Figurative Paintings
Mid-19th Century Realist Figurative Paintings
Gold Leaf
2010s Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Realist Figurative Paintings
Oil, Panel
1930s Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Neo-Expressionist Figurative Paintings
Permanent Marker
1830s Figurative Paintings
Oil
2010s Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
20th Century Baroque Figurative Paintings
Oil
1880s Romantic Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
Late 19th Century Italian School Figurative Paintings
Oil
2010s Abstract Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Mixed Media, Acrylic
Artist Comments
A young woman reclines on a bright red inner tube, floating in a shimmering aquamarine pool. Her sunglasses, floral bikini, and the lyrical ripples on the water...
21st Century and Contemporary Pop Art Figurative Paintings
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Mixed Media
Artist Comments
Sunlight filters through the dilapidated room, illuminating dust motes and peeling paint. Before the crumbling fireplace, the translucent figures of the home'...
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Acrylic
1950s Modern Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil, Wood, Paint, Wood Panel
1970s Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Oil
1980s Pop Art Figurative Paintings
Acrylic
1920s Romantic Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
Mid-20th Century Old Masters Figurative Paintings
Oil
Late 20th Century Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Oil
19th Century Victorian Figurative Paintings
Oil
2010s Modern Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Realist Figurative Paintings
Linen, Oil, Wood Panel
2010s Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Paper, Mixed Media, Oil Pastel
1970s Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Pop Art Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil Pastel, Mixed Media, Acrylic
2010s Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Linen, Oil
1970s Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Oil, Canvas
Late 20th Century Post-Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Oil
20th Century Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Oil
1780s Old Masters Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
17th Century Old Masters Figurative Paintings
Oil
Mid-17th Century Old Masters Figurative Paintings
Oil, Canvas
21st Century and Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Linen, Oil
17th Century Old Masters Figurative Paintings
Oil
1890s Post-Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
Mid-20th Century Post-Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
20th Century Victorian Figurative Paintings
Oil, Canvas
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Oil, Panel
21st Century and Contemporary Realist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
Early 19th Century Victorian Figurative Paintings
Oil
18th Century Old Masters Figurative Paintings
Ink, Watercolor, Archival Paper
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Oil
2010s Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Linen, Oil
1950s Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil, Illustration Board
2010s Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
Early 1900s Victorian Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
1920s Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Oil
2010s Realist Figurative Paintings
Cotton Canvas, Acrylic
20th Century Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Oil
Late 19th Century Pre-Raphaelite Figurative Paintings
Watercolor, Gouache
Artist Comments
A young woman walks through a myriad of water lilies, her illuminated figure contrasting sharply with the dark lake. Her posture and radiant hair create a fee...
21st Century and Contemporary Realist Figurative Paintings
Oil
2010s Abstract Expressionist Figurative Paintings
Oil
20th Century Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Oil
2010s Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Expressionist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil, Cardboard
Early 17th Century Baroque Figurative Paintings
Oil, Canvas
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Canvas, 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.
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