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A figurine (a diminutive form of the word figure) or statuette is a small, three-dimensional sculpture that represents a human, deity or animal figurines, or, in practice, a pair or small group of them. Figurines have been made in many media, with clay, metal, wood, glass, and today plastic or resin the most significant. Ceramic figurines not made of porcelain are called in historical contexts.
Figures with movable parts, allowing limbs to be posed, are more likely to be called , , or ; or or automaton, if they can move on their own. Figurines and miniatures are sometimes used in , such as chess, and tabletop role playing games.
The main difference between a figurine and a statue is size. There is no agreed limit, but typically objects are called "figurines" up to a height of perhaps , though most types are less than high.
European prehistoric figurines of women, some appearing pregnant, are called Venus figurines, because of their presumed 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 known.
in semi-precious stones and pottery had a wide influence all over Mesoamerica about 1000–500 BC, and were apparently usually kept in houses.
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.
The first European porcelain figurines, were produced in Meissen porcelain, initially in a plain glazed white, but soon brightly painted in overglaze "enamels", and were soon produced by nearly all European porcelain factories. The initial function of these seems to have been as permanent versions of which were used to decorate tables on special occasions by European elites, but they soon found a place on mantelpieces and side tables. There was already some production of earthenware figures in English delftware and stoneware, for example by John Dwight of the Fulham Pottery in London, and after 1720 such figures became more popular. By around 1750 pottery figures were being produced in large numbers all over Europe. Staffordshire figures were cheaper versions in earthenware, and by the late 19th century especially noted for Staffordshire dog figurines.
Genre figurines of gallant scenes, beggars or figurines of saints are carved from pinewood in Val Gardena, South Tyrol (Italy), since the 17th century.
Significant types:
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). Also Amiibo is a line of plastic figurines with NFC tags embedded to its base that can be used in order to interact with certain videogames for Nintendo consoles.
There is also a hobby known as mini war gaming in which players use figurines (for example ) in table top based games. These figurines are mostly made of plastic and pewter. However, some premium models are made of resin.
Figurines can also represent racial and ethnic slurs, for example, Jew with a coin figurines, and Mammy figurines.
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