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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Majestic nishikigoi in metal splendor : aqueous grandeur scarlet
Hiro Ando
Sculpture - 80 x 75 x 100 cm Sculpture - 31.5 x 29.5 x 39.4 inch
$28,080
Majestic nishikigoi in metal splendor : aqueous grandeur silver
Hiro Ando
Sculpture - 80 x 75 x 100 cm Sculpture - 31.5 x 29.5 x 39.4 inch
$28,080
Majestic nishikigoi in metal splendor : aqueous grandeur azure
Hiro Ando
Sculpture - 80 x 75 x 100 cm Sculpture - 31.5 x 29.5 x 39.4 inch
$28,080
Crocodile (1)
Richard Orlinski
Sculpture - 45 x 110 x 45 cm Sculpture - 17.7 x 43.3 x 17.7 inch
$17,550
Trilogy Samuraicat Blu, Sumocat Orange, Urbancat Pink : Feline Odyssey
Hiro Ando
Sculpture - 28 x 73 x 20 cm Sculpture - 11 x 28.7 x 7.9 inch
$19,890
Chasing Horse Horse - Collectors favorite!
Art By Son
Sculpture - 270 x 55 x 120 cm Sculpture - 106.3 x 21.7 x 47.2 inch
$93,014
Lémurien à ventre roux
François Galoyer
Sculpture - 81 x 19 x 53 cm Sculpture - 31.9 x 7.5 x 20.9 inch
$11,466
Hibou des marais
François Galoyer
Sculpture - 36 x 20 x 15 cm Sculpture - 14.2 x 7.9 x 5.9 inch
$7,956
Grand chat assis
François Galoyer
Sculpture - 50 x 18 x 34 cm Sculpture - 19.7 x 7.1 x 13.4 inch
$10,413
Bird II
Vincent Champion-Ercoli
Sculpture - 35.5 x 10.5 x 10 cm Sculpture - 14 x 4.1 x 3.9 inch
$3,159
Suricate Curieux II
Mauro Corda
Sculpture - 60 x 21 x 16 cm Sculpture - 23.6 x 8.3 x 6.3 inch
$13,338
Tête de lionne IV
Patrick Villas
Sculpture - 68 x 36.5 x 49 cm Sculpture - 26.8 x 14.4 x 19.3 inch
$25,740
Gaia e la balena Piccola
Stefano Bombardieri
Sculpture - 15 x 85 x 27 cm Sculpture - 5.9 x 33.5 x 10.6 inch
$28,080
Deux hippos avec ballon
Philippe Berry
Sculpture - 23 x 95 x 20 cm Sculpture - 9.1 x 37.4 x 7.9 inch
$17,784
Panthera cameleon
Jean François Piecourt
Sculpture - 32 x 120 x 45 cm Sculpture - 12.6 x 47.2 x 17.7 inch
$7,254
Grande panthère couchée sur branche
Patrick Villas
Sculpture - 42 x 60 x 20 cm Sculpture - 16.5 x 23.6 x 7.9 inch
$16,380
King Kong Balls Bleu
Denis Defrancesco
Sculpture - 11 x 25 x 11 cm Sculpture - 4.3 x 9.8 x 4.3 inch
$1,755
Big Rabbit, Pink Design
Raffaele Ardor
Sculpture - 48 x 38 x 32 cm Sculpture - 18.9 x 15 x 12.6 inch
$1,626
Totem Oiseau Bleu
Dominique Combe
Sculpture - 62 x 32 x 14 cm Sculpture - 24.4 x 12.6 x 5.5 inch
$1,357
Suricate Escalateurs III
Mauro Corda
Sculpture - 60 x 21 x 16 cm Sculpture - 23.6 x 8.3 x 6.3 inch
$15,795
Yuki the young yak (White)
Mark Ryden
Sculpture - 43.2 x 30.5 x 25.4 cm Sculpture - 17 x 12 x 10 inch
$2,106
King of the sofa serie II
Babette Degraeve
Sculpture - 43 x 28 x 48 cm Sculpture - 16.9 x 11 x 18.9 inch
$5,265
Bull granit black
Jean François Piecourt
Sculpture - 39 x 73 x 32 cm Sculpture - 15.4 x 28.7 x 12.6 inch
$5,499
Omaggio a Colbert Piccolo 8/8
Stefano Bombardieri
