The term “figure art” is most often used in relation to artworks that feature the human figure as the primary subject matter. Figure artworks can be either realistic or abstract, and can range in style from detailed and naturalistic to expressive and gestural. Whether an artwork is considered figure art or not often depends on the intent of the artist; some artists may deliberately choose to create figure artworks, while others may simply use the human form as a means to express their ideas.
Figure art has a long history, dating back to the earliest days of human civilization. Some of the oldest figure artworks were created by the ancient Egyptians and Sumerians, and depict gods, pharaohs, and other important figures from their cultures. Figure art continued to be popular throughout the Renaissance period, when artists such as Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo Buonarroti created some of the most iconic figure artworks in history. In the modern era, figure art has taken on many different forms, from the ultra-realistic paintings of Photorealism to the abstract sculptures of Cubism. Today, figure art remains an important and popular genre, with artists of all styles and backgrounds continuing to create new and innovative works.
