We as a species tend to separate living things into “people” and “animals,” believing other creatures cannot feel and think to the extent that us humans can. While that may be largely true, we still can’t help but come full circle and apply a huge amount of human emotion to the animals in our lives, creatures that we see every day.
The cat is a sly, mischievous, yet always redeemable trickster; the snake is deceptive and cunning, often a backstabber; the hawk is akin to a focused and ambitious warrior. The canon of stories, fables, and legends that give human qualities to animals is unquantifiable, probably because we recognize, deep down, that these beasts have a greater capacity for human-like emotions than we currently admit.
In this way, we often find entire species condensed into one essential character, such as those in Aesop’s famous fables, where the tiger is always “the tiger” and the hare always overdoes itself while underestimating the tortoise.
These generalizations communicate essential truths and reflect typical observations people make of these common animals in the wild, and as a result, each species of animal is seen as a kind of subset of humanity: a person may be described as “mousy” if they are small and timid, or compared to a lizard if they enjoy relaxing and lying still for long periods of time.
All of this to say that our own species of humankind has created universal narratives around these creatures, and that to see them represented is no longer to merely see a recreation of an animal, but rather to see an interpretation of a well-known, often mythic character, whether from a single famous story such as the fox in “Sour Grapes” or just as a generalized understanding of what the animal’s personality might be like.
When a work of art depicts these animals, it’s rather like a kind of shorthand, immediately creating characters that people know and can relate to. Whether it’s the loyalty of a guard dog, the idleness of peacefully grazing sheep, or the liberated power of a horse, anyone who lays eyes on these hand-carved marble sculpture of animals will immediately understand the story being told.
A story behind a pair of marble dog statues
Imagine the story begins with these: a pair of dogs, clearly siblings or even twins, who sit comfortably yet at alert, side by side like guards. Already the concept of family has entered the picture: it’s very likely that these two dogs, identical and inseparable from birth, had a family of their own they are looking after.
The pair of marble dog sculptures look forward, seeming to gaze at the exact same thing, yet their faces seem more casually observant rather than watchful: they are synced up by nature, not because something special has gotten their attention.
The slim physiques of these two natural stone dog sculpture lean and aerodynamic, would make them good hunting dogs, suggesting that they live in a rural home, while their individual mats, perhaps initially just a convenience for the sculptor as a surface to set their work upon, further brings to mind the doting of a loving family who provide little comforts such as these for their loyal pets.
Note also the position of these Marble statues of dogs’ hind legs: rather than laying restfully on the floor underneath them, these marble sculpture of dogs keep their hind feet perched on the floor, as if always ready to pounce, to spring up at the ready for any situation that may require their action.
From visual details alone, an entire world is being implied. Such is the power of visual art in general and sculpture in particular, and such also is the potency of the characteristics we as a culture apply to all dogs.
White Marble statue of sheep: A flock of sheep sculpture
In this supposed rural setting for our marble animal story, we can add a few new characters who will open up entirely new horizons: a few idly white marble grazing sheep, minding their own business out in the pasture.
The details on these sculptures of sheep are a bit more minimalist, the better to infer your own imagination upon them. Their legs blend vaguely into the undetailed ground, and your mind automatically fills in the rest. It’s a curious mix of realism and abstraction, like something from an old memory that has just started to resurface.
The three different stone sculptures of sheep depicted here show sheep in various states, suggesting a free, unstructured life where these marble sheep can graze and live as they please.
If they are being taken care of by a farmer or herder, then we can see their pastures right outside the door of the house that the two twin dogs were lying inside of. It’s a peaceful scene of cooperation amongst different animals with different jobs around the property, all set under a clear blue sky (maybe slowly turning orange with the dusk) in the great outdoors, with clean air, bright greens, and deep, earthy browns.
As with all of these natural stone sculptures of sheep, your vision of them is fully customizable and subject to any changes of your whim. The marble sheep depicted here are merely an example.
Do you want the three marble statue of sheep that you see, or do you want more or less? Would you like them life-sized or smaller and more convenient? Maybe you could even add a black marble sheep to the family, as the stone sculptures of sheep can be carved as any color of your choosing. It all depends on your specific project, and it all ends up contributing to your unique story.
