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Vintage Makonde Ebony

Anthropomorphic Modernist 'Makonde' Sculpture 1950s
Located in Tilburg, NL
Anthropomorphic Modernist 'Makonde' sculpture 1950s This is a wonderful piece of modernist
Category

Mid-20th Century Tanzanian Brutalist Abstract Sculptures

Materials

Wood, Ebony

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Large Figurative African Mangbetu Anthropomorphic Vessel / Jar
Located in Studio City, CA
This is a fantastic piece likely made by the Mangetu tribe of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It is finely detailed and quite large and hefty. These pieces were originally made...
Category

20th Century Congolese Folk Art Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Terracotta

Brutalist solid Elm sideboard by Maison Regain, France.
By Maison Regain
Located in Langemark-Poelkapelle, BE
Brutalist solid Elm sideboard by Maison Regain, France. The large curved handles which have been carved from a single piece of solid wood are very typical for Maison Regains design...
Category

Late 20th Century French Brutalist Sideboards

Materials

Elm

Seguso Murano Sommerso Green Italian Art Glass Horse Head Figurine Sculpture
By Archimede Seguso
Located in Kissimmee, FL
Beautiful vintage Murano hand blown Sommerso green to clear Italian art glass horse head sculpture. The figure is documented to designer Archimede Seguso, circa 1950s. It still retai...
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Animal Sculptures

Materials

Glass, Sommerso, Art Glass, Murano Glass, Blown Glass

Large Carved Bust of African Man
Located in Pasadena, CA
This is an exceptionally well-carved portrait bust of an African man dating to the mid-20th century. The bust is carved from a single piece of mahogany; the artist has captured the s...
Category

Early 20th Century African Folk Art Sculptures and Carvings

Materials

Mahogany

Large Carved Bust of African Man
Large Carved Bust of African Man
H 25 in W 7 in D 14 in
Vintage African Fertility Pregnant Woman Wood Carved Floor Sculpture
Located in Keego Harbor, MI
For your consideration is an incredible, African fertility woman, wood carved floor sculpture, with an attached acrylic base. In excellent vintage condition. The dimensions of the sc...
Category

20th Century Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Wood

Antique Asian Bronze Large Camel Toy on Wheels 19th C
Located in North Hollywood, CA
A scene from Ramakian or Ramayan, the Indian epic Rama and Sita. Large and heavy Antique Indian Temple toy metal camel, bronze camel on wheels. Camel with rider on wheels, beautiful ...
Category

Antique Late 19th Century Indian Moorish Animal Sculptures

Materials

Bronze

Bruno Gambone Stoneware Horse Raw 1975
By Bruno Gambone
Located in Munich, DE
Raw glazed ceramic horse made by Bruno Gambone from 1975, signed Gambone on the bottom. Very rare in the raw version.
Category

Vintage 1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Animal Sculptures

Materials

Stoneware

Bruno Gambone Stoneware Horse Raw 1975
Bruno Gambone Stoneware Horse Raw 1975
H 7.29 in W 6.3 in D 2.37 in
'African Queen' Shona stone sculpture signed by Chenjerai Chiripanyanga
By Chenjerai Chiripanyanga
Located in Milwaukee, WI
'African Queen' is an original opal serpentine stone sculpture signed by the contemporary Zimbabwean artist Chenjerai Chiripanyanga. The sculpture itself stands tall and proud like a...
Category

Early 2000s Contemporary Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Stone

10+ Person Outdoor Teak Dining Table In Brutalist Style
By Mondo
Located in New York, NY
Introducing an outdoor dining table, a bold statement piece that comfortably seats over 10 guests. This table, inspired by the raw and powerful aesthetic of the Brutalist movement, i...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Balinese Brutalist Patio and Garden Furniture

Materials

Teak

Large Antique Figurative African Mangbetu Peoples Anthropomorphic Vessel
Located in Morristown, NJ
Early 20th century Mangbetu chief's pot, from DR Congo, a distinctive and beautiful anthropomorphic sculpture. This style of terracotta pot making developed about 1900. Pots were han...
Category

Early 20th Century Congolese Tribal Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Terracotta