Sculpture - 20 x 55 x 16 cm Sculpture - 7.9 x 21.7 x 6.3 inch
$26,910
Teddy Love Chrome - Black & Red
Nicolas Krauss
Sculpture - 23 x 15 x 10 cm Sculpture - 9.1 x 5.9 x 3.9 inch
$2,925
Golden Monkey
Valerian Sioridzé
Sculpture - 32 x 19 x 12 cm Sculpture - 12.6 x 7.5 x 4.7 inch
$1,462
Tête de léopard femelle III
Patrick Villas
Sculpture - 38 x 33 x 26 cm Sculpture - 15 x 13 x 10.2 inch
$18,720
Grâce africaine
Lee Berthille
Sculpture - 190.5 x 83.5 x 38 cm Sculpture - 75 x 32.9 x 15 inch
$6,435
Rhino Petrol Company Medio, Edition 8/8
Stefano Bombardieri
Sculpture - 70 x 30 x 60 cm Sculpture - 27.6 x 11.8 x 23.6 inch
$38,610
Omaggio a Colbert - mini edition P.S
Stefano Bombardieri
Sculpture - 41 x 14 x 23 cm Sculpture - 16.1 x 5.5 x 9.1 inch
$17,550
Owl on tree - Chouette dans l'arbre
Tauraï Mupaso
Sculpture - 66 x 25 x 20 cm Sculpture - 26 x 9.8 x 7.9 inch
$2,691
King owl - Roi hibou
Tauraï Mupaso
Sculpture - 41 x 20 x 15 cm Sculpture - 16.1 x 7.9 x 5.9 inch
$1,638
Baby owl - Bébé chouette
Tauraï Mupaso
Sculpture - 24 x 20 x 15 cm Sculpture - 9.4 x 7.9 x 5.9 inch
$1,053
Fragment de gorille
Florence Jacquesson
Sculpture - 48 x 35 x 20 cm Sculpture - 18.9 x 13.8 x 7.9 inch
$12,870
Fragment orang-outan
Florence Jacquesson
Sculpture - 52 x 40 x 20 cm Sculpture - 20.5 x 15.7 x 7.9 inch
$17,550
Fieles en la tormenta
Rodo Padilla
Sculpture - 40 x 37 x 20 cm Sculpture - 15.7 x 14.6 x 7.9 inch
$4,914
Horse and Brick LV Brown and Tiffany Blue
Art Kristin
Sculpture - 20 x 30 x 9 cm Sculpture - 7.9 x 11.8 x 3.5 inch
$690
Loup Hurlant résine métal Grey Mat 2022
Richard Orlinski
Sculpture - 40 x 30 x 12 cm Sculpture - 15.7 x 11.8 x 4.7 inch
$8,073
I have a robin on my head
Catherine Clare
Sculpture - 32 x 18 x 22 cm Sculpture - 12.6 x 7.1 x 8.7 inch
$1,111
Chevaleresque
Thierry Benenati
Sculpture - 43 x 94 x 27 cm Sculpture - 16.9 x 37 x 10.6 inch
$32,175
Discover the styles & movements
Discover the selection of our experts
Kong Christmas 2024 Gold edition
Richard Orlinski
Design - 19 x 13.5 x 7 cm Design - 7.5 x 5.3 x 2.8 inch
$597
Standing Wild Bear
Richard Orlinski
Sculpture - 80 x 52 x 58 cm Sculpture - 31.5 x 20.5 x 22.8 inch
$91,259
Need help with Animal Sculpture for Sale ?
What is the most famous animal sculpture?
Some of the most famous animal sculptures in the world are Charging Bull by Arturo di Modica, The Last Three by Gillie and Marc Schattner, and Lions by Edward Kemeys.
Who is the most famous animal sculptor?
The most famous sculptors who produced animal sculptures include Edward Kemeys, who is credited as being the first animal sculptor (animalier) in America, and Antoine-Louis Barye, a French Romantic sculptor who lived during the late 18th and 19th centuries.
What is Jeff Koons rabbit made of?
Jeff Koons' Rabbit series consists of three stainless steel animal sculptures.