Figurative Paintings
1880s Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Illustration Board, Gouache
Late 19th Century Victorian Figurative Paintings
Oil
1970s Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Tempera, Watercolor
Artist Comments
A man stands in front of a Picasso painting exhibited at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. The considerable time he spends in front of the artw...
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Oil
1910s Old Masters Figurative Paintings
Oil
1910s Victorian Figurative Paintings
Oil, Wood Panel
1940s Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
17th Century Old Masters Figurative Paintings
Oil, Canvas
1890s American Realist Figurative Paintings
Oil, Canvas
2010s Naturalistic Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil, Cardboard
1970s Surrealist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
1910s Post-Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Oil, Canvas
1890s Art Nouveau Figurative Paintings
Oil, Board
19th Century Old Masters Figurative Paintings
Oil
Mid-20th Century Post-Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Abstract Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Acrylic, Paper
21st Century and Contemporary Street Art Figurative Paintings
Paper, Oil Pastel, Mixed Media, Acrylic, Watercolor
20th Century Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Oil
1970s American Modern Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
1980s Cubist Figurative Paintings
Oil
2010s Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Street Art Figurative Paintings
Mixed Media, Acrylic, Board
19th Century Pre-Raphaelite Figurative Paintings
Oil
2010s Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
Mid-18th Century Rococo Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Paint, Acrylic Polymer, Oil, Acrylic
1870s Victorian Figurative Paintings
Oil, Board
21st Century and Contemporary Pop Art Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Mixed Media, Acrylic, Glitter
21st Century and Contemporary Conceptual Figurative Paintings
Fabric, Canvas, Mixed Media, Oil, Acrylic
17th Century Baroque Figurative Paintings
Oil, Canvas
Early 20th Century Art Deco Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
20th Century Post-Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Abstract Expressionist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
20th Century Surrealist Figurative Paintings
Oil
2010s Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Archival Paper, Photographic Paper, C Print, Color, Polaroid
17th Century Baroque Figurative Paintings
Oil, Wood Panel
2010s Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
Late 20th Century Realist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
Mid-20th Century Post-Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Ballpoint Pen
17th Century Old Masters Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
1920s Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
1890s Modern Figurative Paintings
Oil, Panel
17th Century Old Masters Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Oil, Panel
19th Century Figurative Paintings
Oil
2010s Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
Early 1700s Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Oil
1760s Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
1990s Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Oil, Board
1970s Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Oil, Cardboard
1890s Victorian Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
Late 20th Century Abstract Expressionist Figurative Paintings
Oil
Mid-20th Century Modern Figurative Paintings
Oil, Canvas
Mid-20th Century Modern Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
Late 19th Century French School Figurative Paintings
Pencil
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.