Figurative Paintings
2010s Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Acrylic, Canvas
2010s Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
1920s Tonalist Figurative Paintings
Glue, Mixed Media, Oil, Acrylic, Stretcher Bars
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil Pastel, Mixed Media, Acrylic
2010s Realist Figurative Paintings
Oil, Linen
2010s 85 New Wave Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Ink, Oil, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Fauvist Figurative Paintings
Oil, Acrylic, Board
1980s Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil, Illustration Board
20th Century Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Oil
Mid-20th Century Post-Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Acrylic, Pastel
Mid-18th Century Italian School Figurative Paintings
Laid Paper, Ink, Watercolor
2010s Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Epoxy Resin, Acrylic, Panel
1920s Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Oil
2010s Expressionist Figurative Paintings
Linen, Oil, Panel
1930s Art Deco Figurative Paintings
Oil
2010s Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil, Panel
Mid-19th Century English School Figurative Paintings
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
1970s Figurative Paintings
Oil
1950s Modern Figurative Paintings
Oil, Panel
Early 20th Century Tonalist Figurative Paintings
Gesso, Oil, Stretcher Bars, Canvas, Linen
2010s Realist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
2010s Post-Modern Figurative Paintings
Oil, Acrylic, Permanent Marker
18th Century Renaissance Figurative Paintings
Oil
18th Century French School Figurative Paintings
Oil
2010s Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
19th Century Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Oil
2010s Pop Art Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Mixed Media, Acrylic, Newsprint
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
Late 20th Century Abstract Figurative Paintings
Oil
Late 20th Century American Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Oil
2010s Neo-Expressionist Figurative Paintings
Acrylic, Permanent Marker
19th Century Old Masters Figurative Paintings
Oil, Canvas
17th Century Old Masters Figurative Paintings
Oil, Wood Panel
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Fabric, Canvas, Mixed Media, Oil
Late 20th Century Cubist Figurative Paintings
Oil, Acrylic, Board
2010s Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Oil
Late 19th Century Pre-Raphaelite Figurative Paintings
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic, Thread
Early 19th Century French School Figurative Paintings
Oil, Canvas
Mid-19th Century French School Figurative Paintings
Oil, Canvas
2010s Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Mixed Media, Spray Paint, Acrylic
2010s American Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Oil, Board
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Mixed Media, Acrylic
2010s Abstract Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Cotton, Linen, Acrylic
19th Century Victorian Figurative Paintings
Oil
Mid-20th Century Post-Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Pastel
2010s Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Paper, Acrylic, Watercolor
Mid-19th Century Folk Art Figurative Paintings
Watercolor
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
Early 20th Century Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Oil
2010s Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil, Panel
16th Century Old Masters Figurative Paintings
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Pop Art Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Mixed Media, Spray Paint, Acrylic
Early 19th Century Old Masters Figurative Paintings
Oil
1920s Naturalistic Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
1860s French School Figurative Paintings
Oil, Wood Panel
Figurative Paintings for Sale
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.