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Animal Sculpture for Sale

Animal sculpture is a sculptural style in its own right. This specific genre deserves the same recognition as nude, marble, bronze and resin sculptures.

The representation of animals and anthropomorphism has long been a source of inspiration for sculptural creations and yet it was once considered a minor genre in Western European decorative arts. Ironically, animal sculpture was of the utmost importance to Ancient civilizations. Countless ancient Egyptian buildings for example were adorned with animal sculptures, from grandiose representations of felines to Sphinxes. More generally within the visual arts, animals were rarely represented in their own right, and were often depicted accompanying or symbolizing mythological figures or even character traits.

Aside from its mythical representations, animal sculptures were also popular with suzerain states who used monumental bronze sculptures of lions or eagles to symbolise the immensity of their power.

However, it wasn't until 1831 that the sculptor Antoine-Louis Barye finally established animal sculpture as a noble art, thanks to his work "Tiger devouring a Gavial Crocodile" at the Salon de Paris. It was no longer fashionable to depict animals as unreal, mythological creatures in the decorative arts and instead naturalism and realistic representations of animals characterized the sculpture of the period. Ideas about nature's wealth and abundance meant that all creatures deserved to be carefully and meticulously recreated in the closest likeness possible. Mythical animal interpretations were left behind and artists concentrated on capturing the finer details of an animal's fur, muscles or mouth.

A new wave of renowned animal sculptors emerged. Pierre-Jules Mêne, Antoine Aigon and Jean Germain Demay are just a few examples of some of these pioneering artists. Particularly interested in 'exotic' species (snakes, gazelles, elephants, giraffes, hippopotamuses…), they all explored representing the natural world in a variety of different ways.

In the 20th century, realist tendencies gradually faded away and a new group of creative minds began to experiment with animal sculpture as part of the shift towards modern sculpture.

Numerous artists tried their hand at animal sculpture whilst applying new aesthetic criteria which was largely influenced by modern and contemporary art movements: Abstract art, Impressionism, Cubism, Expressionism. Guided by key surrealist influences, which could not have been further removed from the traditional styles of the past century, a new bestiary was created. Pablo Picasso and Alberto Giacometti were among the key figures who helped to reinvent the way artists endeavored to sculpt animals.

In contemporary animal sculpture, radically redefining artistic techniques and the way we represent living beings has taken precedence over realistic proportion sizes and lifelike features. Artists no longer refrain from accentuating a particular body part, removing a limb for example or creating an entirely new hybrid beast. However, many artists are also skilled at creating hyper-realistic animals that seem so real they almost appear to be alive.

To help you get an idea of the latest animal sculptures, take a look at Artsper's collection of sculpted animals, selected from some of the best contemporary art galleries and made by artists including Jaques Dufrane, Raymundo Fabian Melchor and Roxana y Jesus Hernandez.

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Sculpture, L'Arbre de vie, Dotty

