Figurative paintings have had quite an eventful history. They were declared virtually dead during an age when abstract and conceptual paintings were hailed as more intellectual exercises. That was precise during the 20th century. Thanks to artists like Wayne Thiebaud and Alice Neel, the world got to witness the brilliant resurgence of figurative art. In recent years, the legacy is remarkably carried forward by artists like Toyin Ojih Odutola and Kerry James Marshall.

Figurative Paintings: The “Why” and “How” of their Timeless Appeal There are not one but various reasons why figurative paintings are unmistakably associated with their enduring appeal. For instance, Jesse Mockrin, a Los- Angeles based artist opines that figurative paintings accommodate a lot of space for inclusivity. She says that the queer painters, female painters, and painters of color are constantly creating their own as well as others’ images, clearly reflecting the culture’s gravitation towards inclusivity.

She went on to opine that with a steadier influx of artists in the domain, there has been a rise in the creation of disparate subjects.

Contemporary figurative paintings have successfully made people think about art history and largely accepted cultural canons. A thought-provoking figurative painting actually has the power to disrupt our notions of how a body in painting and in the real world should look!


Regaining Lost Ground
So, it’s clear! Figurative paintings have been able to regain lost ground because it has been able to respond to the ever-evolving intellectual thirst of art connoisseurs at large. Some artists are constantly challenging their own comfort zones by doing exactly what they feel is the most important while they are painting. In fact, they are required to pull these works off without overthinking deadlines or the reason behind their existence.

Are you looking for quality figurative paintings? If yes, then you can check out the collections online. There is no dearth of online stores offering figurative paintings. Do make sure that you are checking the credentials of the store thoroughly before reaching out to them.

Things to Know before Buying these Paintings

If you are a connoisseur, it wouldn’t really be difficult for you to take your call on paintings, genres, and artists—clearly because you have your favorites. As someone who has just started collecting art, you should be prudent enough to act with caution. Here are a few questions that you should have answers to if you have decided to purchase figurative art:

• Who should I buy my collection from?
• How much do I know about figurative paintings? Would I be able to differentiate between fake and genuine paintings?
• Am I trying to know these paintings intimately?
• Am I asking my artist friends about the works of celebrated artists?

The more you ask around the more knowledge you would be able to gather about figurative paintings and it will always help you make an informed decision regarding your purchase in the future. You’re sorted!

Here are the different contemporary art forms:

• Pop Art - Pop art is a very important form of art as it is believed to be the heels of the contemporary form. It brings the essence of portraying the modern culture over anything that could be related anywhere close to the various traditional institutions.
• Photorealism - While pop art is what about working to reproduce objects artistically, photorealism is more about hyper-realistic drawings of living things (in most cases). Artists working on photo-realism mostly use photographs, which enable them to work on the portraits more accurately.
• Performance Art - Performance art also dates back to the time when contemporary art first came into being, that is, the 1960s. It is more of a drama-inspired form of art and involves humans for various roles. Plus, much like most other forms of art, this form too does not only help in the entertainment but conveys ideas and messages too.
• Earth Art - Earth art is a relatively newer and unique form of art. This contemporary art form sees the artist or group of artists transform natural places and landscapes into pieces of art. Earth arts require a lot of effort and are very time-consuming. However, the result is always very sweet.
• Street Art - Street art is fun. It has been growingly popular as a contemporary art form and is a lot about spreading messages and entertainment. Such form of art has been popularised as graffiti since the 1980s. It uses stickers, peppy colours and quirky designs to make a complete picture in public places.
• Conceptualism - Now, this is something that can be relatable to modern art. This form of contemporary art comes in three-dimensional form and involves making of structures, be it of clay or stones. This might remind you of the days when stone carvings were popular.
• Contemporary art is the most liberal form of art - Contemporary art seems to be in safe hands since it is the most liberal and has diverse forms. Hence, the aspect of being very diverse makes it less vulnerable to exhaustiveness. And yes, this era of art seems to have hit the perfect balance of entertainment and spreading important messages.

Gallery7 have beautiful contemporary paintings of the best painters. Along with that we also have Abstract Paintings, Figurative Paintings, and Landscape Paintings. Well, known painters like M F Husain, S H Raza, Tyeb Mehta,Laxma Goud, have gifted us with their beautiful paintings. You can buy attractive paintings from Gallery7 - an art gallery in Mumbai, and enhance the beauty of your house and workspace.