George Lilanga
1990s Tribal Figurative Paintings
Board, Acrylic
People Also Browsed
Early 2000s Contemporary Portrait Prints
Lithograph
Vintage 1920s Congolese Archaistic Tribal Art
Copper
Early 20th Century Tanzanian Tribal Tribal Art
Wood
2010s American Realist Portrait Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Botswanan Aesthetic Movement Chandeliers and Pendants
Coade Stone, Art Glass
Early 2000s Folk Art Figurative Sculptures
Stone
20th Century Javanese Mid-Century Modern Textiles
Cotton
Early 20th Century Tanzanian Sculptures and Carvings
Wood
1970s Abstract Expressionist Landscape Paintings
Watercolor, Paper
2010s Abstract Abstract Paintings
Canvas, Glitter, Mixed Media, Acrylic
Mid-20th Century Mozambican Tribal Tribal Art
Wood
2010s Abstract Expressionist Abstract Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
Vintage 1930s Dutch Art Deco Posters
Paper
2010s Contemporary Portrait Paintings
Oil, Canvas
Early 2000s Impressionist Landscape Paintings
Oil, Cardboard
Artist Comments
"A woman is dancing with a flamingo or imitating the moves of the flamingo," says artist Diana Rosa. "I mixed realism with fantasy and created an exotic and m...
21st Century and Contemporary Animal Paintings
Acrylic
Recent Sales
1990s Tribal Figurative Paintings
Acrylic, Board
1990s Tribal Figurative Paintings
Acrylic, Board
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.