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Modern Figurative Paintings

MODERN STYLE

The first decades of the 20th century were a period of artistic upheaval, with modern art movements including Cubism, Surrealism, Futurism and Dadaism questioning centuries of traditional views of what art should be. Using abstraction, experimental forms and interdisciplinary techniques, painters, sculptors, photographers, printmakers and performance artists all pushed the boundaries of creative expression.

Major exhibitions, like the 1913 Armory Show in New York City — also known as the “International Exhibition of Modern Art,” in which works like the radically angular Nude Descending a Staircase by Marcel Duchamp caused a sensation — challenged the perspective of viewers and critics and heralded the arrival of modern art in the United States. But the movement’s revolutionary spirit took shape in the 19th century.

The Industrial Revolution, which ushered in new technology and cultural conditions across the world, transformed art from something mostly commissioned by the wealthy or the church to work that responded to personal experiences. The Impressionist style emerged in 1860s France with artists like Claude Monet, Paul Cézanne and Edgar Degas quickly painting works that captured moments of light and urban life. Around the same time in England, the Pre-Raphaelites, like Edward Burne-Jones and Dante Gabriel Rossetti, borrowed from late medieval and early Renaissance art to imbue their art with symbolism and modern ideas of beauty.

Emerging from this disruption of the artistic status quo, modern art went further in rejecting conventions and embracing innovation. The bold legacy of leading modern artists Georges Braque, Pablo Picasso, Frida Kahlo, Salvador Dalí, Henri Matisse, Joan Miró, Marc Chagall, Piet Mondrian and many others continues to inform visual culture today.

Find a collection of modern paintings, sculptures, prints and other fine art on 1stDibs.

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Style: Modern
Color:  Pink
Days Like This
Located in Cliffside Park, NJ
David Sherwin Parker is an American artist who showed his artistic talent in childhood. He is known for creating classic paintings and prints with various subjects like western lands...
Category

Late 20th Century Modern Figurative Paintings

Materials

Oil

Original 70's Hand Painted Textile Design Gouache Pink & Black Color on Paper
Located in ALCOY/ALCOI, ES
Flowers and pixel design. Sealed on the back with design studio name and number 268 We offer a small number of these original illustration designs by this design studio based in Alc...
Category

1970s Modern Figurative Paintings

Materials

Paper, Gouache

20th Century German Modernist Oil Painting Pianist in Concert Hall with Audience
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Artist: Elisabeth Hahn (German 1924-2021) Elisabeth Hahn was born in Dortmund, Germany, where she began her artistic studies. In 1953, she moved to Paris. She continued her studies ...
Category

20th Century Modern Figurative Paintings

Materials

Oil, Canvas

Systems I, 1998
Located in ATLANTA, GA
Gisela Romero was born in 1960 and was predominantly inspired creatively by the 1980s. The 1980s were an era of increasing global capitalism, political upheaval, worldwide mass media, wealth discrepancies and unique music and fashion, characterised by hip hop and electronic pop music. This had a strong impact on the generation of artists growing up during this decade. The fall of the Berlin Wall at the end of the decade signified the end of the Cold War, yet the era was also marked by the African Famine. During this time influential art movements included Neo Geo, The Pictures Generation and Neo-Expressionism, which took a particular hold in Germany, France and Italy. Artists such as Anselm Kiefer, Jörg...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Modern Figurative Paintings

Materials

Mixed Media

Untitled Figurative Abstract Painting
Located in Houston, TX
Untitled red figurative abstract painting with various nude figures holding various objects by Portland, Oregon artist Brendan McKeon. The canvas is not currently framed.
Category

Late 20th Century Modern Figurative Paintings

Materials

Acrylic

Issac Mizrahi illustration
Located in Miami, FL
Issac Mizrahi fashion illustrationon Arches paper signed in ink lower right Circa 1990's Image 29.5" H x 21.25" Frame: 31.5" H x 23.75" W x 1.5" D. Th...
Category

1990s Modern Figurative Paintings

Materials

Gouache, Watercolor, Pencil

"Olympic Star", Large Scale Hard Edge Surfer Figurative by Erle Loran
Located in Soquel, CA
"Olympic Star", Large Scale Hard Edge Surfer Figurative by Erle Loran Vibrant hard edge painting of a surfer "Olympic Star," a bold and bright figurative piece by Erle Loran (Ameri...
Category

1960s Modern Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic

Related Items
East Santa Cruz (California), Farm House with Storm Clouds Landscape Painting
Located in Denver, CO
"East Santa Cruz (California)" is an oil on canvas board by Jon Blanchette (1908-1987) of a yellow farm house with dark gray storm clouds overhead. Presented in a custom frame, outer dimensions measure 21 ¾ x 25 ¾ x 1 ½ inches. Image size is 16 x 20 inches. Painting is in very good vintage condition - please contact us for a detailed condition report. Expedited and international shipping is available - please contact us for a quote. About the Artist: Jon Blanchette Born England, 1908 Died California, 1987 Jon Blanchette was born in Somerset, England on March 29, 1908. He immigrated to Battle Creek, Michigan in 1918. Artistically inclined at age six, he later studied at the Pittsburgh Art...
Category

