Figurative Paintings
20th Century American Realist Figurative Paintings
Paper, Gouache
2010s Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
Late 20th Century American Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Paper, Watercolor
1980s Surrealist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Jute, Glue, Mixed Media, Oil, Pigment
Late 19th Century Symbolist Figurative Paintings
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Oil, Wood Panel
Early 2000s Realist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
1980s French School Figurative Paintings
Oil
2010s Post-Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Oil
Mid-20th Century Modern Figurative Paintings
Oil
Early 2000s Realist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Neo-Expressionist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
20th Century Fauvist Figurative Paintings
Oil Pastel, Archival Paper
Mid-20th Century American Modern Figurative Paintings
Board, Pencil, Oil
19th Century Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Other Art Style Figurative Paintings
Acrylic, Cardboard
2010s Neo-Expressionist Figurative Paintings
Acrylic, Permanent Marker
1980s French School Figurative Paintings
Oil
1870s Academic Figurative Paintings
Oil, Wood Panel
1980s Figurative Paintings
Oil, Board
2010s Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Expressionist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Mixed Media, Acrylic
2010s Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Neo-Expressionist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Charcoal, Oil, Acrylic, Permanent Marker
2010s Abstract Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
20th Century Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil Pastel
21st Century and Contemporary Street Art Figurative Paintings
Mixed Media, Acrylic, Newsprint
2010s Modern Figurative Paintings
Tape, Acrylic, Archival Paper
1980s French School Figurative Paintings
Oil
2010s Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Oil, Canvas
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Oil, Panel
Mid-20th Century American Modern Figurative Paintings
Paper, Watercolor
1980s Abstract Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Burlap, Paper, Acrylic
2010s Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
1930s American Modern Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
1980s French School Figurative Paintings
Oil
Artist Comments
Part of her series about the divinatory meanings of the swords tarot cards, artist Rachel Srinivasan paints a minotaur with blades and a caduceus. She feature...
21st Century and Contemporary Surrealist Figurative Paintings
Oil
1970s American Realist Figurative Paintings
Oil, Canvas, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Paper, Oil
1880s Figurative Paintings
Oil
2010s Photorealist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
1880s Realist Figurative Paintings
Oil, Canvas
2010s Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Oil, Canvas
21st Century and Contemporary Art Deco Figurative Paintings
Paper, Acrylic
20th Century Folk Art Figurative Paintings
Gouache
2010s Pop Art Figurative Paintings
Giclée
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Ink, Acrylic
2010s Photorealist Figurative Paintings
Oil, Board
1820s English School Figurative Paintings
Oil
2010s Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
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.