Figurale

Figurale is an Italian adjective and, in specialized discourse, a noun used to denote relation to figures, images, or representation. The term derives from figura, Latin for “figure” or “shape,” with the suffix -ale forming an adjective. It is most commonly encountered in discussions of art, language, and iconography.

In art, figurale describes representational or figurative art as opposed to abstract art. Italian critics may refer to arte figurale to discuss works that depict recognizable subjects, people, landscapes, or scenes, rather than non-representational forms. The term can also appear in analyses of iconography where symbolic figures are central to interpretation.

In linguistics and rhetoric, figurale covers figurative language—devices that convey meaning beyond the literal sense, such as metaphor, metonymy, and synecdoche. The concept overlaps with terms like metafora (metaphor) and similitudine (simile) in Italian.

Usage notes: Figurale is more common in Italian than in English, where the direct equivalent is figurative. In Italian, it coexists with related forms such as figurato (figurative in the sense of depicted or interpreted) and figurazione (figuration or imagery). The term appears across scholarly writing on painting, poetry, and visual culture to distinguish representational or imagery-based content from literal or abstract descriptions.

See also terms related to representation and imagery, including figura, figuração, metafora, and arte figurale, which collectively cover the spectrum from depicted imagery to figurative meaning in Italian discourse.