Figurative Paintings
2010s Photorealist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Photorealist Figurative Paintings
Foil
2010s Photorealist Figurative Paintings
Oil, Panel
Early 2000s Old Masters Figurative Paintings
Oil, Canvas
2010s Photorealist Figurative Paintings
Oil, Board
2010s Photorealist Figurative Paintings
Oil, Panel
Mid-19th Century Old Masters Figurative Paintings
Oil
17th Century Old Masters Figurative Paintings
Oak, Oil, Wood Panel
20th Century Old Masters Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
17th Century Old Masters Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Photorealist Figurative Paintings
Acrylic, Board
17th Century Old Masters Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Old Masters Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
17th Century Old Masters Figurative Paintings
Copper
1970s Photorealist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
Mid-18th Century Old Masters Figurative Paintings
Oil
2010s Photorealist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Photorealist Figurative Paintings
Oil, Canvas
2010s Photorealist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
Early 17th Century Old Masters Figurative Paintings
Paper, Canvas, Oil
2010s Photorealist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
18th Century Old Masters Figurative Paintings
Oil
2010s Photorealist Figurative Paintings
Oil, Canvas
2010s Photorealist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Photorealist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Photorealist Figurative Paintings
Oil, Panel, Wax
2010s Photorealist Figurative Paintings
Board, Oil
Early 2000s Old Masters Figurative Paintings
Oil, Board
1720s Old Masters Figurative Paintings
Copper
2010s Photorealist Figurative Paintings
Oil, Board
17th Century Old Masters Figurative Paintings
Oil
Mid-19th Century Old Masters Figurative Paintings
Oil
19th Century Old Masters Figurative Paintings
Oil
2010s Photorealist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic, Board
2010s Photorealist Figurative Paintings
Board, Oil
Early 2000s Old Masters Figurative Paintings
Oil, Canvas
2010s Photorealist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
1780s Old Masters Figurative Paintings
Gouache, Paper
Mid-19th Century Old Masters Figurative Paintings
Oil, Canvas
19th Century Old Masters Figurative Paintings
Oil
18th Century Old Masters Figurative Paintings
Oil
2010s Photorealist Figurative Paintings
Oil, Canvas
1970s Old Masters Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
17th Century Old Masters Figurative Paintings
Oil, Canvas
18th Century Old Masters Figurative Paintings
Oil
2010s Photorealist Figurative Paintings
Oil, Board
1750s Old Masters Figurative Paintings
Oak, Oil
1780s Old Masters Figurative Paintings
Chalk
2010s Photorealist Figurative Paintings
Wood, Acrylic
18th Century Old Masters Figurative Paintings
Oil, Canvas
2010s Photorealist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Photorealist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Photorealist Figurative Paintings
Wax, Oil, Panel
Early 2000s Old Masters Figurative Paintings
Oil, Board
2010s Photorealist Figurative Paintings
Board, Oil
Early 19th Century Old Masters Figurative Paintings
Oil
17th Century Old Masters Figurative Paintings
Oil
2010s Photorealist Figurative Paintings
Board, 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.