Marble Shark Sculpture
2010s Contemporary Figurative Sculptures
Bronze
2010s Contemporary Figurative Sculptures
Resin
2010s Contemporary Figurative Sculptures
Marble, Metal
1970s Art Deco Figurative Sculptures
Wood
People Also Browsed
1980s Paintings
Pastel, Paper
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Sculptures
Stainless Steel
20th Century American Hollywood Regency Decorative Art
Paper
1970s Pop Art Figurative Sculptures
Cotton, Lacquer, Wood
20th Century Senegalese Animal Sculptures
Mahogany
Mid-20th Century Realist Figurative Paintings
Oil, Panel
Mid-20th Century Abstract Expressionist Landscape Paintings
Canvas, Oil
Mid-20th Century Abstract Abstract Paintings
Paper, Acrylic, Watercolor
Mid-20th Century Cuban Paintings
Paint
20th Century Neo-Expressionist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors
Paper, Oil Pastel
2010s Contemporary Figurative Prints
Screen, Pencil, Mixed Media, Linocut
2010s Contemporary Still-life Sculptures
Bronze
Late 20th Century Modern Figurative Sculptures
Stone
Vintage 1940s Cuban Mid-Century Modern Paintings
Canvas
2010s Contemporary Abstract Sculptures
Stoneware, Glaze
2010s Italian Modern Figurative Sculptures
Murano Glass
Recent Sales
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Sculptures
Stone, Marble
A Close Look at Contemporary Art
Used to refer to a time rather than an aesthetic, Contemporary art generally describes pieces created after 1970 or being made by living artists anywhere in the world. This immediacy means it encompasses art responding to the present moment through diverse subjects, media and themes. Contemporary painting, sculpture, photography, performance, digital art, video and more frequently includes work that is attempting to reshape current ideas about what art can be, from Felix Gonzalez-Torres’s use of candy to memorialize a lover he lost to AIDS-related complications to Jenny Holzer’s ongoing “Truisms,” a Conceptual series that sees provocative messages printed on billboards, T-shirts, benches and other public places that exist outside of formal exhibitions and the conventional “white cube” of galleries.
Contemporary art has been pushing the boundaries of creative expression for years. Its disruption of the traditional concepts of art are often aiming to engage viewers in complex questions about identity, society and culture. In the latter part of the 20th century, contemporary movements included Land art, in which artists like Robert Smithson and Michael Heizer create large-scale, site-specific sculptures, installations and other works in soil and bodies of water; Sound art, with artists such as Christian Marclay and Susan Philipsz centering art on sonic experiences; and New Media art, in which mass media and digital culture inform the work of artists such as Nam June Paik and Rafaël Rozendaal.
The first decades of the 21st century have seen the growth of Contemporary African art, the revival of figurative painting, the emergence of street art and the rise of NFTs, unique digital artworks that are powered by blockchain technology.
Major Contemporary artists practicing now include Ai Weiwei, Cecily Brown, David Hockney, Yayoi Kusama, Jeff Koons, Takashi Murakami and Kara Walker.
Find a collection of Contemporary prints, photography, paintings, sculptures and other art on 1stDibs.
Finding the Right figurative-sculptures for You
Figurative sculptures mix reality and imagination, with the most common muse being the human body. Animals are also inspirations for these sculptures, along with forms found in nature.
While figurative sculpture dates back over 35,000 years, the term came into popularity in the 20th century to distinguish it from abstract art. It was aligned with the Expressionist movement in that many of its artists portrayed reality but in a nonnaturalistic and emotional way. In the 1940s, Alberto Giacometti — a Swiss-born artist who was interested in African art, Cubism and Surrealism — created now-iconic representational sculptures of the human figure, and after World War II, figurative sculpture as a movement continued to flourish in Europe.
Lucian Freud and Francis Bacon were some of the leading figurative artists during this period. Artists like Jeff Koons and Maurizio Cattelan propelled the evolution of figurative sculpture into the 21st century.
Figurative sculptures can be whimsical, uncanny and beautiful. Their materials range from stone and wood to metal and delicate ceramics. Even in smaller sizes, the sculptures make bold statements. A bronze sculpture by Salvador Dalí enhances a room; a statuesque bull by Jacques Owczarek depicts strength with its broad chest while its thin legs speak of fragility. Figurative sculptures allow viewers to see what is possible when life is reimagined.
Browse 1stDibs for an extensive collection of figurative sculptures and find the next addition to your collection.
- How much is a marble sculpture?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertSeptember 28, 2021The cost of a marble sculpture will vary depending on the size, artistic time, warehouse space, engineering and administration. Since marble is rarer it is more expensive than other types of rocks used for sculpture. On 1stDibs you will find figurative, abstract, still-life and nude marble sculptures starting from a range of $200 and upward.
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