Pineapple Clock
Mid-20th Century American Realist Figurative Paintings
Oil, Board
People Also Browsed
2010s Contemporary Interior Paintings
Oil, Canvas
20th Century French Decorative Art
Linen, Paper
Vintage 1930s French Posters
Paper
Vintage 1980s Russian Posters
Paper
1990s Abstract Still-life Paintings
Canvas, Oil
1980s More Prints
Paper
Vintage 1950s French Mid-Century Modern Paintings
Paint
1930s More Prints
Paper
1950s More Prints
Paper
Mid-20th Century French Paintings
Canvas, Wood, Paint
Vintage 1960s Russian Posters
Paper
Vintage 1950s French French Provincial Posters
Art Glass, Pine, Paper
Vintage 1970s Russian Posters
Paper
20th Century French Mid-Century Modern Paintings
Paint
Vintage 1960s French Modern Paintings
Paper
1950s More Prints
Paper
Recent Sales
Mid-20th Century American Realist Figurative Paintings
Oil, Board
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.