adjective
figurative
Depicting recognizable people or objects rather than abstract shapes.
Her figurative paintings show people gathering in familiar city streets.
Etymology
Figure comes from a word for shape or form. In art, figurative retains that concrete connection by describing images that represent recognizable forms in the world.
More examples
- The museum displays figurative sculptures of animals beside abstract metal shapes.
- Even with distorted faces, his portraits remain figurative.
- Students practice figurative drawing by sketching one another.
Forms
figurative
Similar words
- representational
- Similarly depicts recognizable subjects, without requiring a lifelike appearance.
- realistic
- Emphasizes lifelike accuracy, while figurative work can distort recognizable subjects.