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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'Ourson, Lirone

L'Ourson

Lirone

Sculpture - 59 x 50 x 20 cm Sculpture - 23.2 x 19.7 x 7.9 inch

$15,210

Sculpture, Ma jungle, Martine Dégot

Ma jungle

Martine Dégot

Sculpture - 100 x 90 x 15 cm Sculpture - 39.4 x 35.4 x 5.9 inch

$1,404

Sculpture, El Caballo, Rodo Padilla

El Caballo

Rodo Padilla

Sculpture - 90 x 100 x 45 cm Sculpture - 35.4 x 39.4 x 17.7 inch

$15,912

Sculpture, Tigre Noir, Mozart Guerra

Tigre Noir

Mozart Guerra

Sculpture - 80 x 50 x 80 cm Sculpture - 31.5 x 19.7 x 31.5 inch

$43,173

Sculpture, Atlas Moth, Shawn Smith

Atlas Moth

Shawn Smith

Sculpture - 94 x 49 x 8 cm Sculpture - 37 x 19.3 x 3.1 inch

$15,795

Sculpture, Nest, Shawn Smith

Nest

Shawn Smith

Sculpture - 38 x 23 x 33 cm Sculpture - 15 x 9.1 x 13 inch

$17,550

Sculpture, Sheruns, Bernard Rives

Sheruns

Bernard Rives

Sculpture - 40 x 60 x 33 cm Sculpture - 15.7 x 23.6 x 13 inch

$3,510

Sculpture, Doppleganger, Julien Wolf

Doppleganger

Julien Wolf

Sculpture - 32 x 28 x 12 cm Sculpture - 12.6 x 11 x 4.7 inch

$4,563

Sculpture, Mama Lou, Flo Hombecq

Mama Lou

Flo Hombecq

Sculpture - 110 x 50 x 50 cm Sculpture - 43.3 x 19.7 x 19.7 inch

$6,435

Sculpture, Oscar, Marie-Louise Sorbac

Oscar

Marie-Louise Sorbac

Sculpture - 28 x 29 x 30 cm Sculpture - 11 x 11.4 x 11.8 inch

$9,243

Sculpture, Sirène, Nicolas Kennett

Sirène

Nicolas Kennett

Sculpture - 50 x 60 x 40 cm Sculpture - 19.7 x 23.6 x 15.7 inch

$5,733

Sculpture, Hawk, Nicolas Kennett

Hawk

Nicolas Kennett

Sculpture - 35 x 37 x 40 cm Sculpture - 13.8 x 14.6 x 15.7 inch

$4,914

Sculpture, Levrier, Patrick Lang

Levrier

Patrick Lang

Sculpture - 32 x 15 x 10 cm Sculpture - 12.6 x 5.9 x 3.9 inch

$7,371

Sculpture, Chien, Patrick Lang

Chien

Patrick Lang

Sculpture - 80 x 75 x 20 cm Sculpture - 31.5 x 29.5 x 7.9 inch

$21,645

Sculpture, Rhino, Patrick Lang

Rhino

Patrick Lang

Sculpture - 30 x 40 x 15 cm Sculpture - 11.8 x 15.7 x 5.9 inch

$10,647

Sculpture, Runner duck, Patrick Lang

Runner duck

Patrick Lang

Sculpture - 53 x 40 x 11 cm Sculpture - 20.9 x 15.7 x 4.3 inch

$8,424

Sculpture, Porcelaine, Patrick Lang

Porcelaine

Patrick Lang

Sculpture - 27 x 30 x 12 cm Sculpture - 10.6 x 11.8 x 4.7 inch

$8,424

Sculpture, Luca Bleu, Patrick Lang

Luca Bleu

Patrick Lang

Sculpture - 75 x 40 x 35 cm Sculpture - 29.5 x 15.7 x 13.8 inch

$13,455

Sculpture, Héra Bleu, Patrick Lang

Héra Bleu

Patrick Lang

Sculpture - 63 x 30 x 35 cm Sculpture - 24.8 x 11.8 x 13.8 inch

$9,945

Sculpture, Elias bleu, Patrick Lang

Elias bleu

Patrick Lang

Sculpture - 45 x 20 x 20 cm Sculpture - 17.7 x 7.9 x 7.9 inch

$7,137

Sculpture, Shadow, Nicolas Kennett

Shadow

Nicolas Kennett

Sculpture - 35 x 50 x 25 cm Sculpture - 13.8 x 19.7 x 9.8 inch

$4,563

Sculpture, Panthère, Michel Audiard

Panthère

Michel Audiard

Sculpture - 33 x 63 x 26 cm Sculpture - 13 x 24.8 x 10.2 inch

$15,444

Sculpture, Eel, Nicolas Kennett

Eel

Nicolas Kennett

Sculpture - 23 x 80 x 37 cm Sculpture - 9.1 x 31.5 x 14.6 inch

$6,903

Sculpture, Arión, Bernard Rives

Arión

Bernard Rives

Sculpture - 86 x 94 x 18 cm Sculpture - 33.9 x 37 x 7.1 inch

$17,550

Sculpture, Vortex, Karine Payette

Vortex

Karine Payette

Sculpture - 99.5 x 12 x 35 cm Sculpture - 39.2 x 4.7 x 13.8 inch

$6,100

Sculpture, Animal Man, Brandon Vickerd

Animal Man

Brandon Vickerd

Sculpture - 182 x 43 x 44.5 cm Sculpture - 71.7 x 16.9 x 17.5 inch

$16,500

Sculpture, Untitled, Karine Payette

Untitled

Karine Payette

Sculpture - 45.7 x 35.6 x 25.4 cm Sculpture - 18 x 14 x 10 inch

$9,360

Sculpture, Levrier 2B, Patrick Lang

Levrier 2B

Patrick Lang

Sculpture - 15 x 30 x 10 cm Sculpture - 5.9 x 11.8 x 3.9 inch

$8,775

Sculpture, Ourse, Patrick Lang

Ourse

Patrick Lang

Sculpture - 37 x 37 x 14 cm Sculpture - 14.6 x 14.6 x 5.5 inch

$9,243

Sculpture, Elias or, Patrick Lang

Elias or

Patrick Lang

Sculpture - 45 x 20 x 20 cm Sculpture - 17.7 x 7.9 x 7.9 inch

$7,137

Sculpture, Taureau, Michel Audiard

Taureau

Michel Audiard

Sculpture - 73 x 46 x 36 cm Sculpture - 28.7 x 18.1 x 14.2 inch

$7,605

Sculpture, Panthère, Michel Audiard

Panthère

Michel Audiard

Sculpture - 33 x 63 x 26 cm Sculpture - 13 x 24.8 x 10.2 inch

$14,040

Sculpture, Taureau, Michel Audiard

Taureau

Michel Audiard

Sculpture - 73 x 46 x 36 cm Sculpture - 28.7 x 18.1 x 14.2 inch

$9,360

Sculpture, Land Loha totem, Loha

Land Loha totem

Loha

Sculpture - 20 x 15 x 6 cm Sculpture - 7.9 x 5.9 x 2.4 inch

$117

Sculpture, Entretemps, Karine Payette

Entretemps

Karine Payette

Sculpture - 38.1 x 38.1 x 15.2 cm Sculpture - 15 x 15 x 6 inch

$5,616

Sculpture, Gorille , Michel Audiard

Gorille

Michel Audiard

Sculpture - 40 x 48 x 32 cm Sculpture - 15.7 x 18.9 x 12.6 inch

$6,435

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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

$758

Print, Paris verte, M.Chat

Paris verte

M.Chat

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

$409

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.