Figurative Paintings
1970s Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Oil, Canvas
19th Century Figurative Paintings
Oil
20th Century Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Oil
17th Century Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Oil, Canvas
2010s Expressionist Figurative Paintings
Paper, Acrylic
2010s Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Chalk, Pastel, India Ink, Graphite
Mid-20th Century American Modern Figurative Paintings
Oil, Masonite
2010s Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Oil, Acrylic
17th Century Old Masters Figurative Paintings
Oil
2010s Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Paper, Mixed Media
16th Century Figurative Paintings
Metal
Early 1900s Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Oil
1970s Modern Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
Late 19th Century Realist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Wood, Oil
19th Century Victorian Figurative Paintings
Watercolor
2010s Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
1930s American Modern Figurative Paintings
Mixed Media
2010s Modern Figurative Paintings
Oil
Early 2000s Old Masters Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
1960s Figurative Paintings
Oil, Board
Mid-18th Century Rococo Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Paper, Oil Pastel, Mixed Media, Acrylic
1970s Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
18th Century Baroque Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Neo-Expressionist Figurative Paintings
Acrylic, Permanent Marker
1920s Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Oil, Canvas
17th Century Baroque Figurative Paintings
Oil, Canvas
Mid-20th Century Abstract Figurative Paintings
Oil, Board
2010s Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Cotton Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Cotton Canvas, Oil
Mid-20th Century Figurative Paintings
Oil
2010s Abstract Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Oil, Canvas
1920s Modern Figurative Paintings
Handmade Paper, Drypoint
2010s Post-Modern Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
20th Century Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Oil
Mid-19th Century Victorian Figurative Paintings
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Realist Figurative Paintings
Oil
2010s Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic, Cardboard
1910s Art Deco Figurative Paintings
Gouache, Archival Paper, Pencil
2010s Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Mixed Media
Mid-20th Century American Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Oil
Late 19th Century English School Figurative Paintings
Oil
2010s Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Oil
Late 20th Century Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Oil
Mid-19th Century French School Figurative Paintings
Oil
2010s Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Mixed Media, Acrylic
Mid-20th Century Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Paper, Ink, Watercolor, Gouache
19th Century Renaissance Figurative Paintings
Engraving
2010s Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Paper, Oil
Mid-20th Century American Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Oil
Mid-20th Century Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Oil, Canvas
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil, Giclée
1970s Other Art Style Figurative Paintings
Paper, Watercolor
Mid-20th Century American Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil, Board
2010s Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Silver
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.