Ascending the Bramble
Located in New Orleans, LA
myth and ancestral burden. These narrative paintings work to reclaim the reputations of their subjects
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Materials
Paper, Crayon, Acrylic
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Buried Seeds
Located in New Orleans, LA
myth and ancestral burden. These narrative paintings work to reclaim the reputations of their subjects
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Materials
Paper, Crayon, Latex, Acrylic
Serpentine
Located in New Orleans, LA
myth and ancestral burden. These narrative paintings work to reclaim the reputations of their subjects
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Materials
Paper, Cotton Canvas, Latex, Permanent Marker
The Leopards
Located in New Orleans, LA
myth and ancestral burden. These narrative paintings work to reclaim the reputations of their subjects
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Materials
India Ink, Acrylic, Paper
Loyal Companion
Located in New Orleans, LA
myth and ancestral burden. These narrative paintings work to reclaim the reputations of their subjects
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Materials
Paper, Permanent Marker
Harvest Contour
Located in New Orleans, LA
myth and ancestral burden. These narrative paintings work to reclaim the reputations of their subjects
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Materials
Paper, Permanent Marker
Harvest Burnt Sienna
Located in New Orleans, LA
myth and ancestral burden. These narrative paintings work to reclaim the reputations of their subjects
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Materials
Permanent Marker, Ink
Harvest Bowl
Located in New Orleans, LA
myth and ancestral burden. These narrative paintings work to reclaim the reputations of their subjects
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Materials
Paper, Cotton Canvas, Latex, Permanent Marker
Flower Chain
Located in New Orleans, LA
myth and ancestral burden. These narrative paintings work to reclaim the reputations of their subjects
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Materials
Paper, India Ink
19th century English Victorian sketch portrait of two Young Girls
Located in Woodbury, CT
the work a quiet psychological depth, characteristic of Victorian narrative painting at its most
Category
1860s Victorian Portrait Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
Purvis YoungPurvis Young Original Painting Two Faces Large 4 Foot Signed Oil on Board, ca. 2000-2008
$4,500
Purvis Young Original Painting Two Faces Large 4 Foot Signed Oil on Board
By Purvis Young
Located in Minneapolis, MN
, assemblage, and social narrative painting. His practice incorporated discarded materials such as plywood
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Paintings
Materials
Oil, Board
Third Man 3, night, city scape, monochromatic, narrative
By Tom Bennett
Located in Brooklyn, NY
limited scale of monotypes, however, he switched to painting on slick-surfaced plastic.
Category
2010s American Modern Figurative Drawings and Watercolors
Materials
Archival Paper, Monotype
Burning Bush Forrest landscape solo female figure biblical narrative
By Stephen Basso
Located in Brooklyn, NY
ABOUT Stephen Basso Stephen Basso's highly original pastels and oil paintings are romantic, yet
Category
2010s American Modern Landscape Drawings and Watercolors
Materials
Pastel, Archival Paper
"Eye Feel So Seen" Kaleidoscopic Pattern of Eye Reflection in Wood Frame
By Sarah Detweiler
Located in Philadelphia, PA
This piece titled "Eye Feel So Seen" is an original painting by Sarah Detweiler and is oil paint
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Wood, Oil
Sarah Detweiler"Feral Forties", Woman in Wolf Mask in a Forest with Felted Embellishment, 2025
$5,700
"Feral Forties", Woman in Wolf Mask in a Forest with Felted Embellishment
By Sarah Detweiler
Located in Philadelphia, PA
figurative and narrative paintings with hand embroidery. She has a BFA in Visual Communications from
