Toward A Contemporary Theory of Figurative Realist Painting

This research represents findings from an ongoing project analyzing the contemporary value of Figurative Realist Painting, i.e. the artistic depiction of the true-to-life human body. Despite its historical significance, I believe the art world lacks contemporary interest in Figurative Realist Painting due to three major phenomena. 1. The invention of photography in 1840 decreased the value of Realism in painting. 2. Abstract painting thus dominated American Art in the 20th century. 3. Contemporary art philosophies allow such wide definitions of Fine Art that traditional methods garner less critical interest. On this basis, I suspected the continuing presence of Figurative Realist Painting to be fostered by enduring educational practices like figure drawing resulting in an intellectual appreciation for technical Realism. I conducted two interviews with contemporary Figurative Realist painters and sourced material on six others from reputable news publications. My findings are based on a qualitative analysis on the eight artists’ own words. Each artist did reference a love for the technicality of Realism, which lead me to the revelation that Figurative Realism holds with the traditional philosophies of skilled labor and functionality particular to the Craft Arts. Designating Figurative Realist Painting as Craft values the technical skill requisite to Realism, reinvigorates a sense of functionality in the tradition, and contributes a fresh perspective to the nuanced relationship between Craft Arts and Fine Arts. The interviews also shared another commonality: specific references to relatives, mentors, partners, and friends. Many also discussed artistic communities in their educational and adult lives. This characterizes Figurative Realism as an act of love for humanity, positioning the practice in terms of communal documentary and memorial. The continuing work of this project will further interrogate notions of Figurative Realism as Craft Art and communalist art