1950s Modern Figurative Paintings

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Oil, Board, Canvas

WPA Scene American Modernism 20th Century Workers Strike Realism Industrial
Located in New York, NY
WPA Scene American Modernism 20th Century Workers Strike Realism Industrial "Pawns" 16 x 20 inches,. Oil on board, c. 1930’s. Signed lower left. Stowell Sherman...
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1930s Modern Figurative Paintings

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Oil, Board

mr. c and gladys, bright colorful man and dog
Located in Brooklyn, NY
*ABOUT Stephen Basso Stephen Basso's highly original pastels and oil paintings are romantic, yet thought provoking fantasies. His whimsical works are alive with boundless imagina...
Category

2010s Modern Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

1910's Art Deco Erte Gouache Painting Original Hand Signed Rare French Costume
Located in Buffalo, NY
A rare original signed Art Deco gouache on paper by Erte (Romain de Tirtoff) . This stunning theatrical costume design is signed Erte at the lower right. The piece is 20 by 18 fram...
Category

1910s Modern Figurative Paintings

Materials

Pencil, Archival Paper, Gouache

Delicacy, Jo Haran, Original Painting, Affordable Art, Floral Artwork
Located in Deddington, GB
Delicacy by Jo Haran [2020] original Watercolour, gouache and gesso Image size: H:36.5 cm x W:49 cm Complete Size of Unframed Work: H:38 cm x W:50.7 cm x D:0...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Modern Figurative Paintings

Materials

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Parisian Model
Located in Palm Desert, CA
"Parisian Model" is an oil on canvas painting by Max Weber painted in 1908. The work is signed and dated, lower right, "Max Weber Paris 1908". The painting size is 35 1/2 x 19 5/8 inches. The framed size is 43 x 27 x 2 1/4 inches. "Parisian Model" was painted in 1908, when Weber participated in a life class in Matisse's studio in Paris and painted several nudes. Weber was influenced toward a more Cubist styler after seeing Cezanne's work in the 1906-07 Salon in Paris, and he consorted within avant-garde circles in Paris as early as 1905. After returning to the US in 1909, Weber was credited with showing American audiences Cubism based on his firsthand knowledge of the key players and the style. Several drawings of Weber's from this time are in museum collections at The Met, the Smithsonian, and MoMA and show a similar style and stocatto gesture. Parisian paintings by Max Weber are extremely rare as there are hardly any that have sold publicly. Provenance: Estate of the Artist Gerald Peters Gallery...
Category

Early 20th Century Modern Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Parisian Model
Parisian Model
H 35.5 in W 19.62 in
Autumn Wind, Large American Modernist Oil Painting Woman with Flowers
By Doris Turner
Located in Surfside, FL
Nice American Modernist Oil Painting. with old label verso. not dated but estimating it to the 70s. Not sure which Doris turner this is...
Category

1970s Modern Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Night Life in the City - Figurative Cityscape
Located in Soquel, CA
Night Life in the City - Figurative Cityscape Mid 1960s cityscape by an unknown artist. Oil on artists board. Image, 16"H x 20"W
Category

1960s Modern Figurative Paintings

Materials

Oil, Canvas, Illustration Board

"Industrial Cityscape, Chicago" WPA Modernism Mid-Century Cityscape 20th Century
Located in New York, NY
Midwestern Chicago artist Aaron Bohrod painted in 1931 this modernist industrial cityscape during the WPA of the 20th Century. Aaron Bohrod (American 1907 – 1992), Industrial Citysc...
Category

1930s Modern Figurative Paintings

Materials

Oil, Board

Woodland Stems On Dark, Jo Haran, Contemporary Floral Art, Original Artwork
Located in Deddington, GB
Woodland Stems on Dark by Jo Haran [2021] original Gouache, watercolour ink and gesso. Image size: H:64 cm x W:47.3 cm Complete Size of Unframed Work: H:67 cm x W:50.7 cm x D:0.01cm...
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21st Century and Contemporary Modern Figurative Paintings