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil, Wool, Acrylic
ABSTRACT Pastel Shark Artwork by Contemporary Artist Martin Paaskesen
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
explores expressionistic and narrative painting. His approach is very intuitive and impulsive and
Category
2010s Abstract Animal Paintings
Materials
Linen, Oil, Acrylic
Martin PaaskesenABSTRACT Pastel Shark Pink Artwork Contemporary Artist Martin Paaskesen Textil, 2024
$5,651
ABSTRACT Pastel Shark Pink Artwork Contemporary Artist Martin Paaskesen Textil
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
explores expressionistic and narrative painting. His approach is very intuitive and impulsive and
Category
2010s Abstract Animal Paintings
Materials
Linen, Oil, Acrylic
ABSTRACT Pastel Shark Artwork Contemporary Artist Martin Paaskesen Pink
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
explores expressionistic and narrative painting. His approach is very intuitive and impulsive and
Category
2010s Abstract Animal Paintings
Materials
Linen, Oil, Acrylic
Judith Beheading Holoferne - Oil painting by G.R. Badaracco - Late 17th Century
Located in Roma, IT
Judith Beheading Holoferne is an oil painting made by Giovanni Raffaele Badaracco, mid-17th Century
Category
Late 17th Century Baroque Figurative Paintings
Materials
Oil
Boardman RobinsonBoardman Robinson 1930s American Modern Carnival Scene Figurative Gouache Art, circa 1930
$1,195Sale Price|20% Off
Boardman Robinson 1930s American Modern Carnival Scene Figurative Gouache Art
By Boardman Robinson
Located in Denver, CO
work is recognized for its contribution to the development of modernist narrative painting
Category
1930s American Modern Figurative Paintings
Materials
Gouache
erotica al fresco, narrative architectural fantasy w female nudes
By Stephen Basso
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Pastel on toned paperABOUT Stephen Basso Stephen Basso's highly original pastels and oil paintings
Category
2010s Surrealist Nude Drawings and Watercolors
Materials
Paper, Pastel
Stephen BassoCarousel humorous dreamlike narrative story expressive human condition greys, 2022
$1,500
Carousel humorous dreamlike narrative story expressive human condition greys
By Stephen Basso
Located in Brooklyn, NY
ABOUT Stephen Basso Stephen Basso's highly original pastels and oil paintings are romantic, yet thought
Category
2010s Expressionist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors
Materials
Pastel, Archival Paper
Environmental Prognostication Coil Narrative "Homo Sapiens R.I.P."
Located in Miami, FL
the dawn of the American environmental movement, artist Richard Erdoes draws a sequential narrative in
Category
1960s American Realist Landscape Drawings and Watercolors
Materials
Ink, Gouache, Illustration Board
Daniela AstoneScilla, 21-st Century Italian Charcoal Drawing of a nude woman by Daniela Astone, 2019
$9,318
Scilla, 21-st Century Italian Charcoal Drawing of a nude woman by Daniela Astone
By Daniela Astone
Located in Nuenen, Noord Brabant
students. The classical structure and narrative paintings show a technique that is special. Her style is
Category
2010s Contemporary Nude Drawings and Watercolors
Materials
Paper, Chalk, Charcoal
Born to Kill, monochromatic, crime, narrative, high contrast, drama
By Tom Bennett
Located in Brooklyn, NY
limited scale of monotypes, however, he switched to painting on slick-surfaced plastic.
Category
2010s Neo-Expressionist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors
Materials
Archival Paper, Monotype
The Killers, black and white city scape, surrealistic, narrative
By Tom Bennett
Located in Brooklyn, NY
limited scale of monotypes, however, he switched to painting on slick-surfaced plastic.
Category
2010s Surrealist Landscape Drawings and Watercolors
Materials
Archival Paper, Monotype
Asphalt Jungle, black and white, interior, crime scene, narrative
By Tom Bennett
Located in Brooklyn, NY
limited scale of monotypes, however, he switched to painting on slick-surfaced plastic.