White Marble Statue of sheep dog
Of course, if the twin dogs are inside, who’s the natural stone statue of sheep dog tending to the flock out in the pasture? This white marble dog statue almost looks like a sheep himself, with his thick curly coat of fur and his relatively small stature.
But in his pose and stance there is a well-trained and poised sense of focus: this is a dog who knows his job and is proud of it. The detail on his fur is impressively precise, with each swirling lock hand-carved from the natural stone, until you may catch yourself feeling surprised that the hair doesn’t give under your touch.
The face of this marble dog statue is a bit more ambiguous, however. Instead of being a precisely realized expression, the white stone dog’s features are broadly cast, so that anyone who looks at him can see their own childhood dog in his expression.
In this way, parts of him are exact illustrations that contribute to our growing rural story, while other parts allow the viewer to transpose their own ideas into the setting, mixing the vision of the artist with their own subjective experiences. All in all, this creates an even more powerful, empathetic scene.
If you were to place this white marble dog statue in conjunction with the white marble sheep, where would he go? The placement could make a lot of difference in the telling of the story.
Putting the white marble dog behind the white marble sheep would make him appear to be an overseer, true to his role as a sheepdog herding the flock. Putting him in front of the sheep would make him look more like a leader, and connect the different disparate animal stories taking place across the farm.
Finally, placing him next to the stone sheep statue, side by side, organizes the different levels of animals into something more cohesive, with all of the different species working together to try and make the household work. With a simple change in placement, the farm can go from a business to a family.
A Stone Sculpture of Goldfish
Now let’s explore a new corner of this ever-growing farm story… or rather, let’s create a new corner, that wasn’t there before. We can do this simply by adding this stone statue of a goldfish.
There is an instant expansion of the farmland setting: a marble pond or lake appears, probably off to the side or out in the distance, maybe on the edge of the sheep statue’s grazing grounds.
Suppose the twin dogs were lying on their mats, resting after a swim. The marble goldfish hastens away from them in a panic, but the dogs aren’t interested in catching small fish when their human owners already provide them with their food.
The marble fish’s stone texture is different from its furry companions. The marble of this fish sculpture is carved from is smoother, sleeker, shining as if wet from a life underwater.
In addition to this, it also has a bizarre, comic quality, with its permanently surprised-looking bug eyes and its cute, stubby fins that must be waggled rapidly for any kind of movement. It lacks the dignity and poise of the dogs, and the peacefulness of the sheep, but in exchange it supplies a new character quality all of its own.
In addition to offering a loose kind of levity to the otherwise disciplined scene, it also provides variety of tone and setting, with its protagonist obviously living underwater, somewhat detached to the other creatures living on the farm.
If you are a fun of marble gold fish statue, you could choose different size of stone fish sculpture. Imagine to display a huge marble statue of goldfish in your front yard or backyard beside a marble pond fountain. What a beautiful scene!
Unique Marble dog sculpture
Finally, one last dog will round out our farm setting and segue into the next story, and you will see right away that this marble dog sculpture isn’t quite like the others we have seen so far.
For one thing, This unique marble dog statue has a shield, which can be seen to represent several different things. The shield combines with his aggressive expression, teeth bared, eyes wide, ears up at the alert, to create the symbol of a devoted protector.
Not only does shield of this marble dog contribute to his appearance as a guard dog, but it also evokes a family crest, making this stone statue of dog the guardian of a specific loyal family: surely the same family that the other dogs belong to, who tend to the sheep on the farm, next to the pond with the fish.
And thanks to Marblebee’s customizable stone sculpture options, this might very well end up being your own family’s coat of arms!
This marble sculpture of guard dog’s teeth are bared, but he doesn’t seem to be actively on the attack: it looks more like he is displaying his strength, as a warning or assurance, and it is quite possible that he’s not trying to be intimidating at all, and that he is simply fierce in appearance thanks to his natural canines.
In addition, his well-trained pose suggests a dog that fights for his loved ones, rather than some vicious wild animal, and his slender build prevents him from looking too monstrous, so he can retain an approachable element such as many dogs have for their loving owners.
