Figür

Figür is a term used primarily in Turkish to denote a figure, form, or person, and it is widely used in art, design, and discussions of representation. The word is a Turkish adaptation of the German word Figur and is commonly written with the umlaut as Figür in Turkish orthography. In Turkish, figür encompasses both the human figure in visual arts and a character or role in narrative contexts.

In visual arts and criticism, figür refers to the representation of the human figure, including portraits, anatomies, and skeletal studies, as well as broader figurative approaches in painting and sculpture. The term appears in phrases such as figür çalışması (figure study) and figür sanatı (figurative art). Curators and art historians may classify works by their figür content or by the balance between figüratif (figurative) and non-figüratif (non-figurative) elements.

Beyond visual arts, figür is used in literature, theater, and media to denote a character or archetype within a story. In this sense, a figure can be a protagonist, antagonist, or symbolic presence that contributes to the work’s meaning or thematic structure.

Linguistic notes: while the German word Figur has a similar meaning, Turkish usage preserves the diacritic form Figür. The term is distinct from other closely related Turkish terms for sculpture or statue, though it overlaps in contexts where the human form or a character is the central subject. See also figurative, figure.