Category
2010s Abstract Impressionist Interior Drawings and Watercolors
Materials
Monotype, Archival Paper
Stephen Bassobuilder of cities, sand castle colorful beach fantasy narrative, blue, tan tones, 2005
$850
builder of cities, sand castle colorful beach fantasy narrative, blue, tan tones
By Stephen Basso
Located in Brooklyn, NY
*ABOUT Stephen Basso Stephen Basso's highly original pastels and oil paintings are romantic, yet
Category
Early 2000s Outsider Art Drawings and Watercolor Paintings
Materials
Pastel, Archival Paper
Pocket Green Gooseberry 2 c
By Dani Humberstone
Located in Deddington, GB
of ripe fruit to illustrate the narrative. Painting directly from life allows her to translate three
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Still-life Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
Dani HumberstoneSpring Collection: Pocket Bluebells, Baroque Still Life, Flower art, Realism, 2024
$222
Spring Collection: Pocket Bluebells, Baroque Still Life, Flower art, Realism
By Dani Humberstone
Located in Deddington, GB
fruit to illustrate the narrative. Painting directly from life allows her to translate three dimensions
Category
2010s Realist Still-life Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
Very Shiny Very Red Apple
By Dani Humberstone
Located in Deddington, GB
illustrate the narrative. Painting directly from life allows her to translate three dimensions into two and
Category
2010s Contemporary Still-life Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
"Family Gathering – The Christening Ceremony”
Located in Edinburgh, GB
collectors and enthusiasts of historical narrative painting.
Category
19th Century Symbolist Figurative Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
Taylor Family
By Roy De Forest
Located in Hollywood, FL
abstract expressionist style and embarked on creating narrative paintings that embraced popular and
Category
1990s Folk Art Paintings
Materials
Charcoal, Pastel, Glitter, Ink, Acrylic, Archival Paper
Inez Storer'Playing with Socks', San Francisco Women's College, San Francisco Art Institute, 1978
$2,200
'Playing with Socks', San Francisco Women's College, San Francisco Art Institute
By Inez Storer
Located in Santa Cruz, CA
narrative paintings, collages and assemblages in naive-sophisticated style, which she describes as Magic
Category
1970s Figurative Paintings
Materials
Paper, Oil Pastel, Acrylic, Gouache, Color Pencil
Raoul MiddlemanLarge Abstract Beach Scene Oil Painting Woman with Children Raoul Middleman, c.1970's
$7,500
Large Abstract Beach Scene Oil Painting Woman with Children Raoul Middleman
By Raoul Middleman
Located in Surfside, FL
Large Orange Oil on Canvas Painting by Raoul Middleman Beach scene, family at the shore. 38 X 52.5
Category
1970s Abstract Landscape Paintings
Materials
Oil, Canvas
Raoul Middleman1972 Gestural Oil Painting Boat in Harbor Figural Abstraction Raoul Middleman, 1972
$3,000
1972 Gestural Oil Painting Boat in Harbor Figural Abstraction Raoul Middleman
By Raoul Middleman
Located in Surfside, FL
sagging, dimpled, and real. His cityscapes reveal the underbelly of post-industrial rot, his narrative
Category
1970s American Modern Landscape Paintings
Materials
Oil, Board
Jacob Lawrence"Windows", c. 1977
$743,750
"Windows"
By Jacob Lawrence
Located in Lambertville, NJ
). Provenance: This painting is from the private collection of Gwen Lawrence, widow of Jacob Lawrence
Category
1970s Modern Figurative Paintings
Materials
Gouache
Robert LebsackA False Narrative - Figurative Black, White & Red Mixed Media Surrealist Art, 2023
$245
A False Narrative - Figurative Black, White & Red Mixed Media Surrealist Art
Located in Los Angeles, CA
narratives, delving into the social and cultural fabric by juxtaposing human subjects and surreal backgrounds
Category
2010s Surrealist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors
Materials
Paper, Charcoal, Ink, Mixed Media, Acrylic
Cardinal Rule surreal mythological narrative birds tree autumn color humor
By Stephen Basso
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Soft pastel on toned heavyweight paper signed and dated bottom. Part of an ongoing series by the artist depicting humans and birds and various other creatures.
