Gramercy Park Bed
Mid-20th Century Figurative Paintings
Paper, Ink
People Also Browsed
21st Century and Contemporary Danish Mid-Century Modern Wall Mirrors
Brass
21st Century and Contemporary Swedish Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps
Textile
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Tables
Travertine
2010s Table Lamps
Iron
2010s American Mid-Century Modern Wall Lights and Sconces
Brass, Bronze, Enamel, Nickel
2010s South African Minimalist Pedestals
Hardwood
2010s Austrian Jugendstil Chandeliers and Pendants
Silk
21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Modern Benches
Fabric, Velvet, Lacquer, Wood
Antique Late 19th Century English Victorian Card Tables and Tea Tables
Lacquer
Vintage 1970s Hollywood Regency Ashtrays
Ceramic
20th Century French Country Barware
Chrome
2010s Italian Figurative Sculptures
Marble
Mid-20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Bookcases
Elm, Pine, Teak, Oak, Mahogany
Vintage 1930s French Mid-Century Modern Club Chairs
Fruitwood
2010s Bosnian Daybeds
Velvet, Fabric, Beech
1990s Performance Figurative Drawings and Watercolors
Paper, Mixed Media
Finding the Right figurative-paintings for You
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.