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Ife Sculpture

Ife-Style Yoruba Bronze Portrait Head, Nigeria
Ife-Style Yoruba Bronze Portrait Head, Nigeria

Ife-Style Yoruba Bronze Portrait Head, Nigeria

Located in Norwood, NJ

-wax casting method, the sculpture reflects the enduring legacy of Ife's naturalism, often dated to the

Category

Early 20th Century Nigerian Tribal Busts

Materials

Bronze

Bronze Ife Woman Head Oba Edo Benin City Yoruba
Bronze Ife Woman Head Oba Edo Benin City Yoruba

Bronze Ife Woman Head Oba Edo Benin City Yoruba

$1,065

H 7.88 in W 4.34 in D 4.73 in

Bronze Ife Woman Head Oba Edo Benin City Yoruba

Located in Bochum, NRW

eighteen copper alloy sculptures that were unearthed in 1938 at Ife in Nigeria, the religious and royal

Category

Mid-20th Century Beninese Tribal Busts

Materials

Brass, Bronze

Vintage African Bronze Rooster Figurine Ife Benin Nigeria Primitive Folk Art
Vintage African Bronze Rooster Figurine Ife Benin Nigeria Primitive Folk Art

Vintage African Bronze Rooster Figurine Ife Benin Nigeria Primitive Folk Art

By People from Benin

Located in Bad Säckingen, DE

This striking vintage bronze rooster sculpture is a fine example of African tribal artistry

Category

Vintage 1940s Beninese Primitive Animal Sculptures

Materials

Bronze

Recent Sales

Ceramic Replica of a Head with Crown, Ancient Kingdom of Ife, Nigeria
Ceramic Replica of a Head with Crown, Ancient Kingdom of Ife, Nigeria

Ceramic Replica of a Head with Crown, Ancient Kingdom of Ife, Nigeria

Located in Pau, FR

sculptures that were unearthed in 1938 at Ife in Nigeria, the religious and former royal centre of the Yoruba

Category

20th Century Nigerian Tribal Sculptures and Carvings

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Mali woman bronze sculpture
Mali woman bronze sculpture

Mali woman bronze sculpture

$950

H 13.5 in W 3 in D 2.5 in

Mali woman bronze sculpture

Located in Three Oaks, MI

These cast figures and objects express status, prestige, and power. This cast metal figure exhibits the technical skill and artistry that Dogon blacksmiths brought to their work. Mad...

Category

Early 20th Century Tribal Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Bronze

African Tribal Statue Osseyba or Reliquary Figure Kota Mohongwe Peoples Art
African Tribal Statue Osseyba or Reliquary Figure Kota Mohongwe Peoples Art

African Tribal Statue Osseyba or Reliquary Figure Kota Mohongwe Peoples Art

Located in Miami, FL

A fantastically hand-crafted piece by the Kota (or Bakota) tribe who are located in the northeastern region of Gabon. This figure, which is a Mahongwe reliquary figure as exhibited w...

Category

Early 20th Century Gabonese Tribal Abstract Sculptures

Materials

Brass, Copper

Antique Polychrome African Wood Carving from Igbo Nigeria
Antique Polychrome African Wood Carving from Igbo Nigeria

Antique Polychrome African Wood Carving from Igbo Nigeria

Located in Lake Worth Beach, FL

Antique Polychrome Wood Carving Igbo Nigeria Africa, Staff decorated with two figures, mounted as a finial on the shaft terminating in a triangular-shaped polychrome element Nigeria,...

Category

1910s Tribal Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Paint, Wood

Majestic Benin King Oba, Finely Carved Ebony Bust, Nigeria West Africa C1930s
Majestic Benin King Oba, Finely Carved Ebony Bust, Nigeria West Africa C1930s

Majestic Benin King Oba, Finely Carved Ebony Bust, Nigeria West Africa C1930s

By People from Benin

Located in Rothley, Leicestershire

Truly a majestic Benin Oba. Beautifully and finely hand carved in Ebony hardwood from the 1930's A piece of this quality and stature holds enormous presence Height 17.75 inch, Widt...

Category

Vintage 1930s Beninese Folk Art Sculptures and Carvings

Materials

Ebony

Nocturnal Bird Mask, Nigeria, Africa, circa 1950
Nocturnal Bird Mask, Nigeria, Africa, circa 1950

Nocturnal Bird Mask, Nigeria, Africa, circa 1950

Located in San Pedro Garza Garcia, Nuevo Leon

Very beautiful mask with large pronounced eyes with the circular cavity shape. The mask depicts a nocturnal bird that can see in the darkness and manifest the presence of divinities ...