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Small, Charming, Fauvist Painting Michel Henry French Modernist School of Paris
Located in Surfside, FL
Michel-Henry was born in Langres in 1928 and has shown strong passion for drawing since his childhood. Michel-Henry is acknowledged as an important painter in French contemporary art. From 1952 his work has periodically been singled out for France's highest prizes and awards. The French Government, the City of Paris , the Museum of Valence , Bogota and the Museum of Alencon are among the distinguished institutions who have acquired his work for their permanent collections. Born in Langres in 1928 the aspiring artist attended the Ecole Nationale Superieure des Beaux-Arts in Paris. He later studied with Narbonne , Georg, Chapelain-Midy and Legueult. In 1957 he became a member of the House of Descartes in Amsterdam and the following year was named member of the Casa Velazquez in Madrid , honors which are exceptional for a young painter. He is a member of the Salon d'Automne as well as a member of its jury, he also exhibits in the Salon de la Société Nationale des Beaux-Arts, the Salon Comparisons, and the Salon Terres Latines. In 1976 he shared in the honor of presenting the Salon d'Automne exhibition in Japan . Michel-Henry blends delicate tones and strong and fascinating accents into his compositions of flower still life, landscapes and marines. An avid interest in nature is the predominant quality of his luminous works. As a French artist whose works are known internationally, Michel-Henry over a period of twenty eight years has earned the status of a goodwill ambassador in a universal world of cultural exchanges. For his dedication and unselfish contributions to art and artists from all lands he was honored by his country by being awarded the prestigious - la Croix de Chevalier de la Légion d'Honneur - on January 1, 1981 by the French Minister of Culture Mr. Jean Philippe Lecat. Michel Henry exhibited at prestigious galleries in Paris (Avenue Matignon) and New York (Madison Avenue) alongside such artists as Pablo Picasso, Fernand Leger, Armand Guillaumin, Maurice Utrillo and Claude Venard. He is part of School of Paris artists that included Marcel Cosson, Jean Jansem, Leni-Dael, Raoul Dufy, Claude Salomon, Michel Kouliche...
Category

1960s Modern Figurative Paintings

Materials

Gouache, Paper

1977 Vintage Mid-Century Figurative Interior Scene Oil Painting - The Classroom
Located in Bristol, GB
THE CLASSROOM Size: 53 x 68 cm (including frame) Oil on Canvas A fun and richly detailed composition in oil, painted onto canvas and dated 1977. This playful oil painting depicts ...
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Previously Available Items
Pill Shape Explosion, Pink and Vanilla Bold Shapes and Transparencies, Modern
Located in Barcelona, ES
"Pill Shape Explosion" is a hand-painted acrylic painting on high-quality 300g paper by artist Ryan Rivadeneyra. These painting, influenced by modernist artists of the 50's, 60's, a...
Category

2010s Modern Figurative Paintings

Materials

Oil Pastel, Ink, Sumi Ink, Oil, Acrylic, Watercolor, Archival Paper

Colorful Red and Blue Modern Trio of Musicians Playing String Instruments
By Gerald Garston
Located in Houston, TX
Colorful modern figurative portrait of a trio of string musicians by Connecticut artist Gerald Garston. The work features three men in blue suits playin...
Category

1970s Modern Figurative Paintings

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Anatomy Lesson No. 43: Figurative Painting of Nude Male Model with Athletic Back
Located in Hudson, NY
Figurative painting of the muscular back of an nude male model with an athletic build "Anatomy Lesson No. 43", painted by Hudson Valley artist, Robert Goldstrom in 2020 Figurative o...
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2010s Modern Figurative Paintings

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PORTRAIT OF A WOMAN
By Magda Andrade
Located in Los Angeles, CA
MAGDA ANDRADE "PORTRAIT OF A WOMAN" OIL ON CANVAS, SIGNED VENEZUELA, STUDIED IN PARIS, C.1955 21 x 18 Inches Magda Andrade 1912-1984 Andrade studied at the Academy of Fine Arts; Lived in Buenos Aires in 1924 and later in Paris after 1935, where she studied at the Academy of La Grande Chaumière, in the studio of André Lothe...
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1950s Modern Figurative Paintings

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Pegaso Z-102 Spiders Serra
Located in CORAL GABLES - MIAMI, FL
Artwork by the Spanish artist Alex Balaguer Perfect state
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21st Century and Contemporary Modern Figurative Paintings

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Modern figurative paintings for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a wide variety of authentic Modern figurative paintings available for sale on 1stDibs. Works in this style were very popular during the 21st Century and Contemporary, but contemporary artists have continued to produce works inspired by this movement. If you’re looking to add figurative paintings created in this style to introduce contrast in an otherwise neutral space in your home, the works available on 1stDibs include elements of blue, orange, yellow, purple and other colors. Many Pop art paintings were created by popular artists on 1stDibs, including Antonio Feltrinelli, Sunil Das, Suhas Roy, and Clarence Holbrook Carter. Frequently made by artists working with Paint, and Oil Paint and other materials, all of these pieces for sale are unique and have attracted attention over the years. Not every interior allows for large Modern figurative paintings, so small editions measuring 1 inches across are also available. Prices for figurative paintings made by famous or emerging artists can differ depending on medium, time period and other attributes. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $1 and tops out at $743,750, while the average work sells for $2,376.

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