Figurative Paintings
Artist Comments
Artist Mary Pratt paints a fashionable woman with her back gracefully turned to the viewer. She wears a long, billowing dress adorned with polka dots that mat...
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Cubist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
1910s American Modern Figurative Paintings
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
2010s Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
2010s Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
Mid-20th Century Post-Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Pastel
1830s Realist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
17th Century Old Masters Figurative Paintings
Parchment Paper, Oil, Wood Panel
Mid-20th Century Modern Figurative Paintings
Oil
1950s American Modern Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Mixed Media, Oil, Spray Paint
20th Century Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Oil
1980s Surrealist Figurative Paintings
Oil, Board
Mid-20th Century Post-Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
Late 19th Century Romantic Figurative Paintings
Oil, Board
21st Century and Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Oil, Canvas
1940s American Modern Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
1950s Romantic Figurative Paintings
Masonite, Oil
Mid-19th Century English School Figurative Paintings
Oil
2010s Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Oil, Panel
Early 2000s Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic, Felt Pen
2010s Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Metal
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
Early 20th Century Academic Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Wire
1970s Abstract Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Figurative Paintings
Metal
2010s Abstract Expressionist Figurative Paintings
Paper, Acrylic
Mid-20th Century Symbolist Figurative Paintings
Lithograph
17th Century Old Masters Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
20th Century Post-Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Oil, Panel
2010s Realist Figurative Paintings
Oil, Board
1980s Surrealist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
Early 1900s Expressionist Figurative Paintings
Paper, Gouache
2010s Post-Modern Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Archival Ink, Gouache, Archival Paper, Pencil
1920s Figurative Paintings
Ink, Watercolor
Mid-20th Century Post-Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Ballpoint Pen
2010s Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
2010s Realist Figurative Paintings
Cotton Canvas, Acrylic
Late 19th Century Victorian Figurative Paintings
Oil
1920s Figurative Paintings
Oil, Wood Panel
Early 20th Century Post-Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Oil, Panel
1880s Italian School Figurative Paintings
Oil
1930s Futurist Figurative Paintings
Gouache
2010s Tonalist Figurative Paintings
Glue, Mixed Media, Oil, Spray Paint, Acrylic, Paper
1960s Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Linen, Oil
Mid-20th Century Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Oil, Canvas
Early 1900s Realist Figurative Paintings
Linen, Oil
18th Century Figurative Paintings
Fabric, Silk
20th Century Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Oil
2010s Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Paper, India Ink, Panel, Pigment
1970s Surrealist Figurative Paintings
Oil
Late 19th Century Figurative Paintings
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
Mid-20th Century Post-Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Pastel
1930s Post-Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Oil, Panel
21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
1870s Pre-Raphaelite Figurative Paintings
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.
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