Sculpture of White Marble Elephant
With these next few marble sculptures, we leave the rural farmland setting behind and delve into a new story, which is a little more wild, a little more dangerous, but still certainly within the realm of human domestication.--Yeah, A White Marble Elephant statue!
This white marble elephant is a cute, playful creature, unintimidating with its round and stubby proportions, wide, curious eyes, and deceptively human smile. This natural stone statue of elephant also has no tusks, which further suggests that he is a baby, and judging by how safe and comfortable he seems to feel, his parents are probably not too far away.
The skills of the sculptor who hand-carved this baby elephant statue from natural marble are apparent with the way the creature’s weight is suggested. Carefully placed wrinkles on the legs, contrasted with the smooth skin of the body, make it clear where gravity is pulling, and how hard it is doing so, despite the entire piece being made of one solid stone.
The marble elephant’s face is also brimming bright with emotion, a hopeful kind of fascination with the world around him, where everything he sees is something new. This innocent curiosity is all the more heartfelt when you consider what he will grow into: a towering, majestic, fully grown adult elephant, one of the most intelligent mammals on the planet.
Life-size White Marble Elephants in a pair
This distinguished and impressive pair of fully grown adult elephants walk proudly side by side. When placed with the baby elephant we’ve already seen, a dignified family emerges, just as a family of dogs and sheep on a farm had emerged earlier, from the sculptures we explored before.
The marble elephants statue, shown here forever captured in mid-motion, seem to be in the act of marching, leading the way for their young to eagerly follow in wide-eyed wonder. Where are they all going?
Perhaps later sculptures will give us hints, but for now, we can see through the proud width of their strides, large and uninterrupted, that they are out in the open somewhere. Perhaps a grassland, such as a savanna?
The maturity and size of the marble elephants statue is expressed in multiple ways through the craftsmanship of the sculptor. The most obvious trait are the tusks: long, fully developed tusks, capable of both practical acts like foraging for food and lifting heavy objects, as well as self-defense.
However, beyond the marble tusks are a more subtle study of proportions: longer legs and smaller heads suggest a fully grown adult animal in contrast with the stubby, big-headed baby that came before them.
Finally, an absence of wrinkles on the elephant’s legs suggests a more balanced center of gravity, a focus of mature core strength and dexterity, and a well-rounded experience of motion across many years. It is one of the few times wrinkles suggest youth more than age!
In our new story set in the plains of the wilderness, a family has emerged, using nothing more than some visual details to cue us in on age, and carefully carved facial expressions to contrast the eager curiosity of youth with the subdued watchfulness of adulthood.
Amazing natural stone statue of horses
The pair of elephants stone statue can be complemented here with this pair of wild, galloping stone horses—similar to the stone elephant statue couple, but also different for obvious reasons that expand the scope of this grasslands story.
At first glance, these two horses stone statue seem almost identical, apart from their polar opposite colors, but upon a closer look, we see that their musculatures are actually quite distinct, with the white horse being a bit beefier, and the black horse being slimmer.
Compared to the indistinguishable pair of whit marble sculpture of elephants before, these marble statue of horses end up looking radically different, and yet their energies, movements, majesty, and beauty are all very much in sync with each other.
Are they friends or foes? Are they family? You can almost see them galloping past the swaggering elephant family, perhaps gracefully prancing in the background of the diorama, low mountains and swaying seas of ferns shimmering hazy in the distance of this Asiatic plain, where wild horses and elephants could actually be seen to coexist. One thing is for sure: the human element is refreshingly lacking.
Now let’s look in detail at the artistry on display with these two horses sculpture. The white marble horse, tinged silver and granite with natural marble coloration patterns, has an earthy, tactile feel to it. You can sense the very mountain it was carved directly out of.
On the other hand, the black stone horse sculpture is sleek in color just as in its physique, with a polished sheen on its natural stone hide. Perhaps this is the younger, faster of the two: there may even be a student-mentor story to be told between these two sculptures, available to any interior designer with an eye of careful placement and presentation.
Natural Stone Lion statues
Moving on up the food chain, yet another story emerges from a fresh line of unstoppable solid stone hunters: an epic pantheon of kingly predators, giant, stunning jungle cats, and swooping birds of prey, haunting in the specter they cast against the wild sky. The Statues of Lions! Oh! Marble Lions!
