Figurative Paintings
19th Century Academic Figurative Paintings
Oil, Canvas
Late 19th Century Academic Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
Late 17th Century Academic Figurative Paintings
Oil
1960s Post-Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Oil, Canvas
1830s Academic Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
1860s Academic Figurative Paintings
Oil
Late 19th Century Academic Figurative Paintings
Masonite, Oil
1950s Post-Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Oil
1890s Post-Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
1930s Academic Figurative Paintings
Oil, Wood
1950s Post-Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
1920s Post-Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Oil
1920s Post-Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Gouache, Mixed Media
1940s Academic Figurative Paintings
Tempera
1940s Post-Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Oil, Canvas
Late 19th Century Post-Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
Early 1900s Post-Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Post-Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Linen, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Post-Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Oil, Linen
21st Century and Contemporary Post-Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Linen, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Post-Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Linen, Oil
Late 19th Century Academic Figurative Paintings
Oil
1940s Post-Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Oil
1920s Post-Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Oil, Wood Panel
1920s Pointillist Figurative Paintings
Oil, Panel
Early 1900s Fauvist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Wood, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Pointillist Figurative Paintings
Plywood, Acrylic
Late 20th Century Fauvist Figurative Paintings
Acrylic Polymer, Acrylic, Illustration Board
1990s Fauvist Figurative Paintings
Laid Paper, Board, Acrylic
1910s Post-Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
1980s Fauvist Figurative Paintings
Board, Oil
Early 2000s Post-Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
19th Century Academic Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
1950s Post-Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Oil, Cardboard
Mid-20th Century Post-Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Post-Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Post-Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Oil, Wood Panel
21st Century and Contemporary Post-Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Oil, Wood Panel
1920s Post-Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Oil, Canvas
1890s Post-Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Oil, Canvas
1970s Fauvist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
1910s Pointillist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Post-Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Oil
1960s Post-Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
Early 2000s Post-Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Oil, Canvas
Early 2000s Post-Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Oil, Canvas
Mid-20th Century Post-Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Oil Pastel
Mid-20th Century Post-Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Post-Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Oil, Board
21st Century and Contemporary Post-Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Oil, Board
Mid-20th Century Post-Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Post-Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Post-Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
Early 2000s Academic Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
Mid-20th Century Post-Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Oil
20th Century Post-Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
Mid-20th Century Post-Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Watercolor
2010s Post-Impressionist 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.