Category

Mid-20th Century Nigerian Tribal Masks

Materials

Wood

African Hand Carved Wood Head Bust Sculpture
African Hand Carved Wood Head Bust Sculpture

African Hand Carved Wood Head Bust Sculpture

Located in Studio City, CA

Nicely carved. A good eye-catching accent piece. Dimensions: 8.25" high, 5" wide, 7" deep.

Category

20th Century African Sculptures and Carvings

Materials

Wood

African Tribal Yoruba, Nigeria Rider Figure Offering Bowl Early 20th Century
African Tribal Yoruba, Nigeria Rider Figure Offering Bowl Early 20th Century

African Tribal Yoruba, Nigeria Rider Figure Offering Bowl Early 20th Century

Located in Point Richmond, CA

Early Yoruba offering bowl in the from of a male figure with a beard riding on horse back surrounded by four small attendants, finely carved with nice patina from native use. Probabl...

Category

Early 20th Century Nigerian Tribal Tribal Art

Materials

Wool

Cast Bronze Relief Plaque from Benin, 1950s
Cast Bronze Relief Plaque from Benin, 1950s

Cast Bronze Relief Plaque from Benin, 1950s

$1,065

H 8.47 in W 7.68 in D 1.58 in

Cast Bronze Relief Plaque from Benin, 1950s

By People from Benin

Located in Aramits, Nouvelle-Aquitaine

Intriguing cast bronze relief plaque from Benin, showing three guardians. The plaque was modeled after ancient Benin bronzes but was made in the 20th century. The plaque is cast in b...

Category

Vintage 1940s Beninese Tribal Tribal Art

Materials

Bronze

Benin Bronze Bell Sculpture Depicting an Oba
Benin Bronze Bell Sculpture Depicting an Oba

Benin Bronze Bell Sculpture Depicting an Oba

$1,560Sale Price|35% Off

H 13 in W 5 in D 5 in

Benin Bronze Bell Sculpture Depicting an Oba

By People from Benin

Located in Palm Desert, CA

An exquisite Benin bronze sculpture in shape of a bell depicting an Oba. Oba translates to "ruler" in the Yoruba and Bini languages of contemporary West Africa. The Kingdom of Benin ...

Category

20th Century Nigerian Tribal Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Bronze

Rare African Cameroon Bronze Figurative Throne Chair, 20th Century
Rare African Cameroon Bronze Figurative Throne Chair, 20th Century

Rare African Cameroon Bronze Figurative Throne Chair, 20th Century

$19,000Sale Price|24% Off

H 50.5 in W 29 in D 24 in

Rare African Cameroon Bronze Figurative Throne Chair, 20th Century

Located in Miami, FL

Rare African Cameroon Bronze Figurative Throne Chair, 20th Century Offered for sale is a large rare African bronze figurative throne chair from Cameroon. The chair is a 20th-centu...

Category

20th Century Cameroonian Armchairs

Materials

Bronze

Early 20th Century Male Baule Figure, Ivory Coast, Africa
Early 20th Century Male Baule Figure, Ivory Coast, Africa

Early 20th Century Male Baule Figure, Ivory Coast, Africa

Located in Point Richmond, CA

Early 20th century male baule figure, ivory coast, Africa A stylistically pleasing sculpture of a spiritual spouse (blolo bian) from the Baule culture. This excellent example is p...

Category

Early 20th Century Ivorian Other Tribal Art

Materials

Wood

Benin 'Nigeria' Bronze Sculptures of Leopards, Modern Replicas
Benin 'Nigeria' Bronze Sculptures of Leopards, Modern Replicas

Benin 'Nigeria' Bronze Sculptures of Leopards, Modern Replicas

$16,000Sale Price / set|20% Off

H 39 in W 34.25 in D 13.25 in

Benin 'Nigeria' Bronze Sculptures of Leopards, Modern Replicas

By People from Benin

Located in Miami, FL

Benin (Nigeria) bronze sculptures of leopards from the mid-20th century Offered for sale is a pair of modern mid-20th century copies of Benin (modern-day Nigeria) bronze figural s...

Category

Mid-20th Century Nigerian Animal Sculptures

Materials

Bronze

Very Important “Nwantantay” African Dance Mask
Very Important “Nwantantay” African Dance Mask

Very Important “Nwantantay” African Dance Mask

$56,250

H 97.5 in W 15.5 in D 12 in

Very Important “Nwantantay” African Dance Mask

Located in San Pedro Garza Garcia, Nuevo Leon

Very important “Nwantamtay” dance African mask, consisting of three sections: The upper in plain rectangular shape surmounted by a crescent shape moon, the middle with beautiful geom...