There is perhaps no better example of an animal species cast as a singular, generalized mythological figure, than the marble lion. Characterized as the king of the jungle, often portrayed as an old, wizened, battle-scarred veteran of war, the hunt, and life itself, the fascinating character of the lion has been endlessly explored in virtually all types of narrative media.
Even the famously bumbling Cowardly Lion from The Wizard of Oz eventually finds his courage, and in fact performs heroic deeds even when scared stiff!
These two lions sculptures have plenty of differentiating features that make them distinct individuals: the shapes of their faces, the surfaces on which they both proudly stand, and of course the color of their natural marble blocks, among other, more subtle differences.
However, one thing these two marble lions have in common which may go unnoticed at first, is the direction in which they both face: straight forward, headlong into whatever may come next.
While this may make these sculptures a bit more static, it also increases the power of their symbolism, making them immovable, mythic figures unchanged for the countless generations we have been telling stories about them. Always looking into the future with teeth bared and eyes razor-sharp, these lions stand at the ready with bulging muscles and majestic manes.
Dynamic posture stone lion statue
In contrast, this third stone lion statue may look similar enough to the first two, but it has one difference that might catch a person’s eye the moment they enter the room: if you position this side-looking lion correctly, it will be gazing directly at anyone who enters in through the door!
A slight sense of motion and a dynamic body posture bring this lion alive and makes it feel more immediate and more specific than the idealized marble lion standing stock-still, shoulders squared, facing forward. It’s a tiny change, but it makes a world of difference.
Notice also the marble striations naturally occurring throughout the stone of this marble statue of lion. Combined with the detail and liveliness of the sculpture, it almost looks like the lion is peering at you through a layer of rock, as if merely chipping some of the surface away would allow the true animal to break free and rampage around the room.
The marble of this stone lion statue seems to shudder with the constrained energy of the beast. Below its feet, the smooth marble platform gives the sculpture a much-needed counterbalance of predictable stability.
Travertine Natural stone panther bust
That simple turn of the head had such a great effect on the marble lion sculpture… what if we took that particular detail and condensed it, removing all else? A beautiful natural stone sculpture of a panther! We’d be left with a bust of the cat, looking simultaneously ominous and thoughtful; threatening, and yet contemplative.
We see an example of what exactly that would look like with this stone panther bust, carved rugged and worn as if mined from an ancient ruin or discovered hidden in lush foliage in an exotic jungle on the far side of the world.
Compared to the wider, fuller heads of the lions, with their proud, thick manes, the panther seems leaner, lither, and contrary to feeling immobilized by its lack of a body, the bust of the marble panther looks merely as if the body is out of sight somewhere, lurking in the dark of a bush, ready to pounce at a split second’s notice.
We can see a portion of its rippling spine peeking out from behind its flattened crown, further giving the notion of a beast on the cusp of a glorious attack.
The marble panther’s rough visage, accentuated by the natural variations of the marble stone from which it was carved, look upon the viewer with a casual, almost unimpressed facial expression, as if the otherwise watchful and nocturnal hunter doesn’t even register your close presence as a threat.
Whatever it is stalking, it’s certainly not you. It regards you with half-closed eyes, either narrowed with scrutiny, or heavy with boredom… possibly even both. Such is the way of a powerful hunter at the very top of its food chain.
If you’re looking for an animal that will regard you with something more than mere apathy, consider a return to the lion: he is, after all, the archetype of a kingly leader. Here the front door marble lion statue sits perched on a pedestal. It is something of a removal from the readiness of the warrior lions depicted before: this lion is physically at rest, but we can see he is far from truly sedentary.
With the natural stone lion statue's back straight as an arrow and his head held up high, this is a ruler displayed before his domain. His head is slightly large compared to his body, especially his clearly visible paws, which further decreases his physical presence and makes his power more of a mental or even a political kind.
Meanwhile, the stone lion statue's mane, while etched with an eye for detail that only a skilled sculptor can use to wring hair from stone, features a distinctly exaggerated curl that is rarely seen in real life. It is an idealized version of a curly mane that increases the surreal, mythological appeal of this transcendental guardian.
