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.

Read more
Sculpture, La nasse, Pascal Billard

La nasse

Pascal Billard

Sculpture - 40 x 23 x 10 cm Sculpture - 15.7 x 9.1 x 3.9 inch

€1,280

Sculpture, Varan TV, Pascal Billard

Varan TV

Pascal Billard

Sculpture - 40 x 17 x 12 cm Sculpture - 15.7 x 6.7 x 4.7 inch

€880

Sculpture, Patinette, Pascal Billard

Patinette

Pascal Billard

Sculpture - 50 x 30 x 20 cm Sculpture - 19.7 x 11.8 x 7.9 inch

€1,240

Sculpture, Biburu, Pascal Billard

Biburu

Pascal Billard

Sculpture - 30 x 23 x 8 cm Sculpture - 11.8 x 9.1 x 3.1 inch

€880

Sculpture, Star, Victor Prodanchuk

Star

Victor Prodanchuk

Sculpture - 20 x 31 x 19 cm Sculpture - 7.9 x 12.2 x 7.5 inch

€3,710

Sculpture, Fish, Victor Prodanchuk

Fish

Victor Prodanchuk

Sculpture - 17 x 44 x 12 cm Sculpture - 6.7 x 17.3 x 4.7 inch

€4,637

Sculpture, Aperadog yellow, Aperato

Aperadog yellow

Aperato

Sculpture - 70 x 50 x 50 cm Sculpture - 27.6 x 19.7 x 19.7 inch

€1,300

Sculpture, Fisheye, Aperato

Fisheye

Aperato

Sculpture - 30 x 50 x 5 cm Sculpture - 11.8 x 19.7 x 2 inch

€1,900

Sculpture, Sanglier Noir, William Byl

Sanglier Noir

William Byl

Sculpture - 31 x 40 x 10 cm Sculpture - 12.2 x 15.7 x 3.9 inch

€2,050

Sculpture, Octo-Danse, Virginie DEVIN

Octo-Danse

Virginie DEVIN

Sculpture - 25 x 21 x 18 cm Sculpture - 9.8 x 8.3 x 7.1 inch

€2,400

Sculpture, Adelpha, Juliette Clovis

Adelpha

Juliette Clovis

Sculpture - 34 x 34 x 27 cm Sculpture - 13.4 x 13.4 x 10.6 inch

€4,950

Sculpture, Wooden Owl, Bordalo

Wooden Owl

Bordalo

Sculpture - 51 x 45 x 10 cm Sculpture - 20.1 x 17.7 x 3.9 inch

€5,000

Sculpture, Obie I, Lieven Demunter

Obie I

Lieven Demunter

Sculpture - 25 x 90 x 21 cm Sculpture - 9.8 x 35.4 x 8.3 inch

€2,950

Sculpture, Baboune, Marine De Soos

Baboune

Marine De Soos

Sculpture - 41 x 34 x 13.5 cm Sculpture - 16.1 x 13.4 x 5.3 inch

€9,900

Sculpture, Boss Lion XXL, Yaniv Edery

Boss Lion XXL

Yaniv Edery

Sculpture - 210 x 130 x 100 cm Sculpture - 82.7 x 51.2 x 39.4 inch

€95,000

Sculpture, Papillon de nuit, Looki

Papillon de nuit

Looki

Sculpture - 24 x 12 x 12 cm Sculpture - 9.4 x 4.7 x 4.7 inch

€275

Sculpture, Brainy Ballon Pink, Cévé

Brainy Ballon Pink

Cévé

Sculpture - 60 x 22 x 23 cm Sculpture - 23.6 x 8.7 x 9.1 inch

€17,500

Sculpture, Pelican, Zachariah Njobo

Pelican

Zachariah Njobo

Sculpture - 70 x 30 x 15 cm Sculpture - 27.6 x 11.8 x 5.9 inch

€2,100

Sculpture, Grand panda jocker, Miko-R

Grand panda jocker

