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For other uses of "Figurine", see Figurine (disambiguation).
Franklin Mint glazed porcelain Joseph figurine

A figurine (a diminutive form of the word figure) is a statuette that represents a human, deity or animal. Figurines may be realistic or iconic, depending on the skill and intention of the creator. The earliest were made of stone or clay. Modern versions are made of ceramic, metal, glass, wood and plastic.

Figures with movable parts, allowing limbs to be posed, are more likely to be called dolls, mannequins, or action figures; or robots or automata, if they can move on their own.

Figurines and miniatures are sometimes used in board games, such as chess, and tabletop role playing games. Old figurines have been used to discount some historical theories, such as the origins of chess.


18th century Saint John Baptist pinewood polychrome figurine

In China, there are extant Neolithic figurines.[1] Prehistoric figurines of pregnant women are called Venus figurines, because of their presumed representation of a goddess, or some connection to fertility. The two oldest known examples are made of stone, were found in Africa and Asia, and are several hundred thousand years old. Many made of fired clay have been found in Europe that date to 25-30,000 BC, and are the oldest ceramics known.

In Minoan Crete terracotta figurines manifesting facial detail have been recovered from the Iron Age strata.[2]

These early figurines are among the first signs of human culture. One cannot know in some cases how they were used. They probably had religious or ceremonial significance and may have been used in many types of rituals. Many are found in burials. Some may have been worn as jewelry or intended to amuse children.


Prehistoric Venus of Willendorf figurine


Genre figurines of gallant scenes, beggars or figurines of saints are carved from pinewood in Val Gardena, South Tyrol (Italy), since the 17th century.

Modern era[edit]

Modern figurines, particularly those made of plastic, are often referred to as figures. They can encompass modern action figures and other model figures as well as Precious Moments and Hummel figurines, Bobbleheads, Sebastian Miniatures and other kinds of memorabilia. Two companies which produce porcelain figurines are Royal Doulton and Lladró.

Figurines of comic book or sci-fi/fantasy characters without movable parts have been referred to by the terms inaction figures (originally used to describe Kevin Smith's View Askew figurines) and staction figures (a portmanteau of statue and action figures coined by Four Horsemen artists to describe Masters of the Universe figures).


For more images related for "Figurine", see Category:Figurines on Commons

See also[edit]


  1. ^ Li Liu, The Chinese Neolithic: Trajectories to Early States, 2004, Cambridge University Press, 328 pages ISBN 0-521-81184-8
  2. ^ C.Michael Hogan, Phaistos Fieldnotes, The Modern Antiquarian (2007)