Figurative Paintings
1940s Flemish School Figurative Paintings
Oil, Canvas
Mid-18th Century Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Oil
17th Century Other Art Style Figurative Paintings
Oil
17th Century Old Masters Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Epoxy Resin, Acrylic, Panel
20th Century Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Oil
Early 20th Century American Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Oil
Late 19th Century Victorian Figurative Paintings
Oil
Early 19th Century Victorian Figurative Paintings
Oil
Mid-20th Century Post-Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Oil
Late 20th Century American Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Oil
1960s Modern Figurative Paintings
Linen, Oil, Stretcher Bars
1960s Post-Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil, Board
Late 19th Century Victorian Figurative Paintings
Oil
19th Century Old Masters Figurative Paintings
Oil, Canvas
21st Century and Contemporary Baroque Figurative Paintings
Wood, Oil, Acrylic
Mid-19th Century Old Masters Figurative Paintings
Oil, Panel
21st Century and Contemporary Realist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Fauvist Figurative Paintings
Oil, Acrylic, Board
18th Century Rococo Figurative Paintings
Watercolor, Ink
Late 20th Century Cubist Figurative Paintings
Oil, Acrylic, Board
20th Century Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Oil
2010s Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
Early 20th Century Barbizon School Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil, Stretcher Bars
Late 20th Century Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
Early 17th Century Baroque Figurative Paintings
Wood, Oil, Panel
Mid-20th Century Modern Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Pop Art Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
1870s Folk Art Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
20th Century Realist Figurative Paintings
Oil, Board
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Linen, Oil
Early 1900s Tonalist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
20th Century Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Oil
20th Century Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Oil
2010s Neo-Expressionist Figurative Paintings
Acrylic, Permanent Marker
2010s Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Cotton Canvas, Oil
2010s Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Oil
Mid-20th Century Cubist Figurative Paintings
Oil
20th Century English School Figurative Paintings
Oil
2010s Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Paper, Acrylic, Watercolor
1920s Art Deco Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
20th Century Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Oil
Mid-20th Century American Realist Figurative Paintings
Oil, Board
20th Century Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Oil
Late 20th Century Abstract Figurative Paintings
Oil
1940s American Realist Figurative Paintings
Oil, Board
1960s Cubist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil, Gouache, Board
Mid-17th Century Baroque Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
20th Century Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Cotton, Wax, Oil
2010s Figurative Paintings
Acrylic
Early 20th Century Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
Late 20th Century Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Oil, Board
1970s Figurative Paintings
Oil
1870s Victorian Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
Early 19th Century Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Oil
19th Century Victorian Figurative Paintings
Oil
2010s American Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Oil, Board
16th Century Old Masters Figurative Paintings
Oil
Early 19th Century Old Masters Figurative Paintings
Oil
2010s Realist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
1680s Old Masters Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
2010s Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
Early 20th Century Tonalist Figurative Paintings
Gesso, Oil, Stretcher Bars, Canvas, Linen
1960s Post-Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
Early 20th Century Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Pop Art Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Mixed Media, Spray Paint, Acrylic
18th Century Rococo Figurative Paintings
Oil
20th Century Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Gouache
1880s French School Figurative Paintings
Oil, Canvas
Early 1900s Dutch School Figurative Paintings
Watercolor
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.