Figurative Paintings
1990s Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Mixed Media, Oil
20th Century Realist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil, Board
2010s Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Gold Leaf
Early 2000s Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Linen, Oil
1990s Post-Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Paper, Mixed Media, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Realist Figurative Paintings
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Mixed Media, Oil, Acrylic
2010s Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Paper, Charcoal, Mixed Media
1910s Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
Early 20th Century Post-Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Oil, Panel
Mid-20th Century Post-Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Gouache
19th Century Victorian Figurative Paintings
Oil, Canvas
2010s Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s American Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Oil, Board, Paper
Mid-19th Century Academic Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
17th Century Old Masters Figurative Paintings
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
1940s American Modern Figurative Paintings
Oil Crayon
2010s Symbolist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
Early 20th Century Fauvist Figurative Paintings
Oil, Canvas
Early 17th Century Old Masters Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Paper, Oil
1960s Cubist Figurative Paintings
Mixed Media, Oil
Mid-20th Century Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Oil, Canvas
2010s Abstract Expressionist Figurative Paintings
Oil, Board
Early 1900s Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Oil, Board
21st Century and Contemporary Modern Figurative Paintings
Gouache
17th Century Old Masters Figurative Paintings
Gouache, Ink
21st Century and Contemporary Realist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Gesso, Canvas, Linen, Paint, Cotton Canvas, Mixed Media, Oil, Acrylic
2010s Expressionist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil, Cardboard
2010s Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Glass, Resin, Mixed Media, Acrylic
2010s Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
Late 20th Century French School Figurative Paintings
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
2010s Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
1960s Expressionist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
Early 1900s Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
1990s Expressionist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Surrealist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Oil, Wood Panel
21st Century and Contemporary Expressionist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Acrylic, Wood Panel
1970s Modern Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic Polymer, Acrylic
18th Century Figurative Paintings
Watercolor, Etching
18th Century Old Masters Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Abstract Figurative Paintings
Gesso, Charcoal
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Resin, Oil
1850s Victorian Figurative Paintings
Oil, Board
Mid-20th Century Post-Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Oil
Early 1900s Victorian Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
20th Century Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Lithograph
1880s Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Oil, 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.