L'Arbre de vie

Dotty

Sculpture - 105 x 110 x 19 cm Sculpture - 41.3 x 43.3 x 7.5 inch

€11,700

Sculpture, Mini Rhino Rouge, Gite

Mini Rhino Rouge

Gite

Sculpture - 14 x 24 x 10 cm Sculpture - 5.5 x 9.4 x 3.9 inch

€390

Sculpture, Mini Rhino Métal, Gite

Mini Rhino Métal

Gite

Sculpture - 14 x 24 x 10 cm Sculpture - 5.5 x 9.4 x 3.9 inch

€390

Sculpture, Cavalier, Ousmane Dermé

Cavalier

Ousmane Dermé

Sculpture - 44 x 48 x 16 cm Sculpture - 17.3 x 18.9 x 6.3 inch

€5,900

Sculpture, Esprit, Etienne

Esprit

Etienne

Sculpture - 22 x 13 x 7 cm Sculpture - 8.7 x 5.1 x 2.8 inch

€5,470

Sculpture, Monkey Basquiat, Spaco

Monkey Basquiat

Spaco

Sculpture - 19 x 30 x 6 cm Sculpture - 7.5 x 11.8 x 2.4 inch

€250

Sculpture, Ferrari black, Spaco

Ferrari black

Spaco

Sculpture - 27 x 18 x 6 cm Sculpture - 10.6 x 7.1 x 2.4 inch

€250

Sculpture, Petit Cerf I, Pierre Yermia

Petit Cerf I

Pierre Yermia

Sculpture - 32 x 16.5 x 8.5 cm Sculpture - 12.6 x 6.5 x 3.3 inch

€3,000

Sculpture, Je Dors, Sophie Larroche

Je Dors

Sophie Larroche

Sculpture - 31 x 40 x 34 cm Sculpture - 12.2 x 15.7 x 13.4 inch

€3,500

Sculpture, Pegasus, Stavri Kalinov

Pegasus

Stavri Kalinov

Sculpture - 32 x 12 x 5 cm Sculpture - 12.6 x 4.7 x 2 inch

€3,300

Sculpture, VIOLENTO, Gite

VIOLENTO

Gite

Sculpture - 23 x 35 x 24 cm Sculpture - 9.1 x 13.8 x 9.4 inch

€990

Sculpture, Jague (Le Jaguar), Gite

Jague (Le Jaguar)

