Figurative Paintings
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Paper, Acrylic, Pigment
Early 20th Century Figurative Paintings
Gold Leaf
2010s Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Acrylic, Wood Panel
1920s Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil, Board
20th Century Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil, Board
2010s Abstract Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
1910s Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Masonite, Mixed Media, Photographic Film
1930s Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
1950s Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
1910s Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
1980s American Realist Figurative Paintings
Acrylic, Canvas
1950s Figurative Paintings
Masonite, Oil
1920s Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
1940s American Modern Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Realist Figurative Paintings
Oil, Canvas
1970s Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
18th Century Realist Figurative Paintings
Oil
1940s American Realist Figurative Paintings
Tempera
1920s Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
20th Century Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
Early 20th Century Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
1930s Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
20th Century Modern Figurative Paintings
Oil
1960s Figurative Paintings
Acrylic, Board
1950s American Modern Figurative Paintings
Acrylic
1950s Figurative Paintings
Gouache, Board
21st Century and Contemporary Hard-Edge Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
Early 1900s Figurative Paintings
Paint
1920s Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
Early 20th Century Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
1950s Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
1940s Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Modern Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
1920s Post-Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Oil
1950s Figurative Paintings
Oil, Board
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Paint
20th Century Figurative Paintings
Mixed Media
1980s American Realist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Conceptual Figurative Paintings
Mixed Media
2010s Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
1950s Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Oil
1920s Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
1980s Conceptual Figurative Paintings
Lithograph, Mixed Media
1950s Figurative Paintings
Oil, Board
20th Century Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
17th Century Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
1910s Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
Mid-20th Century Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
1920s Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
1920s Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
1910s Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
20th Century Figurative Paintings
Board, Gouache, Watercolor
2010s Pop Art Figurative Paintings
Spray Paint
1930s Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil, Board
1910s American Modern Figurative Paintings
Oil
Mid-20th Century Figurative Paintings
Acrylic, 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.