Figurative Paintings
19th Century English School Figurative Paintings
Watercolor
1960s Figurative Paintings
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Mixed Media, Oil, Acrylic
2010s Surrealist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
Artist Comments
In this black and white portrait, artist Mark Cudd captures the quiet intensity of a suited man, his gaze fixed directly on the viewer. Referenced from a vintag...
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Acrylic
Mid-20th Century Figurative Paintings
Oil
1990s Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
Mid-20th Century Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil Crayon, Oil
2010s Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
20th Century Modern Figurative Paintings
Oil, Canvas
2010s Abstract Figurative Paintings
Glass, Mixed Media, Oil
1880s Romantic Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Spray Paint, Acrylic
Early 1900s Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Street Art Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Pop Art Figurative Paintings
Acrylic, Canvas
2010s Realist Figurative Paintings
Silver
2010s Realist Figurative Paintings
Gold Leaf
20th Century Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Egg Tempera, Panel
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil, Acrylic, Fabric, Mixed Media
2010s Street Art Figurative Paintings
Spray Paint, Acrylic, Tea
18th Century Old Masters Figurative Paintings
Oil
Mid-20th Century Post-Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil, Board
2010s Figurative Paintings
Oil, Panel
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Mixed Media
1970s Folk Art Figurative Paintings
Oil, Board
2010s Post-Modern Figurative Paintings
Acrylic, Permanent Marker
1630s Flemish School Figurative Paintings
Oil, Wood Panel
Mid-20th Century Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Fabric, Canvas, Mixed Media, Oil, Acrylic
18th Century Rococo Figurative Paintings
Oil
2010s Neo-Expressionist Figurative Paintings
Permanent Marker
18th Century Old Masters Figurative Paintings
Oil
20th Century Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Oil
2010s Academic Figurative Paintings
Oil, Canvas
1980s Fauvist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
1960s Figurative Paintings
Oil
Mid-19th Century Victorian Figurative Paintings
Oil, Canvas
18th Century Old Masters Figurative Paintings
Oil
2010s Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Oil, Board
Late 20th Century Cubist Figurative Paintings
Watercolor
1950s Modern Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil, Wood, Paint, Wood Panel
2010s Post-Modern Figurative Paintings
Wood, Oil
Late 19th Century Victorian Figurative Paintings
Oil
1870s Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Oil, Wood Panel
Early 19th Century Old Masters Figurative Paintings
Oil, Wood Panel
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
1930s Modern Figurative Paintings
Oil, Burlap
1920s Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
1860s Naturalistic Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
Early 1900s Dutch School Figurative Paintings
Watercolor
2010s Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Ink, Oil, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Figurative Paintings
Oil
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.