Category
2010s Neo-Expressionist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors
Materials
Pastel, Archival Paper
The Bully - Narrative Art by Female Illustrator Golden Age of Illustration
By Maginel Wright Enright Barney
Located in Miami, FL
expressions and body gestures effectively advance the story's narrative. Signed lower right. Faint caption
Category
1910s American Impressionist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors
Materials
India Ink, Watercolor, Board
Quadtych of Pocket Upstar Tulip, Veronique Tulip, Snowdrop 2, Bluebells 2024 art
By Dani Humberstone
Located in Deddington, GB
symbolism of ripe fruit to illustrate the narrative. Painting directly from life allows her to translate
Category
2010s Realist Still-life Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
Robert Kenneth White "Sanctuary of the Sea" 2015 Oil of Imagined Classical Port
Located in Miami, FL
those drawn to 19th-century romanticism and to contemporary collectors of imaginative narrative painting.
Category
2010s Realist Landscape Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
Sarah Detweiler"I Give Myself Grace Now", Woman Surrounded By Laundry in Oil and Embroidery, 2025
$7,500
"I Give Myself Grace Now", Woman Surrounded By Laundry in Oil and Embroidery
By Sarah Detweiler
Located in Philadelphia, PA
experiences as a mother into figurative and narrative paintings with hand embroidery. She has a BFA in Visual
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil, Acrylic, Thread, Mirror, Found Objects
20th C. American Artist Raoul Middleman (1935-2021). African American Female Nud
Located in Swedesboro, NJ
post-industrial rot, his narrative paintings give contemporary life to his personal obsessions. They
Category
Antique Late 19th Century American Expressionist Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Paint
Cassandra
Located in New Orleans, LA
myth and ancestral burden. These narrative paintings work to reclaim the reputations of their subjects
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Acrylic
Kiss of Death, night scene, interior, black and white, dramatic narrative
By Tom Bennett
Located in Brooklyn, NY
limited scale of monotypes, however, he switched to painting on slick-surfaced plastic.
Category
2010s American Modern Figurative Drawings and Watercolors
Materials
Archival Paper, Monotype
Stephen BassoBasement Lovers narrative romantic couples human condition wry humor cool colors, 2020
$1,400
Basement Lovers narrative romantic couples human condition wry humor cool colors
By Stephen Basso
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Origional soft pastel on toned paper signed and dated on bottom. Suitable for framing under glass..
Category
2010s Neo-Expressionist Figurative Drawings and Watercolors
Materials
Paper, Pastel
Regina - Oil Paint by Eduardo Arroyo - 1980
By Eduardo Arroyo
Located in Roma, IT
, political narrative painting, and Spanish figurative traditions. The flattened pictorial space, intense
Category
1980s Modern Figurative Paintings
Materials
Oil
Dani HumberstoneQuadriptych Of Fruits, Pocket Sloes, Strawberry, Wild Apple, Pocket Raspberry, 2023
$890
Quadriptych Of Fruits, Pocket Sloes, Strawberry, Wild Apple, Pocket Raspberry
By Dani Humberstone
Located in Deddington, GB
: Dani Humberstone uses the symbolism of ripe fruit to illustrate the narrative. Painting directly from
Category
2010s Realist Still-life Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
triptych of Pocket Speckled Green Pear, Bright Clementine, Crimson Strawberry 2c
By Dani Humberstone
Located in Deddington, GB
uses the symbolism of ripe fruit to illustrate the narrative. Painting directly from life allows her to
Category
2010s Realist Still-life Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
Dani HumberstonePocket Quail's Egg No. 3 and Pocket Juicy Red Strawberry diptych, Original Art, 2024
$445
Pocket Quail's Egg No. 3 and Pocket Juicy Red Strawberry diptych, Original Art
By Dani Humberstone
Located in Deddington, GB
illustrate the narrative. Painting directly from life allows her to translate three dimensions into two and
Category
2010s Realist Still-life Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
Dani HumberstonePocket White Anemone (c) and Pocket Juicy Red Strawberry diptych, Original Art, 2024
$445
Pocket White Anemone (c) and Pocket Juicy Red Strawberry diptych, Original Art
By Dani Humberstone
Located in Deddington, GB
ripe fruit to illustrate the narrative. Painting directly from life allows her to translate three
Category
2010s Realist Still-life Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
Persephone: Something Blue
Located in New Orleans, LA
myth and ancestral burden. These narrative paintings work to reclaim the reputations of their subjects
