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"Ekamka Fetish - Nigeria, " Carved Wood Figure created circa 1910
"Ekamka Fetish - Nigeria, " Carved Wood Figure created circa 1910

"Ekamka Fetish - Nigeria, " Carved Wood Figure created circa 1910

Located in Milwaukee, WI

This Ekamka Fetish sculpture was carved from wood by an unknown Nigerian artist. It depicts a figure holding a mask. The figure has two symbolic horns protruding from his head and he...

Category

1910s Folk Art Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Wood

African D.R. Congo Nkisi Koso 2-Headed Dog Wood Fetish Figure
African D.R. Congo Nkisi Koso 2-Headed Dog Wood Fetish Figure

African D.R. Congo Nkisi Koso 2-Headed Dog Wood Fetish Figure

Located in Queens, NY

African Democratic Republic of Congo 20th Century carved wood nail fetish figure in 2-headed dog form (\"Nkisi Koso\"), its torso wrapped with rope entwined around embedded metal nai...

Category

20th Century African Tribal Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Glass

Kota Reliquary Figure Sculpture Mahongwe People Gabon
Kota Reliquary Figure Sculpture Mahongwe People Gabon

Kota Reliquary Figure Sculpture Mahongwe People Gabon

Located in Atlanta, GA

On offer is an African wooden and metal sculptural work called Boho na bwete from Northern part of Gabon made by Mahongwe people. Boho na bwete means Face of Ancestors in local lang...

Category

Mid-20th Century Gabonese Tribal Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Bronze, Copper

African Gabon Kota Mahongwe Hongwe Bwete Reliquary Guardian Figure Sculpture
African Gabon Kota Mahongwe Hongwe Bwete Reliquary Guardian Figure Sculpture

African Gabon Kota Mahongwe Hongwe Bwete Reliquary Guardian Figure Sculpture

Located in Studio City, CA

A truly fantastic, engaging, and uniquely made African Kota Mahongwe Hongwe Reliquary Guardian Figure/ Sculpture made by the Kota (Bakota) peoples who inhabit the northeastern region...

Category

Mid-20th Century Gabonese Sculptures and Carvings

Materials

Brass, Copper

Yoruba Male Figure, an Ibeji or Twin Figure, Nigeria, Africa, Weathered, Beads
Yoruba Male Figure, an Ibeji or Twin Figure, Nigeria, Africa, Weathered, Beads

Yoruba Male Figure, an Ibeji or Twin Figure, Nigeria, Africa, Weathered, Beads

Located in Point Richmond, CA

Yoruba weathered and eroded old male figure, an Ibeji or twin figure, Nigeria, Africa, well loved heavy patina and use. Strong face with projecting eyes. A finely carved Yoruba male...

Category

Early 20th Century Nigerian Tribal Tribal Art

Materials

Wood

African Gabon 20th Century Carved Wood Ambete Reliquary Figure
African Gabon 20th Century Carved Wood Ambete Reliquary Figure

African Gabon 20th Century Carved Wood Ambete Reliquary Figure

Located in Queens, NY

African Gabon 20th Century carved wood Ambete reliquary figure features an oval head with inlaid cowrie shell eyes, a fiber necklace, forward thrust shoulders with bent arms, rope be...

Category

20th Century African Tribal Figurative Sculptures

African Congo Songye Carved Wood Fetish Figure, 20th Century Art
African Congo Songye Carved Wood Fetish Figure, 20th Century Art

African Congo Songye Carved Wood Fetish Figure, 20th Century Art

Located in Queens, NY

African Congo 20th Century carved wood Songye ceremonial fetish figure made with inlaid horn and various materials to promote fertility, vanquish enemies or protect the village. Wea...

Category

20th Century African Tribal Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Horn

African Carved Wood Male Sculpture
African Carved Wood Male Sculpture

African Carved Wood Male Sculpture

Located in San Francisco, CA

This African carved wood figure represents a male ancestor or spirit spouse statue. Standing at an impressive 26.5 inches tall, figures of this size and posture typically serve as fo...

