Plaster Relief Indigenous
20th Century Modern Figurative Sculptures
Marble, Bronze
People Also Browsed
20th Century South African Mid-Century Modern Figurative Sculptures
Bronze
Vintage 1930s Austrian Art Deco Figurative Sculptures
Bronze
Vintage 1950s Austrian Mid-Century Modern Wall-mounted Sculptures
Bronze
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Vases
Glass, Murano Glass, Blown Glass, Art Glass
Mid-20th Century African Tribal Decorative Bowls
Wood, Reclaimed Wood
Late 20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Animal Sculptures
Glass, Art Glass, Blown Glass, Murano Glass
Antique 1670s Italian Cabinets
Ivory, Ebony
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Figurative Sculptures
Bronze
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Sofas
Fabric, Wood
1980s Contemporary Nude Drawings and Watercolors
Watercolor, Mixed Media, Graphite
20th Century Zimbabwean Mid-Century Modern Abstract Sculptures
Stone
Early 20th Century Ivorian Tribal Figurative Sculptures
Wood
Vintage 1950s French Mid-Century Modern Figurative Sculptures
Wood
Vintage 1970s French Space Age Architectural Elements
Metal, Aluminum
Mid-20th Century Congolese Tribal Wall-mounted Sculptures
Rattan, Wood
Antique 1870s Nautical Objects
Wood
Recent Sales
Early 1900s Fauvist Figurative Sculptures
Bronze
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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