Furthermore, the marble lion statue's outstretched tongue, an ancient trope indeed, could indicate his hunger, literal or metaphorical (which could further be seen as an aggressive desire for dominance), or it could be a compromising sign of submission to his subjects.
Truly, such ambiguity makes it a perfect sculpture for each person to see whatever their preoccupied minds decide to make them see.
Immaculately carved stone eagle sculpture
For a change of pace, look to the sky. This immaculately carved stone eagle swoops from the heavens down to its prey, and is supported by a weather-worn tree stump that looks as if it has been the perch of this majestic avian hunter for ages gone by.
Nothing catches the grace of wild motion quite like the image of a diving bird of prey: no marble lion or stone panther sculpture, not even a marble horse, (although they may come closest for the land-bound beasts!) can achieve that same breathtaking level of freedom through space.
Here the black marble eagle’s entire body seems to be a singular geometric design of efficiency: note the incomparable curve of its spine from its hooked beak to its wicked talons, with tail making a second curve, and its great wide wings creating yet another, combining into a complex system of aerodynamic bioengineering.
All of these natural marvels have been captured for posterity with deceptive simplicity by this skilled sculptor, who clearly understands the intimidating beauty and ghostly perfection of these marvelous birds of prey.
The reflective surface of the natural black stone further adds to the effect of the marble eagle being sleek and agile, and when we look at its open beak, we can almost hear its killing cry echo around the forest in which it lives… and which it owns.
Now take a look at its perch, made of stone wrought to resemble wood, although in the process the differences between the two materials—both ancient and natural building blocks of the world’s first cities, the great forests—blurs into something more ambiguous, of the earth, which the eagle claims as its own as master of the woods.
Notice the care and details with which the innumerable creases of the stump have been carved by the artist, each notch a lifetime of use as the eagle rests with its prey in its beak, confident of its dominion over its territory.
The only thing more impressive than such a flying beast (a.k.a. a black marble eagle sculpture) would be if a lion also had wings. But lions with wings don’t exist.
Marble Sculpture of Lion with wings
Right from the pages of your favorite childhood picture book springs this winged lion, a griffin of sorts, even if it may not fit the full definition of such a fantastical creature (a griffin often has not only the wings, but also the head of an eagle).
The marble winged lion statue stands before you with the utmost pride, an emissary of a mystical realm beyond our mortal coil, demanding respect and adulation. It is the best of both worlds: all the grace, power, and majesty of a lion, with a new magical flair that takes it to the next level. In the context of these animals each being their own character in the wider popular mythology, this winged lion takes the concept literally, and elevates the lion, already the awesome king of the jungle, into a fantastical figure from a hundred stories told endlessly through the ages.
Several previous sculptures have featured the intentionally aged look, with the natural marble stone like travertine, limestone which has a worn down looking to give the piece a sense of history and wisdom—even if the piece is new, hand-carved to order. The stone material certainly comes from earth and waited for you for thousands of years.
However, no lion could possibly appear statelier, standing guard across all time until its statue begins to return back into the mountain, than this magical winged creature. Here, the aging effect from the limestone /travertine seems more appropriate than ever before, and gives the sculpture more gravitas than any depiction of a real-world animal could contain.
Its proportions, too, are surreal if not wholly unrealistic: the jutting chest makes it appear more regal, the razor-straight back and the immovable wings of this marble winged lion all give an ironic sense of stillness to the creature, when most sculptors would want to imbue their creations with liveliness and movement.
This is not an accident: the marble winged lion is a sentinel, meant to stand watch for all time. It doesn’t move out of loyalty and duty, not out of disinterest or lethargy.