Category

20th Century Abstract Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Wood

"Baule Colonial Sculpture Ivory Coast, " Carved Wood Statue created circa 1910
"Baule Colonial Sculpture Ivory Coast, " Carved Wood Statue created circa 1910

"Baule Colonial Sculpture Ivory Coast, " Carved Wood Statue created circa 1910

Located in Milwaukee, WI

This sculpture was created by an unknown Baule artist from Ivory Coast. It depicts a man in a suit with a white hat. He stands with his hands in his pockets. 18 1/2" x 6 1/4" sculpt...

Category

1910s Folk Art Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Wood

African D.R. Congo Carved Wood Nkisi Male Nail Fetish Figure
African D.R. Congo Carved Wood Nkisi Male Nail Fetish Figure

African D.R. Congo Carved Wood Nkisi Male Nail Fetish Figure

Located in Queens, NY

African Democratic Republic of the Congo 20th Century male nail fetish guardian figure (\"Yombe Nkisi Nkonde\") carved from a single piece of wood, encased and hidden beneath a netwo...

Category

20th Century African Tribal Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Metal

African Cameroon 20th Century Carved Wood & Beaded Namur Doll Female Figure
African Cameroon 20th Century Carved Wood & Beaded Namur Doll Female Figure

African Cameroon 20th Century Carved Wood & Beaded Namur Doll Female Figure

Located in Queens, NY

African Cameroon 20th Century carved wood Namur female fertility doll in a stylized curved form, wrapped with white, yellow & red beaded necklaces. Wear to finish with losses

Category

20th Century African Tribal Figurative Sculptures

Early 20th Century Boukonfo Loba African Figural Wood Sculpture
Early 20th Century Boukonfo Loba African Figural Wood Sculpture

Early 20th Century Boukonfo Loba African Figural Wood Sculpture

Located in Dallas, TX

Early 20th century African carved wood figural sculpture attributed to the Boukonfo Loba tradition. The composition depicts two stylized human figures joined in a dynamic, sculptural...

Category

Early 20th Century African Tribal Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Wood

African Kota Mahangwe Reliquary Figure, Carved Wood, 20th Century
African Kota Mahangwe Reliquary Figure, Carved Wood, 20th Century

African Kota Mahangwe Reliquary Figure, Carved Wood, 20th Century

Located in Queens, NY

African Gabon / Congo 20th Century Kota Mahangwe carved wood reliquary guardian figure in flattened geometric form with protruding eyes and nose, a rope-wrapped finial, decorative te...

Category

20th Century African Tribal Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Metal

"Bacongo Statue, Used as Fetish - Zaire, " Wood, Glass Feathers, & Cloth
"Bacongo Statue, Used as Fetish - Zaire, " Wood, Glass Feathers, & Cloth

"Bacongo Statue, Used as Fetish - Zaire, " Wood, Glass Feathers, & Cloth

Located in Milwaukee, WI

This wood statue, used as a fetish, was created by an unknown Bacongo artist in Zaire. The Kongo people (also Bakongo) are a Bantu ethnic group primarily defined as the speakers of K...

Category

Early 1900s Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Fabric, Glass, Wood, Found Objects

African D.R. Congo Nkisi Nail Fetish Figure, 20th Century Tribal Art
African D.R. Congo Nkisi Nail Fetish Figure, 20th Century Tribal Art

African D.R. Congo Nkisi Nail Fetish Figure, 20th Century Tribal Art

Located in Queens, NY

African Democratic Republic of the Congo 20th Century carved wood 2-headed nail fetish guardian figure (\"Yombe Nkisi Nkonde\"), a roped bundle on his back entwined around embedded m...

Category

20th Century African Tribal Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Metal

African Congo 20th Century Carved Songye Kwfebe Figural Plaque
African Congo 20th Century Carved Songye Kwfebe Figural Plaque

African Congo 20th Century Carved Songye Kwfebe Figural Plaque

Located in Queens, NY

African Congo 20th Century wood Songye Kwfebe plaque carved in flattened figural form with a rectangular shape features a horned, incised head with beaded necklace, 2 smaller relief ...

Category

20th Century African Tribal Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Ash

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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.