Figurative

Explore Figurative Art: Masterful portrayals of the human form, emotion, and identity. Discover classical and contemporary works that challenge realism and reflect the human experience. Download high-resolution images for study and inspiration.

  • The veil

    The veil

    William Powell Frith (English, 1819–1909)

    A woman lifts her veil, her face half-hidden in shadow. The gesture feels intimate yet charged—a fleeting moment where private emotion brushes against public expectation. Victorian society’s unspoken rules linger in the air, unbroken but strained. What lies beneath the lace remains just out of reach.

  • Madame R. (ca. 1912)

    Madame R. (ca. 1912)

    Alice Pike Barney (American, 1857–1931)

    A woman gazes past the viewer, her face softly lit against a dark background. Loose brushstrokes suggest the folds of her dress, while her poised expression hints at quiet confidence. The portrait balances intimacy with mystery, leaving her thoughts just out of reach.

  • Impéria (ca. 1899)

    Impéria (ca. 1899)

    Alfred-Pierre Agache (French, 1843–1915)

    A woman draped in flowing robes stands with solemn grace, her gaze distant yet commanding. The air hums with unspoken meaning, her presence both regal and enigmatic. Shadows cling to the folds of her garments, hinting at mysteries woven into the fabric of the scene.

  • Pontus Fürstenberg (1898)

    Pontus Fürstenberg (1898)

    Anders Zorn (Swedish, unknown)

    A man leans forward, his sharp gaze and confident posture framed by a dark coat. The brushstrokes capture his quiet authority, the light catching his face with striking clarity. There’s an unspoken intensity in the way he holds himself—like a conversation paused mid-sentence.

  • Frühling (1900)

    Frühling (1900)

    Franz von Stuck (German, 1863–1928)

    A nude woman emerges from shadowed foliage, her pale skin glowing against the dark leaves. A snake coils around her wrist like a living bracelet—both threat and adornment. Spring arrives not with blossoms, but with this unsettling union of flesh and serpent, beauty and danger intertwined.

  • Sunlight (1909)

    Sunlight (1909)

    Frank Weston Benson (American, 1862–1951)

    Golden light spills across the figures, dappling skin and fabric with warmth. Loose brushstrokes blur the line between sunlight and shadow, as if the air itself shimmers with summer. The scene hums with quiet energy—a fleeting moment caught between movement and stillness.

  • Fisherman (1911)

    Fisherman (1911)

    Leon Wyczółkowski (Polish, 1852–1936)

    A lone fisherman stands against the wind, his weathered hands gripping the net. The water churns dark beneath him, the sky heavy with unseen storms. Every line in his posture speaks of patience, of battles fought with the sea. This is no idyllic scene—it’s raw, alive, salt-stung.

  • Gutach Woman in a Meadow (1900)

    Gutach Woman in a Meadow (1900)

    Franz Xaver Gräßel (German, 1861–1948)

    A woman stands in tall grass, sunlight dappling her dress. The brushstrokes blur wildflowers into a haze of color around her. She seems caught between movement and stillness, as if pausing mid-step to listen. The meadow hums with unseen life.

  • La Carmencita (1890)

    La Carmencita (1890)

    John Singer Sargent (American, 1856-1925)

    A woman in a black dress holds a fan, her stance poised yet alive. The fabric swirls around her, dark and fluid, while her gaze meets the viewer with quiet confidence. The fan, half-opened, hints at motion frozen in time—a breath before the next graceful movement.