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Materials
Paper, Crayon, Latex, Acrylic
Persephone
Located in New Orleans, LA
myth and ancestral burden. These narrative paintings work to reclaim the reputations of their subjects
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Acrylic
Medusa
Located in New Orleans, LA
myth and ancestral burden. These narrative paintings work to reclaim the reputations of their subjects
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Acrylic
Medusa: Quartzite Glow
Located in New Orleans, LA
myth and ancestral burden. These narrative paintings work to reclaim the reputations of their subjects
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Materials
Paper, Crayon, Latex, Acrylic
Medusa: Defiance of Wildflowers
Located in New Orleans, LA
myth and ancestral burden. These narrative paintings work to reclaim the reputations of their subjects
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Figurative Paintings
Materials
Paper, Crayon, Acrylic, Latex
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Narrative Painting For Sale on 1stDibs
On 1stDibs, you can find the most appropriate narrative painting for your needs in our varied inventory. There are many Contemporary, Abstract and Expressionist versions of these works for sale. Finding the perfect narrative painting may mean sifting through those created during different time periods — you can find an early version that dates to the 19th Century and a newer variation that were made as recently as the 21st Century. On 1stDibs, the right narrative painting is waiting for you and the choices span a range of colors that includes black, gray, brown and white. There have been many interesting narrative painting examples over the years, but those made by Tom Bennett, Stephen Basso, Fiona Ackerman, Britt Spencer and Gerard Schriemer are often thought to be among the most thought-provoking. Artworks like these of any era or style can make for thoughtful decor in any space, but a selection from our variety of those made in paint, oil paint and paper can add an especially memorable touch.
How Much is a Narrative Painting?
The average selling price for a narrative painting we offer is $1,450, while they’re typically $300 on the low end and $18,000 for the highest priced.
Finding the Right Paintings for You
Painting is an art form that has spanned innumerable cultures, with artists using the medium to tell stories, explore and communicate ideas and express themselves. To bring abstract paintings, landscape paintings, still-life paintings and other original paintings into your home is to celebrate and share in the long tradition of this discipline.
When we look at paintings, particularly those that originated in the past, we learn about history, other cultures and countries of the world. Like every other work of art, paintings — whether they are contemporary creations or works that were made during the 19th century — can often help us clearly see and understand the world around us in a meaningful and interesting way.
Cave walls were the canvases for what were arguably the world’s first landscape paintings, which depict natural scenery through art. Portrait paintings and drawings, which, along with sculpture, were how someone’s appearance was recorded prior to the advent of photography, are at least as old as Ancient Egypt. In the Netherlands, landscapes were a major theme for painters as early as the 1500s. Later, artists in Greece, Rome and elsewhere created vast wall paintings to decorate stately homes, churches and tombs.
Today, creating a wall of art is a wonderful way to enhance your space, showcase beautiful pieces and tie an interior design together.
No matter your preference, whether you favor Post-Impressionist paintings, animal paintings, Surrealism, Pop art or another movement or specific period, arranging art on a blank wall allows you to evoke emotions in a room while also showing off your tastes and interests. A symmetrical wall arrangement may comprise a grid of four to six pieces or, for an odd number of works, a horizontal row. Asymmetrical arrangements, which may be small clusters of art or large, salon-style gallery walls, have a more collected and eclectic feel.
Download the 1stDibs app, which includes a handy “View on Wall” feature that allows you to see how a particular artwork will look on a particular wall, and read about how to arrange wall art. And if you’re searching for the perfect palette for your interior design project, what better place to turn than to the art world’s masters of color?
On 1stDibs, you’ll find an expansive collection of paintings and other fine art for your home or office. Browse abstract paintings, portrait paintings, paintings by emerging artists and more today.
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