Colonial Baule
19th Century Figurative Sculptures
Wood
Mid-20th Century Tribal Figurative Sculptures
Wood
1910s Folk Art Figurative Sculptures
Wood
Recent Sales
1930s Figurative Sculptures
Wood
People Also Browsed
Vintage 1960s Dutch Mid-Century Modern Abstract Sculptures
Wood
Mid-20th Century Ivorian Tribal Tribal Art
Wood
1910s Tribal Figurative Sculptures
Wood, Paint
Early 20th Century Tribal Figurative Sculptures
Bronze
Mid-20th Century Papua New Guinean Tribal Art
Kaolin, Wood
Mid-20th Century Sierra Leonean Tribal Masks
Wood
Antique Late 19th Century Malian Primitive Figurative Sculptures
Ebony
Early 20th Century Angolan Other Tribal Art
Wood
Early 20th Century Ghanaian Tribal Tribal Art
Wood
Mid-20th Century Malian Tribal Tribal Art
Wood
Late 20th Century Beninese Tribal Busts
Bronze
Mid-20th Century Congolese Tribal Tribal Art
Wood
Mid-20th Century Ghanaian Tribal Tribal Art
Wood
Vintage 1950s Abstract Sculptures
Reclaimed Wood
Early 20th Century Nigerian Tribal Tribal Art
Wood
Vintage 1960s Tribal Art
Steel
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.
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A Giant Wedding Cake Has Us Looking at Portuguese Tiles in a New Light
At Waddesdon Manor, artist Joana Vasconcelos has installed a three-tiered patisserie inspired by the narrative tile work of her homeland. We take a look at the cake sculpture and how Portuguese tiles have been used in architecture from the 17th century to today.
These Soft Sculptures Are Childhood Imaginary Friends Come to Life
Miami artist and designer Gabriela Noelle’s fantastical creations appeal to the Peter Pan in all of us.
Hideho Tanaka Carefully Stitched Together Pieces of Paper to Make This Sculptural Textile
The Japanese fiber artist’s ‘Vanishing and Emerging Wall’ may seem innocuous — but it plays with conceptions of time.