Barbara Shermund
1940s Feminist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors
Ink, Watercolor, Graphite
1940s Realist Figurative Paintings
Gouache
1930s Art Deco Figurative Paintings
Ink, Gouache
1930s Realist Figurative Paintings
Ink, Gouache
1950s Realist Figurative Paintings
Watercolor, Gouache
Mid-20th Century Realist Figurative Paintings
Ink, Watercolor
1930s Realist Figurative Paintings
Ink, Watercolor
1920s Conceptual Figurative Drawings and Watercolors
Ink, Color Pencil, Graphite
People Also Browsed
1960s Conceptual Animal Drawings and Watercolors
Ink, Gouache
1940s Post-Impressionist Nude Paintings
Oil, Canvas
20th Century Posters
Paper
Vintage 1980s American Posters
Paper
Vintage 1980s Swiss Posters
Paper
1970s American Modern Nude Photography
Silver Gelatin
Vintage 1970s Cuban Mid-Century Modern Posters
Paper
Vintage 1930s American Folk Art Signs
Masonite, Paint
20th Century Japanese Showa Prints
Paper
2010s Impressionist Nude Paintings
Oil
Early 20th Century Romantic Nude Paintings
Burlap, Oil
2010s Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Oil
2010s Impressionist Nude Paintings
Oil
Vintage 1960s British Posters
Linen, Paper
Vintage 1960s American Folk Art Signs
Brass
Vintage 1980s Italian Blanket Chests
Wood
Recent Sales
1950s Realist Figurative Paintings
Pastel, Gouache
1920s Realist Figurative Paintings
Gouache, Pastel
Barbara Shermund For Sale on 1stDibs
How Much is a Barbara Shermund?
Finding the Right figurative-paintings for You
Figurative art, as opposed to abstract art, retains features from the observable world in its representational depictions of subject matter. Most commonly, figurative paintings reference and explore the human body, but they can also include landscapes, architecture, plants and animals — all portrayed with realism.
While the oldest figurative art dates back tens of thousands of years to cave wall paintings, figurative works made from observation became especially prominent in the early Renaissance. Artists like Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci and other Renaissance masters created naturalistic representations of their subjects.
Pablo Picasso is lauded for laying the foundation for modern figurative art in the 1920s. Although abstracted, this work held a strong connection to representing people and other subjects. Other famous figurative artists include Francis Bacon and Lucian Freud. Figurative art in the 20th century would span such diverse genres as Expressionism, Pop art and Surrealism.
Today, a number of figural artists — such as Sedrick Huckaby, Daisy Patton and Eileen Cooper — are making art that uses the human body as its subject.
Because figurative art represents subjects from the real world, natural colors are common in these paintings. A piece of figurative art can be an exciting starting point for setting a tone and creating a color palette in a room.
Browse an extensive collection of figurative paintings on 1stDibs.