Figurative Paintings
16th Century Old Masters Figurative Paintings
Ink, Gouache, Pen
1970s Modern Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
1970s Modern Figurative Paintings
Oil, Wood Panel
17th Century Other Art Style Figurative Paintings
Oil
17th Century Other Art Style Figurative Paintings
Oil
1970s Naturalistic Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
18th Century Old Masters Figurative Paintings
Oil
Late 17th Century Baroque Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
1970s Post-Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Charcoal, Mixed Media, Oil, Board
1620s Baroque Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
18th Century Old Masters Figurative Paintings
Chalk
1620s Baroque Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
17th Century Academic Figurative Paintings
Oil, Panel
1970s Post-Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Oil, Board
18th Century Old Masters Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
Mid-17th Century Old Masters Figurative Paintings
Oil
16th Century Figurative Paintings
Oil
1970s Neo-Expressionist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
Mid-17th Century Baroque Figurative Paintings
Oil, Canvas
18th Century Old Masters Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
Early 17th Century Baroque Figurative Paintings
Wood Panel, Oil
1620s Baroque Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
17th Century Old Masters Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
1970s Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Oil, Acrylic, Canvas
Late 18th Century Old Masters Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
18th Century Old Masters Figurative Paintings
Copper
17th Century Baroque Figurative Paintings
Oil
18th Century Old Masters Figurative Paintings
Copper
Late 18th Century Dutch School Figurative Paintings
Oil
1970s Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
18th Century Figurative Paintings
Oil
Late 18th Century Rococo Figurative Paintings
Oil, Canvas
1970s Modern Figurative Paintings
Oil
Mid-18th Century Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Oil
1970s American Modern Figurative Paintings
Acrylic
1970s Modern Figurative Paintings
Paper, Etching
1970s Modern Figurative Paintings
Board, Oil
16th Century Renaissance Figurative Paintings
Oil, Board
1970s Post-Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Oil
1970s Expressionist Figurative Paintings
Masonite, Oil
1970s Realist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
1970s Figurative Paintings
Acrylic
1970s Modern Figurative Paintings
Paper, Woodcut
Late 17th Century Academic Figurative Paintings
Oil
1970s Post-Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
1970s Outsider Art Figurative Paintings
Mixed Media, Acrylic
Mid-17th Century Old Masters Figurative Paintings
Oil, Canvas
Early 18th Century Italian School Figurative Paintings
Oil, Canvas
17th Century Figurative Paintings
Copper
1970s American Modern Figurative Paintings
Oil, Board
17th Century Figurative Paintings
Wood Panel, Oil
Late 18th Century Realist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Wood, Oil
Late 17th Century Baroque Figurative Paintings
Oil, Panel
Mid-17th Century Old Masters Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
Mid-18th Century Old Masters Figurative Paintings
Oil, Canvas
1970s Surrealist Figurative Paintings
Oil, Canvas
1970s Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Board, Oil
1610s Baroque 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.