Jan Swiderski

Adam Marczukiewicz studied at the Faculty of Graphic Arts at Jan Matejko Academy of Fine Arts in Krakow at ateliers of professors Jan Świderski and Zbyslaw Marek Maciejewski, where in 1986 he obtained his diploma under the supervision of professor Włodzimierz Kunz. In the years 1988-90, he was a research assistant in the lithography studio at his alma mater. Since 1987, he has belonged to the Union of Polish Artists and Designers (ZPAP) in Krakow. His works have been exhibited at numerous group and individual exhibitions in Poland and abroad, including the United States, Germany, France, China, Belgium, Croatia and Slovakia.

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.