Figurative Paintings
20th Century Post-Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
1920s Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
1950s Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
18th Century Old Masters Figurative Paintings
Ink, Watercolor, Archival Paper
2010s Surrealist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
Early 18th Century Old Masters Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
Artist Comments
Boldy colored and stylized figures fill the scene. Their expressions exude anticipation as if waiting for a band to start or a train to arrive. The blue backg...
21st Century and Contemporary Pop Art Figurative Paintings
Acrylic
18th Century Baroque Figurative Paintings
Oil, Canvas
20th Century Victorian Figurative Paintings
Oil, Canvas
21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Cubist Figurative Paintings
Oil, Wood Panel
18th Century Old Masters Figurative Paintings
Oil
18th Century Old Masters Figurative Paintings
Copper
Early 1600s Figurative Paintings
Ink, Wood Panel, Laid Paper, Pigment
1930s Modern Figurative Paintings
Oil
Mid-19th Century Modern Figurative Paintings
Oil, Panel
2010s Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
Mid-20th Century Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil Pastel, Mixed Media, Acrylic
Mid-20th Century Realist Figurative Paintings
Ink, Watercolor
2010s Surrealist Figurative Paintings
Oil, Panel
17th Century Baroque Figurative Paintings
Oil
2010s Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
Mid-20th Century Modern Figurative Paintings
Oil, Panel
2010s Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
18th Century Old Masters Figurative Paintings
Panel, Oil
18th Century Old Masters Figurative Paintings
Wood Panel, Oil
Late 18th Century Romantic Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil, Board
1920s Tonalist Figurative Paintings
Glue, Mixed Media, Oil, Acrylic, Stretcher Bars
2010s Abstract Geometric Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Pop Art Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil Pastel, Mixed Media, Acrylic
Early 20th Century Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s American Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
20th Century Realist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Cotton Canvas, Oil
1980s Realist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Cubist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Mixed Media, Acrylic, Linen
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Linen, Oil, Canvas
Mid-20th Century Post-Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Ballpoint Pen
1880s Romantic Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
Late 19th Century Victorian Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
17th Century Old Masters Figurative Paintings
Oil, Canvas
Late 20th Century Outsider Art Figurative Paintings
Chalk, Crayon, Cardboard, Pencil, Watercolor
1930s Art Deco Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
Mid-18th Century Rococo Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Abstract Expressionist Figurative Paintings
Oil, Acrylic
2010s Realist Figurative Paintings
Linen, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
1980s Realist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
Early 20th Century Victorian Figurative Paintings
Oil
2010s Pop Art Figurative Paintings
Enamel
19th Century Victorian Figurative Paintings
Oil
Late 19th Century Victorian Figurative Paintings
Oil, Canvas
Artist Comments
Artist Mary Pratt paints women parading with parasols, each unique in their own way. "Geishas intrigue me, and I never tire of capturing their beauty," says Mary. The intricate patterns of their kimonos stand...
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Oil
Late 19th Century Baroque Figurative Paintings
Oil, Wood Panel
2010s Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
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.