Talk:Figurative art

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Contents 1 Conflicting definitions 2 Pablo Picasso 3 Slowly becoming accepted? 4 Reconfiguration 5 Contemporary Figurative Art 6 Suggested internal link for this article

[edit] Conflicting definitions

The Bullfinch Guide to Art describes figurative art as representational. I'll research and get back to this article. Sparkit 07:27, 6 January 2006 (UTC)

Figurative art is by definition representational. They are synonyms. Tyrenius 05:39, 7 May 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Pablo Picasso

The inclusion of Picasso was disputed on the basis that he was not a figurative artist. However the definition quoted from the Tate Gallery states:

Since the arrival of abstract art the term figurative has been used to refer to any form of modern art that retains strong references to the real world. "Glossary: Figurative"

Quite clearly his work does retain such strong references and therefore makes him a figurative artist. He is also shown on the Tate page as an example of a figurative artist. This is a verifiable source.

I dispute the inclusion of Odd Nerdrum in this list as he does not have a worldwide reputation of equal standing to the other artists and seems an anomaly.

Tyrenius 23:02, 28 May 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Slowly becoming accepted?

How many decades have to go by before we admit that figurative art is completely accepted in the contemporary art world? When I started art school 15 years ago they were talking about the "return" of figuration. At that point Francesco Clemente had already been an art world darling for 10 years, and 10 years before him there were the "new image" artists like Susan Rothenberg and Donald Sultan. Throw in Lucien Freud, Richard Diebenkorn, Francis Bacon (painter), and the pop artists and you have to wonder when figurative art wasn't accepted. In the 1940s? --emw 02:57, 3 May 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Reconfiguration

The article is at a good point now, scaled back to its essence. I would like to take a shot at expansion, sans naming specific artists, if possible, but might not get to it for a while--there is little solid online reference, and I am inclined to dig up my Kenneth Clark books, when time permits. JNW 22:03, 6 August 2007 (UTC)

It seems that part of the problem is the interpretation of the term, and the subsequent open door to POV as to which artist or school best represents figurative art. In all, a challenge to write with minimal POV. JNW 22:26, 6 August 2007 (UTC)

I think material needs to be properly sourced. A bog standard text like Gombrich might be useful, or, as you say, Clark. Tyrenius 23:42, 6 August 2007 (UTC)

I've made incremental additions, on idealism and realism, and formal elements. Please proof read and make necessary edits. JNW 01:52, 12 August 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Contemporary Figurative Art

As this page appears to be a historical view of figurative art, and the page on contemporary art is pretty non-specific - given the pluralistic nature of the art world today- there should be a page on contemporary figurative art, which is undeniably substantial and growing more-so every year.

So long as the information is properly sourced, so as to not become, essentially, an exercise in promotion or advertisement for a particular school, gallery, or group of artists--see WP:NPOV, WP:V, and WP:RS. Please remember to sign your posts. JNW 16:03, 12 August 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Suggested internal link for this article

I have created a Wikipedia page entitled List of artists focused on the female form (The title was not mine but one modified by an unknown party). It has become a 'redirect' from the search term Women in Art which was my original title. I feel that adding the "Women in Art" link to the links list of THIS article would help those seeking art of the female form using the search term Figurative Art and reaching this "Figuative Art" item, which, though both interesting and educational in itself, does not satisfy all those searching using this heading, making the article worthy of expansion to this end. Point taken on the broader meaning of the term, but the generally accepted narrower understandings should, I feel, perhaps also be included satisfying the reader's current need with the benefit of a wider education to go. The link would need to be Women in Art to reach this list of artists which will grow with time I'm sure. Hope this helps.
--Jdm art (talk) 09:52, 5 March 2008 (UTC)