Figure painting

The human figure has been one of the constant subjects of art since the first Stone Age cave paintings, and has been reinterpreted in various styles throughout history.

[1] Genre painting portray ordinary people engaged in common activities.

The first female reclining nudes as a popular genre appeared during the Renaissance, most notably in a work by Giorgione.

"Its slow drying time and various degrees of viscosity enable the artist to achieve rich and subtle blends of color and texture, which can suggest transformations from one human substance to another.

"[5] Although working from live models is preferred, the length of time needed to complete a painting has led most modern painters to use photographs as references at least part of the time if not for the entire work.