Category

Early 20th Century Burkinabe Primitive Masks

Materials

Wood

"Bambara Queen, Rep. Mali, " Wood created in Africa in c. 1940
"Bambara Queen, Rep. Mali, " Wood created in Africa in c. 1940

"Bambara Queen, Rep. Mali, " Wood created in Africa in c. 1940

Located in Milwaukee, WI

"Bambara Queen, Rep. Mali" is a carved wood sculpture with abstracted human and animal figures. 20" x 6" x 3" The Bambara are a Mande ethnic group native to West Africa, primarily ...

Category

1940s Tribal Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Wood

African Helmet Mask 'Gelede' from Yoruba Nigeria
African Helmet Mask 'Gelede' from Yoruba Nigeria

African Helmet Mask 'Gelede' from Yoruba Nigeria

Located in San Francisco, CA

Blacked wood helmet mask (Gelede), large human head surmounted by a dog eating a snake which curves around the head. No perforation for attachment to costume from Yoruba, Nigeria. Pu...

Category

20th Century Nigerian Tribal Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Wood

Benin ‘Nigeria’ Bronze Figural Offering Depicting Leopards and Tribesmen
Benin ‘Nigeria’ Bronze Figural Offering Depicting Leopards and Tribesmen

Benin ‘Nigeria’ Bronze Figural Offering Depicting Leopards and Tribesmen

By People from Benin

Located in Miami, FL

Mid-20th century Benin (Nigeria) bronze figural offering depicting leopards and tribesmen Offered for sale is a modern-day Benin (Nigeria) bronze figural offering depicting leopar...

Category

Mid-20th Century Nigerian Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Bronze

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Ife Sculpture For Sale on 1stDibs

Find the exact piece of ife sculpture you’re shopping for in the variety available on 1stDibs. Find abstract versions now, or shop for abstract creations for a more modern example of these cherished works. You’re likely to find the perfect item from our selection of ife sculpture among the distinctive items we have available, which includes versions made as long ago as the 20th Century as well as those made as recently as the 21st Century. Adding a choice in our collection of ife sculpture to a room that is mostly decorated in warm neutral tones can yield a welcome change — find a piece on 1stDibs that incorporates elements of gold, brown, gray, black and more. Creating an object in our assortment of ife sculpture has been a part of the legacy of many artists, but those crafted by Charles Robert Searles and Ifeoluwa Alade are consistently popular. Artworks like these — often created in bronze, metal and paint — can elevate any room of your home.

How Much is a Ife Sculpture?

The price for a piece of ife sculpture in our collection starts at $2,320 and tops out at $206,250 with the average selling for $5,000.

Finding the Right Sculptures for You

Styling your home with vintage, new and antique sculptures means adding a touch that can meaningfully transform the space. By introducing a sculptural work as a decorative finish to any interior, you’re making a statement, whether you tend toward the dramatic or prefer to keep things casual with modest, understated art.

A single, one-of-a-kind three-dimensional figurative sculpture mounted on your dining room wall is a guaranteed conversation piece, while a trio of abstract works arranged on your living room bookshelves can add spontaneity to the collection of first-edition novels or artist monographs you’re displaying as well as draw attention to them. Figurative sculptures are representational works that portray a specific person, animal or object. And while decorating with busts, which are sculpted or cast figurative works, hasn’t exactly topped the list of design trends every year, busts are back. According to designer Timothy Corrigan, “They give humanity in a way that a more abstract sculpture can’t give.” Abstract sculptures, on the other hand, are not meant to show something specific. Instead, they invoke a mood or scene without directly stating what they are portraying.

Busts made of stone or metal may not seem like a good fit for your existing decor. Fortunately, there are many ways for a seemingly incongruous piece to fit in with the rest of your room’s theme. You can embrace a dramatic piece by making it the focal point of the room, or you can choose to incorporate several elements made out of the same material to create harmony in your space. If an antique or more dramatic piece doesn’t feel like you, why not opt for works comprising plastic, fiberglass or other more modern materials?

When incorporating sculpture into the design of your home — be it the playful work of auction hero and multimedia visionary KAWS, contemporary fiber art from Connecticut dealer browngrotta arts or still-life sculpture on a budget — consider proper lighting, which can bring out the distinctive aspects of your piece that deserve attention. And make sure you know how the size and form of the sculpture will affect your space in whole. If you choose a sculpture with dramatic design elements, such as sharp angles or bright colors, for example, try to better integrate this new addition by echoing those elements in the rest of your room’s design.

Get started on decorating with sculpture now — find figurative sculptures, animal sculptures and more on 1stDibs today.