$22,000
Muscular Gay Men Mardi Gras - Daring Interracial Love Mid-Century - Gay Interest
Located in Miami, FL
The present mid-century work features two taboos in one painting. In 1949, it was verboten to glamorize gay life and even more prohibited to show interracial love. This work by Dan A...
Masonite
Groovy 1970s Men's Fashion - Gay Interest - like Domenico Gnoli
By Wilson McLean
Located in Miami, FL
Illustration Star Wilson McLean executes a 1970s male fashion assignment that is situated at the intersection of realism and abstraction. Four male models are depicted with a tight ...
Canvas, Oil
Black Men Muscular Bodies - Gay Interest
Located in Miami, FL
Art Deco/Cubist rendition of two Black Men with Muscular Bodies in an artistically formal pose with shovels and pitchforks. The work is executed in an Art Deco/Cubist style. Titled ...
Watercolor, Gouache, Handmade Paper
$7,500
Three Young Men California WPA Figurative Modern Art Gay American Scene 1930s
By Boris Deutsch
Located in New York, NY
Three Young Men California WPA Figurative Modern Art Gay American Scene 1930s An artist on the WPA mural project, Deutsch was born in Lithuania and died in Los Angeles.
Canvas, Oil
"Men in Barracks" WPA Mid 20th Century American Scene Realism Gay Modernism WWII
By David Fredenthal
Located in New York, NY
"Men in Barracks" WPA Mid 20th Century American Scene Realism Gay Modernism WWII. 18 x 24 inches Watercolor on paper. c. 1940s.
Paper, Watercolor
$1,100
Without Heaviness - Close-Up Painting of Two Men Kissing, Original Oil on Panel
By Rick Sindt
Located in Chicago, IL
Focused on the experiences of gay men, this body of oil paintings depicts moments that range from tender touches to more sexually explicit acts.
Oil, Panel
And Then Comes Wonder - Intimate Painting of a Couple Kissing
By Rick Sindt
Located in Chicago, IL
Focused on the experiences of gay men, this body of oil paintings depicts moments that range from tender touches to more sexually explicit acts.
Oil, Panel
Glimpse of Something That Seemed All Potential - Nude Original Oil Painting
By Rick Sindt
Located in Chicago, IL
Focused on the experiences of gay men, this body of oil paintings depicts moments that range from tender touches to more sexually explicit acts.
Oil, Panel
Occasionally There Would Be One - Intimate Painting of a Couple, Original Oil
By Rick Sindt
Located in Chicago, IL
Focused on the experiences of gay men, this body of oil paintings depicts moments that range from tender touches to more sexually explicit acts.
Oil, Panel
Did I Steal You Away? - Intimate Painting of a Couple Embracing, Original Oil
By Rick Sindt
Located in Chicago, IL
Focused on the experiences of gay men, this body of oil paintings depicts moments that range from tender touches to more sexually explicit acts.
Oil, Panel
A Quiet Line - Intimate Painting of Two Nude Torsos, Original Oil on Panel
By Rick Sindt
Located in Chicago, IL
Focused on the experiences of gay men, this body of oil paintings depicts moments that range from tender touches to more sexually explicit acts.
Oil, Panel
$3,475
And Then On To You - Intimate Painting, Two Male Nudes Entangled in One Another
By Rick Sindt
Located in Chicago, IL
Focused on the experiences of gay men, this body of oil paintings depicts moments that range from tender touches to more sexually explicit acts.
Oil, Panel
Handing Your Heart to the Heat - Nude Figures, Intimate Portrayal of a Couple
By Rick Sindt
Located in Chicago, IL
Focused on the experiences of gay men, this body of oil paintings depicts moments that range from tender touches to more sexually explicit acts.
Oil, Panel
His Body Like a River - Nude Figures, Intimate Portrayal of a Couple
By Rick Sindt
Located in Chicago, IL
Focused on the experiences of gay men, this body of oil paintings depicts moments that range from tender touches to more sexually explicit acts.
Oil, Panel
Do You Recall the Day? - Nude Figures, Intimate Portrayal of a Couple
By Rick Sindt
Located in Chicago, IL
Focused on the experiences of gay men, this body of oil paintings depicts moments that range from tender touches to more sexually explicit acts.
