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, Ghost horse, Rocwood

Ghost horse

Rocwood

Sculpture - 195 x 78 x 205 cm Sculpture - 76.8 x 30.7 x 80.7 inch

€6,900

Sculpture, Make a Wish, Bevan Ramsay

Make a Wish

Bevan Ramsay

Sculpture - 171 x 56 x 56 cm Sculpture - 67.3 x 22 x 22 inch

€5,600

Sculpture, Lion, JM Collell

Lion

JM Collell

Sculpture - 122 x 95 x 4 cm Sculpture - 48 x 37.4 x 1.6 inch

€6,900

Sculpture, Sad Bear, Ferdi B. Dick

Sad Bear

Ferdi B. Dick

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

€4,823

Sculpture, Talk to Me, Bevan Ramsay

Talk to Me

Bevan Ramsay

Sculpture - 138 x 51 x 47 cm Sculpture - 54.3 x 20.1 x 18.5 inch

€5,600

Sculpture, Tororeador, Perrotte

Tororeador

Perrotte

Sculpture - 131 x 45 x 45 cm Sculpture - 51.6 x 17.7 x 17.7 inch

€12,500

Sculpture, Ourson au coeur, Cha

Ourson au coeur

Cha

Sculpture - 30 x 22 x 25 cm Sculpture - 11.8 x 8.7 x 9.8 inch

€320

Sculpture, Snoopy et Woodstock, Cha

Snoopy et Woodstock

Cha

Sculpture - 35 x 10 x 10 cm Sculpture - 13.8 x 3.9 x 3.9 inch

€395

Sculpture, Setter Pop2, Denis Lepage

Setter Pop2

Denis Lepage

Sculpture - 36 x 64 x 28 cm Sculpture - 14.2 x 25.2 x 11 inch

€1,300

Sculpture, The Proud Deer, Rocwood

The Proud Deer

Rocwood

Sculpture - 200 x 124 x 97 cm Sculpture - 78.7 x 48.8 x 38.2 inch

€7,900

Sculpture, Clip Horse, Rocwood

Clip Horse

Rocwood

Sculpture - 99 x 197 x 245 cm Sculpture - 39 x 77.6 x 96.5 inch

€7,900

Sculpture, Survivor Horse, Rocwood

Survivor Horse

Rocwood

Sculpture - 165 x 240 x 50 cm Sculpture - 65 x 94.5 x 19.7 inch

€6,900

Sculpture, Dodo 2, Denis Lepage

Dodo 2

Denis Lepage

Sculpture - 43 x 33 x 20 cm Sculpture - 16.9 x 13 x 7.9 inch

€3,500

Sculpture, Furiosa, Sophie André

Furiosa

Sophie André

Sculpture - 40 x 80 x 1 cm Sculpture - 15.7 x 31.5 x 0.4 inch

€600

Sculpture, Sasca, Sophie André

Sasca

Sophie André

Sculpture - 40 x 80 x 1 cm Sculpture - 15.7 x 31.5 x 0.4 inch

€600

Sculpture, A tire d'aile, Arsen

A tire d'aile

Arsen

Sculpture - 47 x 47 x 3 cm Sculpture - 18.5 x 18.5 x 1.2 inch

€990

Sculpture, Dragon 1058, Wabé

Dragon 1058

Wabé

Sculpture - 5 x 11 x 1 cm Sculpture - 2 x 4.3 x 0.4 inch

€350

Sculpture, Heruns xxl, Bernard Rives

Heruns xxl

Bernard Rives

Sculpture - 250 x 240 x 70 cm Sculpture - 98.4 x 94.5 x 27.6 inch

€40,000

Sculpture, Aigrette, Bernard Rives

Aigrette

Bernard Rives

Sculpture - 71 x 86 x 86 cm Sculpture - 28 x 33.9 x 33.9 inch

€6,800

Sculpture, A Cheval, Lucette Brandy

A Cheval

Lucette Brandy

Sculpture - 26 x 31 x 12 cm Sculpture - 10.2 x 12.2 x 4.7 inch

