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.

  • 11 Heures Du Soir. Portrait from Les Dix-huit Heures d’une Parisienne (c. 1830)

    11 Heures Du Soir. Portrait from Les Dix-huit Heures d’une Parisienne (c. 1830)

    Achille Devéria (French, 1800–1857)

    A Parisian woman at midnight, her face half-lit by candlelight. The loose curls and slipping shawl suggest a private moment, caught between evening’s end and night’s secrets. The glow softens her features but sharpens the shadows behind her—what thoughts linger in those unreadable eyes?

  • Gregge di pecore con pastore (1904)

    Gregge di pecore con pastore (1904)

    Antonio Ballero (Italian, unknown)

    A shepherd stands among his flock, the sheep scattered like clouds across the Italian hills. Their wool catches the light, soft against the rough earth. The scene hums with quiet movement—hooves rustling grass, the man’s steady presence holding it all together. Life, simple and unbroken.

  • La belle au bois dormant (1904)

    La belle au bois dormant (1904)

    A. Guillon (French, unknown)

    A thorny forest engulfs the castle, vines creeping over silent towers. The princess lies motionless, her gown pooling like spilled moonlight. Time itself seems tangled in the brambles, holding its breath for a kiss that never comes. The air hums with unfinished magic.

  • Reading (1873)

    Reading (1873)

    Berthe Morisot (French, 1841–1895)

    A woman sits absorbed in a book, sunlight dappling her dress. The brushstrokes blur the line between figure and air, as if she might dissolve into the afternoon. Her stillness hums with quiet intensity—the world outside the page fades to a murmur.

  • Portrait of a young girl in a forest (1878)

    Portrait of a young girl in a forest (1878)

    Charles Sillem Lidderdale (English, 1830–1895)

    A young girl stands among towering trees, sunlight filtering through leaves to dapple her dress. Her gaze holds quiet mystery, as if the forest whispered secrets only she could hear. The play of light and shadow wraps around her like a second skin, both sheltering and exposing her solitary moment.

  • Tête d’Italienne avec une couronne de laurier (Head of an Italian girl with a laurel wreath) (1872)

    Tête d’Italienne avec une couronne de laurier (Head of an Italian girl with a laurel wreath) (1872)

    William Bouguereau (French, 1825–1905)

    A young Italian girl gazes softly, her dark hair crowned with delicate laurel leaves. The wreath rests lightly, its green against her warm skin. There’s a quiet pride in her eyes, a stillness that holds the viewer. The light catches the curve of her cheek, the folds of her simple garment.

  • Figure under a blossoming tree (1904 – 1905)

    Figure under a blossoming tree (1904 – 1905)

    Odilon Redon (French, 1840–1916)

    A lone figure stands beneath a tree heavy with blossoms, its branches dissolving into soft smudges of color. The air hums with quiet mystery—neither day nor night, dream nor reality. Petals seem to hover between falling and floating upward, caught in some unseen current.

  • Woman at a Window (1880 – 1911)

    Woman at a Window (1880 – 1911)

    Jozef Israëls (Dutch, 1824–1911)

    A woman stands by the window, her silhouette framed against the light. The room feels still, heavy with quiet. Her gaze lingers somewhere beyond the glass, lost in thought or memory. The ordinary moment holds something unspoken, a tension between the warmth inside and the world waiting outside.

  • Hins Anders (1904)

    Hins Anders (1904)

    Anders Zorn (Swedish, unknown)

    A young boy’s gaze meets the viewer, his expression caught between curiosity and quiet reserve. The brushwork is loose yet precise, capturing the softness of youth against a muted background. There’s an unspoken tension in his stillness—as if he might turn away any moment.