Figurative Paintings
1930s Modern Figurative Paintings
Paint, Oil
19th Century Modern Figurative Paintings
Oil
1890s Realist Figurative Paintings
Oil
19th Century Figurative Paintings
Oil
1930s Modern Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
1930s Modern Figurative Paintings
Oil
Late 19th Century Figurative Paintings
Ceramic
1890s Victorian Figurative Paintings
Oil, Board
19th Century Academic Figurative Paintings
Oil
1890s Romantic Figurative Paintings
Oil
19th Century Figurative Paintings
Porcelain
19th Century Realist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
1930s Modern Figurative Paintings
Oil
Early 19th Century Other Art Style Figurative Paintings
Paper, Tempera
1930s Modern Figurative Paintings
Paint, Oil
1890s American Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Oil, Board
Early 19th Century Modern Figurative Paintings
Gouache
1880s Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Cotton Canvas, Oil
19th Century Modern Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
1850s French School Figurative Paintings
Oil, Board
19th Century English School Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
19th Century Modern Figurative Paintings
Gouache
1830s Figurative Paintings
Oil, Board
1930s Academic Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil, Board
1930s Modern Figurative Paintings
Oil
1930s Modern Figurative Paintings
Oil
1930s Modern Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
1930s Modern Figurative Paintings
Oil
Late 19th Century Pointillist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
1830s Romantic Figurative Paintings
Oil
1930s Modern Figurative Paintings
Oil
1930s Modern Figurative Paintings
Oil
Late 19th Century Figurative Paintings
Oil
1930s Post-Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Board, Oil
1930s Realist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
Late 19th Century Romantic Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
1840s Romantic Figurative Paintings
Oil
1930s Modern Figurative Paintings
Gouache
Early 19th Century Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Oil
Late 19th Century French School Figurative Paintings
Oil
19th Century Other Art Style Figurative Paintings
Oil
1930s Modern Figurative Paintings
Oil, Plywood
1860s Realist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
1850s Dutch School Figurative Paintings
Wood Panel, Oil
19th Century Victorian Figurative Paintings
Oil
1930s Modern Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
1890s Modern Figurative Paintings
Oil
1880s Realist Figurative Paintings
Oil
1930s Modern Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
1930s Modern Figurative Paintings
Paint, Oil
1930s Modern Figurative Paintings
Paint, Oil
Late 19th Century Figurative Paintings
Paint
1930s Post-Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Oil, Board
1930s American Modern Figurative Paintings
Oil, Board
1890s Realist Figurative Paintings
Oil, Panel
1930s Modern Figurative Paintings
Paint, Oil
1930s American Modern Figurative Paintings
Oil, Board
Mid-19th Century Hudson River School Figurative Paintings
Oil, Board
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.