African Sculptures & Statues

African sculptures and statues remain as popular as ever before, appreciated by collectors for their contribution to modern art, most notably fauvism, expressionism, and cubism, as well as their enchanting aesthetic. Their artistic sensibilities and portrayal of the human body put forward by African sculptures and statues offered a radically divergent aesthetic from those that existed in Western art.

Instead of striving for realism or the perfection of human proportions as European art had since the time of Ancient Greece, African statues distorted and exaggerated aspects of the human body. This resulted in African carved wooden figures that looked otherworldly and at times were frightening portrayals. While such depictions of the human figure were viewed as naïve, crude, or aesthetically offensive by some, they were celebrated by others, such as Pablo Picasso, who was greatly inspired by these mystical forms.

The influence of African sculpture and African statue is easily perceptible in the asymmetric proportions and alien forms of many of Picasso's portraits. This influence is believed to have played a seminal role in advancing modern art away from realism towards abstraction.

Quick Facts

• Sotheby's sold an African Fang sculpture in December 2015 for 423,000 euros
• The village of Igbo-Ukwu in the Niger Delta boasted a casting tradition which dates the way back to the 9th century. Clay figurines have been found in this region from around 500 B.C., making them the oldest discovered examples of African sculpture
• El Anatsui is one of the world's most celebrated contemporary artists, continuing the tradition of African sculpture and African carved wooden figures with great critical and commercial success
• View other African artifacts, sculpture and <a href=”https://www.invaluable.com/african-masks/sc-FT5EU1IZ6M/”>African masks for sale</a> on Invaluable.