Oil, Panel
We Can Try Again - Nude Figures, Intimate Portrayal of a Couple
By Rick Sindt
Located in Chicago, IL
Focused on the experiences of gay men, this body of oil paintings depicts moments that range from tender touches to more sexually explicit acts.
Oil, Panel
Their Losses and Their Hopes - Nude Figures, Intimate Portrayal of a Couple
By Rick Sindt
Located in Chicago, IL
Focused on the experiences of gay men, this body of oil paintings depicts moments that range from tender touches to more sexually explicit acts.
Oil, Panel
I Might Grow to Be Kinder - Intimate Portrayal of a Couple Embracing
By Rick Sindt
Located in Chicago, IL
Focused on the experiences of gay men, this body of oil paintings depicts moments that range from tender touches to more sexually explicit acts.
Oil, Panel
$3,250
Shield Me - Nude Figures, Intimate Portrayal of a Couple, Original Oil on Panel
By Rick Sindt
Located in Chicago, IL
Focused on the experiences of gay men, this body of oil paintings depicts moments that range from tender touches to more sexually explicit acts.
Oil, Panel
Their Whole Private Selves - Two Nude Bodies Entwined, Original Oil on Panel
By Rick Sindt
Located in Chicago, IL
Focused on the experiences of gay men, this body of oil paintings depicts moments that range from tender touches to more sexually explicit acts.
Oil, Panel
No One Is Sure - Nude Figures, Intimate Portrayal of a Couple, Original Oil
By Rick Sindt
Located in Chicago, IL
Focused on the experiences of gay men, this body of oil paintings depicts moments that range from tender touches to more sexually explicit acts.
Oil, Panel
Skin Had Hope - Two Nude Torsos, Entwined, Original Oil on Panel
By Rick Sindt
Located in Chicago, IL
Focused on the experiences of gay men, this body of oil paintings depicts moments that range from tender touches to more sexually explicit acts.
Oil, Panel
Sold
H 23 in W 19.25 in D 1 in
'The Delivery Boys' Original Painting by Baltimore Artist Vernon Reynolds
Located in Ft. Lauderdale, FL
This is a youthful painting full of vitality by Baltimore artist Vernon Reynolds (American 20th century) who is a listed artist and known for his depictions of nightlife, cityscapes ...
Wood, Paint
Sold
H 8 in W 8 in D 0.5 in
Fear and Lust and Shame - Intimate Painting of a Couple Kissing, Original Oil
By Rick Sindt
Located in Chicago, IL
Focused on the experiences of gay men, this body of oil paintings depicts moments that range from tender touches to more sexually explicit acts.
Oil, Panel
MB 702 (Contemporary Life Drawing of Male Nude by Mark Beard)
By Mark Beard
Located in Hudson, NY
MB 702 (Contemporary Life Drawing of Male Nude by Mark Beard) graphite, Conte crayon and charcoal on Arches paper 30 x 19 inches unframed Contemporary figurative life study drawing ...
Conté, Charcoal, Archival Paper, Graphite
$3,500
H 46 in W 35 in D 2 in
Interminable, colorful abstracted male nude figure modern cubist
By Tom Bennett
Located in Brooklyn, NY
This is an oil painting on canvas with aggressive, active, colorful strokes representing a male nude figure from the waist up. Emotionally charged and powerful esthetic. Modern cubis...
Oil
Male Nude 19, Drawing, Pastels on Paper
By Bill Buchman
Located in Yardley, PA
Contemporary male nude done with artists quality charcoal chalks on acid free drawing paper. :: Drawing :: Contemporary :: This piece comes with an official certificate of authentic...
Pastel
$600
H 27.5 in W 19.5 in
BOYS WILL BE BOYS original art Paula Craioveanu Male Nude in Florida
By Paula Craioveanu
Located in Forest Hills, NY
“Boys will be Boys”, male nude, tempera pencil charcoal on blue paper, 27.5x19.5in, 70x50cm. Shipped rolled in a tube, well packed, from Florida. . Choose between express or standa...
Tempera, Ink, Archival Paper
$1,650
H 30 in W 18.5 in
MB 085A (Contemporary Life Drawing of Nude Male by Mark Beard)
By Mark Beard
Located in Hudson, NY
Academic life drawing of male nude with charcoal and graphite by Mark Beard, "MB 085A" graphite, Conte crayon and charcoal on Arches paper 30 x 18.5 inches unframed Signed, lower rig...
