Figurative Paintings
1960s Surrealist Figurative Paintings
Oil, Panel
21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Figurative Paintings
Oil
2010s Surrealist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Figurative Paintings
Watercolor, Graphite, Paper
1970s Surrealist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Surrealist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Surrealist Figurative Paintings
Oil, Canvas, Acrylic
Artist Comments
Artist Michael Wedge paints a surrealist composition where lightbulbs replace vegetables. "The activity and its meaning are left up to the viewer," says Michael...
21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Figurative Paintings
Oil
Early 2000s Surrealist Figurative Paintings
Acrylic, Pen
1980s Surrealist Figurative Paintings
Masonite, Oil
2010s Surrealist Figurative Paintings
Mixed Media, Paint, Acrylic, Archival Paper, Pen
Late 20th Century Surrealist Figurative Paintings
Acrylic, Pen
1980s Surrealist Figurative Paintings
Oil
Late 20th Century Surrealist Figurative Paintings
Oil
2010s Surrealist Figurative Paintings
Oil
Early 19th Century Rococo Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Figurative Paintings
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Figurative Paintings
Oil
2010s Surrealist Figurative Paintings
Driftwood, Oil, Laid Paper
21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Figurative Paintings
Oil
2010s Surrealist Figurative Paintings
Oil, Driftwood, Laid Paper
1990s Surrealist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Surrealist Figurative Paintings
Driftwood, Oil, Laid Paper
1940s Surrealist Figurative Paintings
Gouache
21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
18th Century Rococo Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
1970s Surrealist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Surrealist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
1950s Surrealist Figurative Paintings
Oil, Panel
2010s Surrealist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
Late 18th Century Rococo Figurative Paintings
Oil
2010s Surrealist Figurative Paintings
Mixed Media
2010s Surrealist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
1960s Surrealist Figurative Paintings
Oil, Panel
2010s Surrealist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
1980s Surrealist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Surrealist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Figurative Paintings
Acrylic, Canvas
21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Surrealist Figurative Paintings
Mixed Media, Oil
2010s Surrealist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
Artist Comments
Artist Michael Wedge shows two figures installing parking meters in a mysterious landscape. A symbol of city streets stands out in the middle of a verdant field...
21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Figurative Paintings
Acrylic
2010s Surrealist Figurative Paintings
Giclée
21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Figurative Paintings
Acrylic, Canvas
2010s Surrealist Figurative Paintings
Oil, Wood Panel, Wax
1990s Surrealist Figurative Paintings
Acrylic, Canvas
2010s Surrealist Figurative Paintings
Mixed Media, Paint, Acrylic, Archival Paper, Pen
2010s Surrealist Figurative Paintings
Mixed Media
1960s Surrealist Figurative Paintings
Oil, Panel
Late 20th Century Surrealist Figurative Paintings
Polyester, Oil
Mid-18th Century Rococo Figurative Paintings
Tempera, Paper
1980s Surrealist Figurative Paintings
Mixed Media, Cardboard
21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Figurative Paintings
Acrylic, Canvas
20th Century Surrealist Figurative Paintings
Egg Tempera, Panel
1960s Surrealist Figurative Paintings
Oil, Panel
20th Century Surrealist Figurative Paintings
Oil, Gouache, 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.