Figurative Paintings
1830s Modern Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
16th Century Old Masters Figurative Paintings
Oil, Wood Panel
2010s Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
Early 1800s Old Masters Figurative Paintings
Oil
2010s Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Mixed Media
18th Century Rococo Figurative Paintings
Oil, Canvas
1860s Victorian Figurative Paintings
Oil, Board
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
Mid-20th Century Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Oil, Canvas
Mid-20th Century Post-Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil, Board
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Mixed Media
1680s Old Masters Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
1960s Figurative Paintings
Oil
17th Century Old Masters Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
1960s Expressionist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Oil, Canvas
Mid-20th Century Post-Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Charcoal, Pencil, Ink
20th Century Post-Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
1860s Naturalistic Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Oil
2010s Post-Modern Figurative Paintings
Acrylic, Permanent Marker
Late 20th Century Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
1680s Dutch School Figurative Paintings
Oil, Wood Panel
20th Century Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Oil
1920s Tonalist Figurative Paintings
Glue, Mixed Media, Oil, Acrylic, Stretcher Bars
2010s Abstract Expressionist Figurative Paintings
Oil, Acrylic
Mid-20th Century American Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Oil, Canvas
19th Century Figurative Paintings
Oil
Early 20th Century Mannerist Figurative Paintings
Oil
18th Century Rococo Figurative Paintings
Watercolor, Ink
1920s Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
Early 20th Century Victorian Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
19th Century Realist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
1780s Old Masters Figurative Paintings
Oil
20th Century Realist Figurative Paintings
Oil, Board
1890s Victorian Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Post-Modern Figurative Paintings
Acrylic, Permanent Marker
1920s Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Oil
2010s American Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Oil, Canvas
18th Century Old Masters Figurative Paintings
Oil
20th Century American Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Oil, Board
1940s Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
1870s Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Oil, Wood Panel
20th Century Modern Figurative Paintings
Oil, Canvas
Mid-20th Century Figurative Paintings
Oil
Early 19th Century Victorian Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
1960s American Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
Early 18th Century Old Masters Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
20th Century Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
Late 19th Century Victorian Figurative Paintings
Oil
2010s Academic Figurative Paintings
Oil, Canvas
2010s Post-Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Oil, Board, Mixed Media
21st Century and Contemporary Fauvist Figurative Paintings
Oil, Acrylic, Board
1880s American Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
17th Century Old Masters Figurative Paintings
Oil
1950s Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
18th Century Old Masters Figurative Paintings
Oil, Canvas
2010s Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Linen, Oil
2010s Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Oil, Board
2010s Art Deco Figurative Paintings
Oil, Canvas
Mid-17th Century Old Masters Figurative Paintings
Oil, Canvas
Late 20th Century Post-War Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
1980s Cubist Figurative Paintings
Oil
Late 20th Century Modern Figurative Paintings
Oil
2010s Minimalist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
Mid-20th Century Realist Figurative Paintings
Oil, Cardboard
Early 1900s Old Masters Figurative Paintings
Oil, Canvas
Mid-20th Century Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
19th Century Old Masters Figurative Paintings
Oil, Canvas
1920s Figurative Paintings
Canvas, 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.