19th Century Italian Architectural Corinthian Wood Columns on Sandstone Plinths
Located in Firenze, IT
This tall pair of Italian 19th century Louis XVI style hand carved walnut architectural columns with Corinthian capitals and stone base boasts a fluted and slender body crowned with ...
Category

Antique 19th Century Italian Classical Roman Pedestals and Columns

Materials

Stone, Sandstone

Large Limited Edition Mild Steel Sculpture "African Strider"
By Uwe Pfaff
Located in Cape Town, ZA
A large, powder coated mild steel sculpture, edition 1/3. Available in different colours on request.
Category

2010s Contemporary Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Steel

SENUFO Woman
Located in Three Oaks, MI
“Scattered across the Ivory Coast, Mali and Burkina Faso, the million and a half Senufo tribespeople live principally off the fruits of agriculture and occasionally hunting. They in...
Category

Mid-20th Century Tribal Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Wood

SENUFO Woman
SENUFO Woman
H 21 in W 7 in D 7 in
Glissard : large-scale steel sculpture
Located in New York, NY
A large-scale steel sculpture by Naomi Press. Signed with initials. Naomi Press is a female abstract sculptor, who was one of the very few women working in large scale with steel in...
Category

1980s Abstract Abstract Sculptures

Materials

Stainless Steel

Collection of Four Neoclassical Columns in Istrian Stone
Located in London, GB
A collection of four neo-classical columns in Istrian stone. The moulded base surmounted by fluted shafts with finely carved Corinthian capitals to top. Very fine quality. (Width and...
Category

Antique Mid-19th Century Neoclassical Pedestals and Columns

Materials

Stone

Pair Art Deco Brutalist Andirons
Located in New York, NY
Pair Art Deco andirons, constructed of cast iron with a faux bronze finish. Fine estate condition.
Category

Vintage 1940s American Art Deco Andirons

Materials

Brass

Pair Art Deco Brutalist  Andirons
Pair Art Deco Brutalist  Andirons
H 18.5 in W 5.5 in D 24 in

Recent Sales

Makonde African Wood Carvings and Sculptures from Tanzania
Located in Geneva, IL
and has a rich sheen when polished, as seen in these handcrafted vintage piece. The ebony wood has
Category

Vintage 1960s African Tribal Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Hardwood

Vintage Tribal Makonde Hand Carved Ebony Wood Art Sculpture Mother & Children
Located in Topeka, KS
Unique vintage Tribal Makonde hand carved ebony wood art sculpture of a mother and her children
Category

20th Century African Tribal Sculptures and Carvings

Materials

Wood

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Finding the Right figurative-sculptures for You

Figurative sculpture is a modern art form in which artists create work that is typically representative of the visible world. However, sculptures that are considered to be figurative in style can definitely be inclusive of abstract elements. A wide range of antique, new and vintage figurative sculptures has been made over the years by both well-known and emerging artists, and these pieces can prove striking and provocative as part of your home decor.

Realistic representation in visual art has a very long history. And while figurative artists, whether figurative painters or sculptors, find inspiration in humans, animals and real-life objects, good figurative sculptures can make us think differently about how the real world should look. Just as figurative paintings might include Photorealistic human likenesses, they can also include elements of Surrealism and can suggest a creative and alternative reality. Figurative sculptures aren’t always realistic impressions of our world — depictions of the human form in classical Greek sculpture, for example, might emphasize beauty and physical perfection.

There are a variety of figurative sculptures on 1stDibs created by artists working in a number of styles, including Art Deco, Art Nouveau, mid-century modern and more. A large figurative sculpture can introduce an excellent focal point in a guest bedroom, while smaller works might draw the eye to spaces such as wall shelving or a bookcase that people may otherwise overlook.

When decorating your living room, dining room, home office and study areas with figurative sculptures, don’t be afraid to choose bold colors to inject brightness into neutral spaces. Texture is another factor to consider when purchasing figurative sculptures. A highly textural work of ceramics or wood will catch the eye in a sleek modern space, whereas a smooth, flat glass sculpture can offer an often much-needed contrast in a room that already has many textures.

On 1stDibs, find antique, new or vintage figurative sculpture or other kinds of sculpture for your home decor today.

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