€4,000

Sculpture, Escualo II, Aramis Justiz

Escualo II

Aramis Justiz

Sculpture - 78 x 130 x 30 cm Sculpture - 30.7 x 51.2 x 11.8 inch

€6,000

Sculpture, Bélier, Gaël Rouxeville

Bélier

Gaël Rouxeville

Sculpture - 52 x 45 x 4 cm Sculpture - 20.5 x 17.7 x 1.6 inch

€880

Sculpture, Relax, Gaël Rouxeville

Relax

Gaël Rouxeville

Sculpture - 13 x 53 x 6.5 cm Sculpture - 5.1 x 20.9 x 2.6 inch

€2,100

Sculpture, Le Centaure, Lucette Brandy

Le Centaure

Lucette Brandy

Sculpture - 69 x 49 x 20 cm Sculpture - 27.2 x 19.3 x 7.9 inch

€6,500

Sculpture, A peacock, Lyubka Kyrilova

A peacock

Lyubka Kyrilova

Sculpture - 52 x 17 x 10 cm Sculpture - 20.5 x 6.7 x 3.9 inch

€6,028

Sculpture, Birdy 2, nzo23

Birdy 2

nzo23

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

€480

Sculpture, Birdy 3, nzo23

Birdy 3

nzo23

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

€480

Sculpture, Equilibre, Lucette Brandy

Equilibre

Lucette Brandy

Sculpture - 47 x 35 x 14 cm Sculpture - 18.5 x 13.8 x 5.5 inch

€6,400

Sculpture, Solo, Gaël Rouxeville

Solo

Gaël Rouxeville

Sculpture - 45 x 21 x 21 cm Sculpture - 17.7 x 8.3 x 8.3 inch

€1,000

Sculpture, Mutations, Andrius Erminas

Mutations

Andrius Erminas

Sculpture - 25 x 40 x 18 cm Sculpture - 9.8 x 15.7 x 7.1 inch

€1,000

Sculpture, Fish 2, Georgi Velikov

Fish 2

Georgi Velikov

Sculpture - 56 x 17 x 10 cm Sculpture - 22 x 6.7 x 3.9 inch

€2,300

Sculpture, Chameleon, Georgi Velikov

Chameleon

Georgi Velikov

Sculpture - 22 x 20 x 17 cm Sculpture - 8.7 x 7.9 x 6.7 inch

€820

Sculpture, Metal Cat, Georgi Velikov

Metal Cat

Georgi Velikov

Sculpture - 44 x 27 x 25 cm Sculpture - 17.3 x 10.6 x 9.8 inch

€2,100

Sculpture, Copper Cat, Georgi Velikov

Copper Cat

Georgi Velikov

Sculpture - 60 x 40 x 15 cm Sculpture - 23.6 x 15.7 x 5.9 inch

€2,100

Sculpture, Cat Brown, Georgi Velikov

Cat Brown

Georgi Velikov

Sculpture - 94 x 40 x 20 cm Sculpture - 37 x 15.7 x 7.9 inch

€2,200

Sculpture, Bull, Georgi Velikov

Bull

Georgi Velikov

Sculpture - 37 x 36 x 30 cm Sculpture - 14.6 x 14.2 x 11.8 inch

€1,800

Sculpture, Cubic Bull, Rocwood

Cubic Bull

Rocwood

Sculpture - 60 x 100 x 40 cm Sculpture - 23.6 x 39.4 x 15.7 inch

€3,900

Sculpture, Harmless, Rocwood

Harmless

Rocwood

Sculpture - 100 x 120 x 45 cm Sculpture - 39.4 x 47.2 x 17.7 inch

€3,990

Sculpture, Own bird, Georgi Velikov

Own bird

Georgi Velikov

Sculpture - 35 x 30 x 22 cm Sculpture - 13.8 x 11.8 x 8.7 inch

€2,600

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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.