Pushing the fantasy element even further is this similar griffin-like creature who has the face of a mythic dragon, rather than the whole appearance of a lion with wings added onto it. The design resembles a combination of classical Greek and Chinese art styles, with the face of the dragon—if we should call it that—being particularly Far Eastern and the posture and pose decidedly along the more Western traditions, matching previous lion statues we have seen here. The wings appear more reptilian, with scales and veins visible through a lack of feathers: such wings do not exist in any animal in the real world, but can be seen constantly throughout legends, fables, and visual arts all over the world. Furthermore, the dragon’s facial expression is of particular note: it is not stern, serene, and assuring, like some of the sculptures we have explored, nor is it angry, vicious, and aggressive, like the predatory hunters we have also seen. Instead, this sculpture, far more intriguing and even potentially disturbing, seems wracked with an otherworldly glee, a kind of magical madness suggesting a transcendence from our own mundane reality into the spiritual realm of magic and mischief in which this creature lives. To draw examples from Norse mythology, the winged lion above can be compared to the mighty Thor, noble and heroic, while this sly dragon creature is more like Loki, his chaotic brother who relishes in upsetting plans and disrespecting societal norms.
However, we have yet to examine what is, by far, the most striking and unusual aspect of this sculpture: it has no hind legs!
Marble Dragon Creature Sculpture
Is that a snake’s body it has, or a dragon’s tail? It curls like a bundle of pure muscle under the creature like a seat for it to recline back onto, leaving it up to one’s imagination what this stupefying beast must look like when it has taken flight. Imagine the dragon like marble creature's front legs crunching the ground before it as it moves, while its tail slithers powerfully behind it like Medusa.
There will never be a more apt guardian of your household than this impressive and glorious, yet also terrifying, mythical creature. Whether or not you see it as a valuable ally and protector, or as an exciting monster that the ancient heroes of old had to content with, the dragon griffin will inject a true thrill into your design project! What a marble dragon-lion hybrid!
Marble hippocentaur statue/ Natural stone sculpture of Centaur/Marble statue of man-headed horse
What could ever be more outlandish than a marble dragon-lion hybrid? The only thing that can outdo it in terms of sheer wonder is surely the natural stone sculpture of centaur. This is because of its whimsical blend with the truly familiar: not only is its body that of a common animal, the stone horse, but its head and torso are even more familiar: human!
It is this repurposing of normal, everyday elements, rather than the invention of new concepts or creature designs, which makes the centaur the most surreal mythical creature of them all. So a marble hippocentaur statue is the true art in garden.
Note the marble centaur’s casual posture: his arms, folded behind him, out of the way in idleness, and his head leaning backwards in relaxation. His stone horse legs seem to be in the middle of a slow, carefree trot, with nowhere to go and nothing to worry about.
This peacefulness, combined with a typically hypermasculine depiction of the stone sculpture of man-headed horse as a musclebound, godlike figure with luscious locks and a thick beard, result in a character who is completely at ease with the world around him and who is the master of his own environment.
Human figures of this natural stone sculpture of Centaur (or at least human-like figures such as this half-human hybrid) present an additional challenge to sculptors: the details of a familiar human anatomy.
Viewers may not be particularly aware of the extensive science of anatomy; however, we can instinctively tell when something is amiss, from sheer experience and observation alone.
When a sculptor meets this challenge, the result is a return on an appropriately high investment: a marvelous masterwork in technical prowess marrying magical creativity.
Throughout history, human beings have always yearned to tell stories. It is a critical part of how we express emotion, and its complete universality, observable in every single culture in the world, proves how deeply ingrained in our minds storytelling is.
Also universal is our tendency to use the animals around us as templates for the characters in these wide-ranging tales. Wild or domesticated, big or small, harmless or dangerous… in fact, the sheer variety of creatures in our world provided ancient storytellers with a giant cast of characters, each arriving on the scene with personality traits already observed from interacting with these animals in real, daily life.
We have illustrated and interpreted these universal animal characters in all forms of art, but sculpture remains one of the most impressive and dignified artistic mediums that we as a species have yet come up with.
The smallest details can bring forth a huge amount of expression and information to the viewer through body language: weight shifted onto one foot, a tilt of the head, the degree of a snarl. How much is calculated and how much is instinctive (and how much is pure luck!) is all part of the artistic process.
These wild animal sculptures hand-carved from natural marble stone are fully customizable and made to order, and can be created at any size, with any details you would want for your statue.
Establish some mystical guardians for your home, or install your spirit animal into your business or estate for good fortune. Any way you do it, with a little foresight, some careful planning, and imagination, it’ll always be a great story!