Hendrik Valk
Mid-20th Century Modern Figurative Paintings
Oil
People Also Browsed
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Pillows and Throws
Cotton, Polyester
Vintage 1960s Swedish Mid-Century Modern Candelabras
Iron
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Sofas
Steel
20th Century American Books
Paper
20th Century American Books
Paper
2010s Canadian Modern Chairs
Steel
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Chairs
Steel
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Sofas
Steel
Vintage 1970s American Modern Paintings
Other
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Paintings
Linen
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Side Tables
Steel
Vintage 1960s American Modern Drawings
Vintage 1950s American Modern Paintings
Gouache
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Paintings
Enamel
21st Century and Contemporary Canadian Modern Chairs
Brass
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
Plywood, Oak
Recent Sales
20th Century Figurative Paintings
Glass, Paint
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.
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