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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Vive les fleurs et les chats
Seb Paul Michel
Sculpture - 31 x 8 x 8 cm Sculpture - 12.2 x 3.1 x 3.1 inch
$445
Renart, le Goupil
Monsieur Térez
Sculpture - 42 x 55 x 20 cm Sculpture - 16.5 x 21.7 x 7.9 inch
$1,872
Vive les fleurs et les chats
Seb Paul Michel
Sculpture - 19 x 8 x 8 cm Sculpture - 7.5 x 3.1 x 3.1 inch
$175
Poissons des profondeurs
Clemyart
Sculpture - 10 x 9 x 9 cm Sculpture - 3.9 x 3.5 x 3.5 inch
$175 $158
Crocodile Born Wild (Rouge), 110cm
Richard Orlinski
Sculpture - 45 x 110 x 45 cm Sculpture - 17.7 x 43.3 x 17.7 inch
$14,040
Model for Monument to the White Squirrel
Brandon Vickerd
Sculpture - 30.5 x 30.5 x 20.3 cm Sculpture - 12 x 12 x 8 inch
$7,020
Elephant with Ballons
Valay Shende
Sculpture - 120 x 45 x 50 cm Sculpture - 47.2 x 17.7 x 19.7 inch
$64,350
Serie taruomaquia II
Miquela Vidal Barceló
Sculpture - 28 x 24 x 24 cm Sculpture - 11 x 9.4 x 9.4 inch
$2,925
Serie tauromaquia I
Miquela Vidal Barceló
Sculpture - 31 x 15 x 26 cm Sculpture - 12.2 x 5.9 x 10.2 inch
$2,925
Fragment (Grémille)
Nicolas Kennett
Sculpture - 21 x 46 x 15 cm Sculpture - 8.3 x 18.1 x 5.9 inch
$4,563
Watching (The mussel mask)
Nicolas Kennett
Sculpture - 45 x 35 x 28 cm Sculpture - 17.7 x 13.8 x 11 inch
$5,733
Celestial embryo
Nicolas Kennett
Sculpture - 28 x 50 x 18 cm Sculpture - 11 x 19.7 x 7.1 inch
$5,265
Vive les fleurs et les totems
Seb Paul Michel
Sculpture - 25 x 10 x 9 cm Sculpture - 9.8 x 3.9 x 3.5 inch
$211
Panthère Bronze
Michel Audiard
Sculpture - 25 x 50 x 23 cm Sculpture - 9.8 x 19.7 x 9.1 inch
$10,530
Cavalier II Bronze
Christophe Charbonnel
Sculpture - 57 x 63 x 30 cm Sculpture - 22.4 x 24.8 x 11.8 inch
$25,447
Mentibus Viatores / Saffron
Tom Alexis Robert
Sculpture - 61 x 81 x 7 cm Sculpture - 24 x 31.9 x 2.8 inch
$3,510
Mentibus Viatores / Turquoise
Tom Alexis Robert
Sculpture - 61 x 81 x 7 cm Sculpture - 24 x 31.9 x 2.8 inch
$3,510
Babolex 60 serie spéciale ChildHood mémories
Vincent Faudemer
Sculpture - 60 x 40 x 40 cm Sculpture - 23.6 x 15.7 x 15.7 inch
$18,720
Runner Duck Grand
Patrick Lang
Sculpture - 190 x 34 x 52 cm Sculpture - 74.8 x 13.4 x 20.5 inch
$38,610
Jaguar et son petit
Gilbert Sacchetti
Sculpture - 40 x 92 x 35 cm Sculpture - 15.7 x 36.2 x 13.8 inch
$35,100
Lionne
Jean-Baptiste Vendamme
Sculpture - 25 x 55 x 11.5 cm Sculpture - 9.8 x 21.7 x 4.5 inch
$10,881
Roboclusion Kong Skate
Vincent Sabatier
Sculpture - 25 x 16 x 5 cm Sculpture - 9.8 x 6.3 x 2 inch
$1,521
Roboclusion Bonze Kong
Vincent Sabatier
Sculpture - 25 x 16 x 5 cm Sculpture - 9.8 x 6.3 x 2 inch
$1,638
Roboclusion Blue Kong
Vincent Sabatier
Sculpture - 25 x 16 x 5 cm Sculpture - 9.8 x 6.3 x 2 inch
$1,638
Roboclusion Light Blue Kong
Vincent Sabatier
Sculpture - 25 x 16 x 5 cm Sculpture - 9.8 x 6.3 x 2 inch
$1,638
Dusk (Wolverine)
Nicolas Kennett
Sculpture - 60 x 53 x 24 cm Sculpture - 23.6 x 20.9 x 9.4 inch
$6,552
Animal Man
Brandon Vickerd
Sculpture - 182 x 43 x 44.5 cm Sculpture - 71.7 x 16.9 x 17.5 inch
$16,500
We are known by the company we keep -Blue
DOC (Desire Obtain Cherish)
Sculpture - 45.7 x 41.9 x 35.6 cm Sculpture - 18 x 16.5 x 14 inch
$23,700
Meltdown- Look at me master, look at me!
Ralph Posset
Sculpture - 11 x 16 x 3 cm Sculpture - 4.3 x 6.3 x 1.2 inch
$497
Hippopotamus
Richard Orlinski
Sculpture - 43 x 70 x 25 cm Sculpture - 16.9 x 27.6 x 9.8 inch
$17,200
Birds Guard II
Tadas Gutauskas TaDas
Sculpture - 19 x 24 x 10 cm Sculpture - 7.5 x 9.4 x 3.9 inch
$2,808
Lapin Marchand de Ballons
Pinkhas
Sculpture - 32 x 16 x 14 cm Sculpture - 12.6 x 6.3 x 5.5 inch
$1,147
Stingray fish
Lyubka Kyrilova
Sculpture - 12 x 46 x 21 cm Sculpture - 4.7 x 18.1 x 8.3 inch
$1,755 $1,579
Wild Kong Shiny Blue 62cm
Richard Orlinski
Sculpture - 62 x 51 x 28 cm Sculpture - 24.4 x 20.1 x 11 inch
$15,800
Wild Kong Oil Silver Metal by Orlinski
Richard Orlinski
Sculpture - 45 x 25 x 16 cm Sculpture - 17.7 x 9.8 x 6.3 inch
$9,000
Birds Guard I
Tadas Gutauskas TaDas
Sculpture - 29.5 x 17 x 14 cm Sculpture - 11.6 x 6.7 x 5.5 inch
$3,627
Moonlight metamorphosis
Caroline Preston
Sculpture - 100 x 100 x 3 cm Sculpture - 39.4 x 39.4 x 1.2 inch
$8,120
The inevitable lightness of not wanting to be
Aramis Justiz
Sculpture - 30 x 28 x 20 cm Sculpture - 11.8 x 11 x 7.9 inch
$1,872
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.