Figurative Paintings
19th Century Victorian Figurative Paintings
Oil
Late 20th Century Realist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Oil, Wood Panel
2010s Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Linen, Acrylic
17th Century Old Masters Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
Late 20th Century American Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
15th Century and Earlier Old Masters Figurative Paintings
Tempera, Panel
2010s Realist Figurative Paintings
Oil
2010s Neo-Expressionist Figurative Paintings
Acrylic, Permanent Marker
2010s Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Metal
2010s Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Tempera
2010s Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Paper, Mixed Media
1980s American Realist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Abstract Figurative Paintings
Paper, Oil, Acrylic
2010s Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
1880s Folk Art Figurative Paintings
Metal
20th Century Art Deco Figurative Paintings
Oil
1940s Feminist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Ceramic, Porcelain, Paint
Late 20th Century Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Linen, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
Early 20th Century Realist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Wood, Cotton Canvas, Oil
2010s Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Oil, Canvas
Late 20th Century English School Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Cotton Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
Late 20th Century English School Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Cotton Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Watercolor, Acrylic, Paper
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Oil, Wood Panel
Mid-20th Century Cubist Figurative Paintings
Mixed Media, Cardboard
1930s American Modern Figurative Paintings
Gouache, Board, Watercolor
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Wood Panel, Oil
2010s Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Photorealist Figurative Paintings
Charcoal, Paper
21st Century and Contemporary Abstract Expressionist Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
Mid-20th Century Cubist Figurative Paintings
Mixed Media, Cardboard
2010s Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
1930s Art Deco Figurative Paintings
Ceramic
2010s Cubist Figurative Paintings
Paper, Mixed Media
2010s Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Oil, Wood Panel
2010s Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Paper, Acrylic
Mid-20th Century Cubist Figurative Paintings
Mixed Media, Cardboard
2010s Modern Figurative Paintings
Oil, Wood Panel
2010s Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Oil
Late 20th Century English School Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Cotton Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
2010s Figurative Paintings
Acrylic, Panel
Early 18th Century Old Masters Figurative Paintings
Oil
2010s Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
Late 20th Century English School Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Cotton Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
Late 19th Century French School Figurative Paintings
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Sandstone
2010s Realist Figurative Paintings
Oil
2010s Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Wood Panel, Oil
2010s Realist Figurative Paintings
Tempera
21st Century and Contemporary Neo-Expressionist Figurative Paintings
Ink, Handmade Paper
17th Century Other Art Style Figurative Paintings
Oil
1940s Abstract Impressionist Figurative Paintings
Oil
19th Century Academic Figurative Paintings
Oil, Canvas
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.