Artists have long mastered the ability to transform dense, heavy stone into sculptures that appear almost weightless. This illusion of lightness is achieved through a combination of technical skill, artistic vision, and an understanding of human perception.

One key technique is the strategic removal of material to create negative space. By carving deep recesses or thinning sections of the stone, sculptors reduce visual weight. Michelangelo's "Slave" sculptures exemplify this, where unfinished portions contrast with delicate, almost floating limbs.

The manipulation of form also plays a crucial role. Artists employ dynamic poses - figures reaching upward, drapery flowing as if caught in wind, or bodies in mid-motion. These compositions trick the eye into perceiving movement and airiness. Bernini's "Apollo and Daphne" demonstrates this perfectly, with Daphne's fingers transforming into leaves as she appears to float away.

Surface treatment creates optical effects too. Polishing certain areas while leaving others rough can make stone appear to dissolve into lightness. The play of light across textured and smooth surfaces gives the impression of different material densities within the same block.

Modern sculptors like Henry Moore took this further by creating pierced works where stone seems to defy gravity. His organic, hollowed forms demonstrate how absence of material can suggest presence of air and space within solid matter.

Ultimately, the illusion relies on contradicting our expectations of stone's natural properties. Through mastery of form, balance, and light, artists continue to make the heaviest materials appear to float effortlessly in space.