Conté, Charcoal, Archival Paper, Graphite
$14,750
H 58 in W 58 in D 1.5 in
'Young Man in Repose' by Podlach - Large Male Intimate Figurative Nude Painting
By Betsy Podlach
Located in Carmel, CA
Betsy Podlach (American, born 1964) "Young Man in Repose" 2009 Oil Paint, Canvas, Stretcher Bars The artist signed the back of the painting. "Young Man in Repose" is a captivating p...
Canvas, Oil, Stretcher Bars
$1,600
H 30 in W 18.5 in
MB 807 (Figurative Charcoal Drawing on Arches Paper of Two Male Nude Models)
By Mark Beard
Located in Hudson, NY
Figurative drawing of two male nudes made with graphite, conte crayon and charcoal on Arches paper 30 x 18.5 inches, unframed This unique life study drawing of two standing male n...
Archival Paper, Charcoal, Graphite
$2,200Sale Price|20% Off
H 23 in W 18 in
Renaissance Male Nude Figure Study, 1963, Ian Hornak — Drawing
By Ian Hornak
Located in Fairfield, CT
Artist: Ian Hornak (1944-2002) Title: Renaissance Male Nude Figure Study Year: circa 1963 Medium: Original drawing on vélin paper Size: 23 x 18 inches Condition: Good Provenance: Est...
Charcoal
$1,170Sale Price|35% Off
H 18.5 in W 12.75 in
Undergarment Model (1970s Gay Bathhouse Jockstrap Ad)
Located in Wilton Manors, FL
Vintage jockstrap ad poster, 1975. Offset lithograph on paper measures 18.5 x 12.75 inches. Copyright Winifred Bonney. Original offset period print on period paper from 1975, not a s...
Offset
$1,650
H 30 in W 21 in
MB 824 (Double-Sided Figure Drawing of Handsome Nude Men by Mark Beard)
By Mark Beard
Located in Hudson, NY
Figurative, academic style life drawing of male nude with charcoal and graphite by Mark Beard, "MB 824" graphite, Conte crayon and charcoal on Arches paper 30.5 x 21 inches unframed ...
Conté, Charcoal, Archival Paper, Graphite
$1,150
H 10 in W 8 in
Untitled - After Cadmus - Nude Males Embracing, Original Graphite Drawing
By Rick Sindt
Located in Chicago, IL
This untitled work by Rick Sindt was inspired by the works of Paul Cadmus. It is a small graphite drawing of two male nude figures with both of their faces somewhat obscured during ...
Panel, Graphite
$20,000Sale Price|20% Off
H 64 in W 46 in D 1.5 in
"Bricklayer at Rest, " Monumental WPA Period Painting of Worker with Landscape
By Paul Ulen
Located in Philadelphia, PA
One of the finest depictions of an American worker from the 1930s that we have seen, this monumental painting of a shirtless bricklayer, resting against a curved brick niche, with a ...
Paint
Portrait of Black Dancer (male nude)
By Roy Blakey
Located in Wilton Manors, FL
Roy Blakey (1930-2024). Portrait of Black Dancer, ca. 1972. Mr. Dennis was immortalized in 1975 as the original Richie "Gimme The Ball" Walters in A Chorus Line, after making his B...
Photographic Paper
$1,200Sale Price|20% Off
H 7 in W 3.07 in D 0.1 in
"Nude with Golden Hair", Striking Male Nude by du Bois, Tony Award Winner
By Raoul Pene du Bois
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Diminutive and striking, this Mannerist male nude by Raoul Pène du Bois, the great Broadway designer, depicts a confident figure in the full bloom of youth, with golden hair and blus...
Paint
$1,800
H 40 in W 32 in D 0.1 in
Adonis, pastel drawing on oversize black paper, muscular male nude
By Audrey Anastasi
Located in Brooklyn, NY
These recently discovered 1983-84 oversize pastels on archival papers were created working quickly, in pastel. The series shows the last existing observational drawings prior to the...
Pastel, Mixed Media, Archival Paper
Untitled (Man Undressing)
By Mark Beard
Located in New York, NY
Graphite on paper Signed, c.l. This artwork is offered by ClampArt, located in New York City. Mark Beard, born in 1956 in Salt Lake City, now lives in New York City. His works are ...
Paper, Graphite
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.