Miko-R

Sculpture - 60 x 50 x 50 cm Sculpture - 23.6 x 19.7 x 19.7 inch

€2,950

Sculpture, Tortue, Jean Lemonnier

Tortue

Jean Lemonnier

Sculpture - 35 x 29 x 37 cm Sculpture - 13.8 x 11.4 x 14.6 inch

€6,000

Sculpture, The way we love, PickWick

The way we love

PickWick

Sculpture - 34 x 10 x 13 cm Sculpture - 13.4 x 3.9 x 5.1 inch

€400

Sculpture, U Ghjattu, PickWick

U Ghjattu

PickWick

Sculpture - 27 x 20 x 7 cm Sculpture - 10.6 x 7.9 x 2.8 inch

€300 €150

Sculpture, U Cane, PickWick

U Cane

PickWick

Sculpture - 26 x 22 x 7 cm Sculpture - 10.2 x 8.7 x 2.8 inch

€300

Sculpture, Le Bellâtre, Hadrien David

Le Bellâtre

Hadrien David

Sculpture - 47 x 50 x 12 cm Sculpture - 18.5 x 19.7 x 4.7 inch

€6,900

Sculpture, Équilibre, S.Kristol

Équilibre

S.Kristol

Sculpture - 50 x 25 x 25 cm Sculpture - 19.7 x 9.8 x 9.8 inch

€6,100

Sculpture, Autruche, Quentin Garel

Autruche

Quentin Garel

Sculpture - 47 x 25 x 43 cm Sculpture - 18.5 x 9.8 x 16.9 inch

€15,000

Sculpture, Dog Fellas, Art By Son

Dog Fellas

Art By Son

Sculpture - 136 x 40.5 x 51 cm Sculpture - 53.5 x 15.9 x 20.1 inch

€14,500

Sculpture, Bec Violon, Pascal Billard

Bec Violon

Pascal Billard

Sculpture - 35 x 36 x 18 cm Sculpture - 13.8 x 14.2 x 7.1 inch

€880

Sculpture, Bec tiroir, Pascal Billard

Bec tiroir

Pascal Billard

Sculpture - 30 x 25 x 14 cm Sculpture - 11.8 x 9.8 x 5.5 inch

€880

Sculpture, Masque 1, Alicia Coste

Masque 1

Alicia Coste

Sculpture - 37.5 x 26 x 2 cm Sculpture - 14.8 x 10.2 x 0.8 inch

€400

Sculpture, Fish, Edmore Chijumani

Fish

Edmore Chijumani

Sculpture - 28 x 68 x 13 cm Sculpture - 11 x 26.8 x 5.1 inch

€2,300

Sculpture, Golden panther, Phantom Art

Golden panther

Phantom Art

Sculpture - 60 x 35 x 160 cm Sculpture - 23.6 x 13.8 x 63 inch

€7,500

Sculpture, Hariette, Dirk De Keyzer

Hariette

Dirk De Keyzer

Sculpture - 84 x 20 x 30 cm Sculpture - 33.1 x 7.9 x 11.8 inch

€12,950

Sculpture, Suricates, Mauro Corda

Suricates

Mauro Corda

Sculpture - 135 x 44 x 44 cm Sculpture - 53.1 x 17.3 x 17.3 inch

€9,000

Sculpture, Notus, Anne Rabion

Notus

Anne Rabion

Sculpture - 46 x 15 x 19 cm Sculpture - 18.1 x 5.9 x 7.5 inch

€950

Sculpture, Chinook, Anne Rabion

Chinook

Anne Rabion

Sculpture - 58 x 30 x 17 cm Sculpture - 22.8 x 11.8 x 6.7 inch

€1,400

Sculpture, Sister, Jürgen Lingl

Sister

Jürgen Lingl

Sculpture - 62 x 30 x 41 cm Sculpture - 24.4 x 11.8 x 16.1 inch

€14,800

20/37
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.