Gite

Sculpture - 28 x 60 x 22 cm Sculpture - 11 x 23.6 x 8.7 inch

€1,800

Sculpture, Human gorilla, Gite

Human gorilla

Gite

Sculpture - 31 x 38 x 33 cm Sculpture - 12.2 x 15 x 13 inch

€1,900

Sculpture, JoJo Gorille, Gite

JoJo Gorille

Gite

Sculpture - 35 x 38 x 31 cm Sculpture - 13.8 x 15 x 12.2 inch

€1,650

Sculpture, Octodream, Max ArtLouis

Octodream

Max ArtLouis

Sculpture - 20 x 30 x 30 cm Sculpture - 7.9 x 11.8 x 11.8 inch

€1,000

Sculpture, Le Chat, Changzheng Zhu

Le Chat

Changzheng Zhu

Sculpture - 14 x 24 x 15 cm Sculpture - 5.5 x 9.4 x 5.9 inch

€450

Sculpture, Dino Basquiat, Spaco

Dino Basquiat

Spaco

Sculpture - 25 x 24 x 6 cm Sculpture - 9.8 x 9.4 x 2.4 inch

€250

Sculpture, Shark, Irakli Tsuladze

Shark

Irakli Tsuladze

Sculpture - 16 x 42 x 10 cm Sculpture - 6.3 x 16.5 x 3.9 inch

€3,200

Sculpture, Horse, Irakli Tsuladze

Horse

Irakli Tsuladze

Sculpture - 65 x 54 x 18 cm Sculpture - 25.6 x 21.3 x 7.1 inch

€4,600

Sculpture, La nymphe au faune, Raâk

La nymphe au faune

Raâk

Sculpture - 26 x 20 x 33 cm Sculpture - 10.2 x 7.9 x 13 inch

€1,200

Sculpture, Tragon, Patopalomo

Tragon

Patopalomo

Sculpture - 37 x 80 x 27 cm Sculpture - 14.6 x 31.5 x 10.6 inch

€1,000

Sculpture, Envolée II, Pierre Yermia

Envolée II

Pierre Yermia

Sculpture - 51 x 71 x 53 cm Sculpture - 20.1 x 28 x 20.9 inch

€11,000

Sculpture, Taureau IX, Pierre Yermia

Taureau IX

Pierre Yermia

Sculpture - 66 x 60 x 15 cm Sculpture - 26 x 23.6 x 5.9 inch

€7,100

Sculpture, Hippo, Olivia Moélo

Hippo

Olivia Moélo

Sculpture - 35 x 6 x 14 cm Sculpture - 13.8 x 2.4 x 5.5 inch

€5,200

Sculpture, Cha'Mignon, Lolek

Cha'Mignon

Lolek

Sculpture - 20 x 8.5 x 14 cm Sculpture - 7.9 x 3.3 x 5.5 inch

€2,375

Sculpture, Oops, Helle Rask Crawford

Oops

Helle Rask Crawford

Sculpture - 45 x 45 x 55 cm Sculpture - 17.7 x 17.7 x 21.7 inch

€9,600

Sculpture, Oiseau et serpent, Corneille

Oiseau et serpent

Corneille

Sculpture - 80 x 110 x 45 cm Sculpture - 31.5 x 43.3 x 17.7 inch

€36,800

Sculpture, Crystal Panda, Soren Lyris

Crystal Panda

Soren Lyris

Sculpture - 20 x 17 x 17 cm Sculpture - 7.9 x 6.7 x 6.7 inch

€2,168

Sculpture, Crystal Camel, Soren Lyris

Crystal Camel

Soren Lyris

Sculpture - 6.2 x 8.7 x 4 cm Sculpture - 2.4 x 3.4 x 1.6 inch

€867

Sculpture, Dinosaure, Spaco

Dinosaure

Spaco

Sculpture - 19 x 24 x 18 cm Sculpture - 7.5 x 9.4 x 7.1 inch

€290

Sculpture, Aperobot fluo vert, Aperato

Aperobot fluo vert

Aperato

Sculpture - 80 x 60 x 20 cm Sculpture - 31.5 x 23.6 x 7.9 inch

€2,100

Sculpture, Héron I, Pierre Yermia

Héron I

Pierre Yermia

Sculpture - 58 x 23 x 25 cm Sculpture - 22.8 x 9.1 x 9.8 inch

€3,850

Sculpture, Félin V, Pierre Yermia

Félin V

Pierre Yermia

Sculpture - 17 x 46 x 8 cm Sculpture - 6.7 x 18.1 x 3.1 inch

€4,550

Sculpture, Panda BA, Julien Marinetti

Panda BA

Julien Marinetti

Sculpture - 90 x 70 x 70 cm Sculpture - 35.4 x 27.6 x 27.6 inch

€48,500

Sculpture, L'ours, Jean-Louis Toutain

L'ours

Jean-Louis Toutain

Sculpture - 27 x 54 x 22 cm Sculpture - 10.6 x 21.3 x 8.7 inch

€10,500

Sculpture, Mini taureau argent, Gite

Mini taureau argent

Gite

Sculpture - 11 x 13 x 25 cm Sculpture - 4.3 x 5.1 x 9.8 inch

€390

14/37

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Discover the selection of our experts

Print, Balance, Irena Aizen

Balance

Irena Aizen

Print - 25.5 x 22.5 x 1 cm Print - 10 x 8.9 x 0.4 inch

€648

Print, Sans-titre, Max Ernst

Sans-titre

Max Ernst

Print - 38 x 28 cm Print - 15 x 11 inch

€650

Print, Paris verte, M.Chat

Paris verte

M.Chat

Print - 44 x 35 cm Print - 17.3 x 13.8 inch

€350

Need help with Animal Sculpture for Sale ?
Who are the animal sculptors?
Animal sculptors, called animaliers, create works depicting wildlife in bronze, ceramic, or other materials. Among the most famous are François Pompon, Rembrandt Bugatti, and Richard Orlinski.
What are the three main types of sculptures?
The three main types of sculpture are sculpture in the round (sculpture in volume, visible from all angles), bas-relief (sculpture slightly protruding from a background) and high-relief (sculpture in great relief, almost detached from the background).
Who is Jacques Owczarek?
Jacques Owczarek is a French sculptor born in 1969, renowned for his clean-lined bronze animal sculptures. His work combines strength and elegance, capturing the essence of animals with great technical mastery.
Who is the most famous animal sculptor of all time?
Antoine-Louis Barye is considered the most famous animal sculptor of all time. A master of bronze in the 19th century, he revolutionized the depiction of animals with his realism and sense of movement.