

I usually start with an initial sketch that defines the future design. In the sculpt, I can refine and specify many details, but that first scribble is especially important to me — it helps me keep the focus.

This sketch typically captures the main compositional idea: What makes the piece interesting, and why it’s worth spending many days sculpting it.

For example, I could point out that diagonal lines create a sense of movement — in this case, through the shapes of the skirt and hair. Some unity of the two character shapes into one was also important to me to keep.

The feeling of flow, movement, and s-curves is present everywhere in nature, and artists often emphasize the importance of capturing it.

There are, of course, certain rules of composition, but for me the sketch is usually a product of intuition — something my subconscious throws at me in the moment. When I move into sculpting, I become more deliberate, supplementing that initial intuition with known compositional principles.

This is a very animalistic approach to the Beast. Did you reference any specific creatures, mythical or real-world, for his anatomy and aesthetic?

I have many artistic influences that gradually shape my style as I create new work.

I greatly admire the art of Simon Bisley, the Shiflett Brothers, Simon Lee, and Kentaro Miura (Berserk), though there are many more who inspire me. People noticed similarities to Gian Lorenzo Bernini’s “The Abduction of Proserpina,” and I definitely drew inspiration from that masterpiece as well.

My reference folders are usually enormous. Some choices naturally feel more appealing than others, and I curate that selection for myself. For me, this is one of the most enjoyable parts of the creative process — it’s like inventing a new language that only you will speak: Absorbing art and countless other sources of inspiration, then transforming them into something that feels right.

For The Beast, I think there’s a touch of Japanese influence in the design of his face — slightly reminiscent of an Oni. I wanted to capture something feral, a sense of raw instinct, as if he is no longer in control of himself. I wanted his body shapes to carry the same raw, instinctive energy

The Beauty character is also very ethereal and almost angelic. Are her appearance and costume modeled after anything in particular? To me, she’s very Helen of Troy!

I wanted to capture Beauty as pure, innocent, and dreamy. For her, it’s something she doesn’t fully comprehend yet — she, like the Beast, is also guided by instinct rather than complete awareness.

Besides the fairytale itself, can you share some of your inspirations behind this project?

The work is called Beauty in the Beast, but I don’t mean to reference the exact fairytale in this piece. I see that story as a universal trope, and in my work it takes on a different variation. My initial idea was heavily inspired by the anime Vampire Hunter D, which has a similar scene where a princess is abducted by a vampire and faints. The relationship between Griffith and Princess Charlotte in Berserk also influenced me.

Are there any specific details on the statue which you’d like to point out to viewers? Can you please expand on their significance?

Personally, I really like how the back-side view turned out, where we see both of their legs and how she touches his fur and leg. This isn’t the main angle, but I love the effect. From the front, you see the sense of struggle, but from the side you feel the connection that has already formed — it’s quieter, more intimate, and more peaceful.

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From sketch to sculpt, this statue is the stuff of fairytales. What’s your favorite aspect of Maria Panfilova’s stunning statue? For even more insights into her artistic process, check out our previous interview of Maria Panfilova’s Marvel and DC statues for Sideshow.

Pre-order the Beauty and the Beast Statue now, then share your statue display with other dark fantasy fans over at Sideshow Social Network or in side.show/geekgroup — and don’t forget to Let Your Geek Sideshow!