Igbo Statue
1920s Figurative Sculptures
Wood
People Also Browsed
Antique 15th Century and Earlier Yemeni Abstract Sculptures
Alabaster
Early 20th Century Ivorian Primitive Tribal Art
Wood
Mid-20th Century Ivorian Primitive Mounted Objects
Wood
Early 20th Century Burkinabe Tribal Figurative Sculptures
Wood
Antique Late 19th Century Malian Primitive Figurative Sculptures
Ebony
Early 20th Century Nigerian Figurative Sculptures
Wood
Mid-20th Century Ivorian Tribal Tribal Art
Glass, Wood
Antique 19th Century Sierra Leonean Tribal Tribal Art
Stone, Soapstone
Late 20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Abstract Sculptures
Wood
Antique 19th Century Sierra Leonean Tribal Tribal Art
Stone, Soapstone
1920s Sculptures
Clay, Wood
Mid-20th Century Ivorian Tribal Tribal Art
Shell, Raffia, Acrylic, Wood, Carbon Fiber
20th Century Ivorian Primitive Figurative Sculptures
Wood
Antique 19th Century French Romantic Figurative Sculptures
Marble, Carrara Marble
Mid-20th Century Tribal Figurative Sculptures
Wood
2010s Abstract Expressionist Abstract Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
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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