Figurative Paintings
18th Century Realist Figurative Paintings
Oil
Early 20th Century Realist Figurative Paintings
Wood, Oil, Cardboard
Late 20th Century Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Oil
2010s Realist Figurative Paintings
Oil
1760s Old Masters Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Figurative Paintings
Metal
Late 19th Century Realist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Wood, Oil
2010s Naturalistic Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
1870s Victorian Figurative Paintings
Oil, Canvas
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Acrylic
Mid-19th Century Realist Figurative Paintings
Oil
1880s Victorian Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Paint, Oil
2010s Figurative Paintings
Oil
1950s American Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
Mid-19th Century Realist Figurative Paintings
Oil
1890s Realist Figurative Paintings
Oil, Canvas
1990s Other Art Style Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Mixed Media
18th Century Realist Figurative Paintings
Oil
1920s American Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Oil
2010s Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
Mid-19th Century Realist Figurative Paintings
Oil
2010s Street Art Figurative Paintings
Enamel
2010s Figurative Paintings
Oil
Mid-19th Century Realist Figurative Paintings
Oil
1930s Cubist Figurative Paintings
Oil, Wood Panel
1980s Other Art Style Figurative Paintings
Mixed Media
2010s American Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Oil, Panel
Early 20th Century Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
Mid-19th Century Realist Figurative Paintings
Oil
1990s Other Art Style Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Mixed Media
2010s Neo-Expressionist Figurative Paintings
Enamel
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Mixed Media, Pigment
2010s Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Sandstone
Mid-20th Century Abstract Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Oil
1980s Other Art Style Figurative Paintings
Mixed Media
Late 20th Century Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Oil
18th Century Realist Figurative Paintings
Oil
1990s Other Art Style Figurative Paintings
Mixed Media
Late 20th Century American Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Oil
1990s Other Art Style Figurative Paintings
Mixed Media, Canvas
1990s Other Art Style Figurative Paintings
Mixed Media
1990s Other Art Style Figurative Paintings
Mixed Media
1950s Ashcan School Figurative Paintings
Oil
Early 2000s American Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Oil
Mid-19th Century Realist Figurative Paintings
Oil
Mid-20th Century Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Oil
1970s Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Oil
Mid-19th Century Realist Figurative Paintings
Oil
2010s Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Tempera, Carbon Pencil
1920s Figurative Paintings
Oil
1910s Post-Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil, Board
Late 19th Century Figurative Paintings
Oil, Canvas
Mid-19th Century Realist Figurative Paintings
Oil
Early 1900s Figurative Paintings
Oil
Mid-19th Century Realist Figurative Paintings
Oil
16th Century Old Masters Figurative Paintings
Ink, Gouache, Pen
Mid-19th Century Realist Figurative Paintings
Oil
20th Century Baroque Figurative Paintings
Oil, Acrylic
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.