The fine arts of Azerbaijan presented a unity with the applied art and architecture in the Middle Ages. Monumental wall pictures in Shaki, Shusha, Guba, Ordubad, Lahij and other towns and settlements were closely associated with popular creative traditions. 
Wall pictures in Shaki khans palace gained particular fame. These pictures, created by Abbasgulu, Usta Ganbar, Garabaghi, Alili Gulu, Gurban Ali, Shukur and other masters in XVIII-XIX, stand out for their thematic richness and multiple colours of the decorative elements. Colourful and bright pictures, stylized ornaments, pictures of people, animals and birds, multifigure pictures, describing war and hunting scenes, replace each other in internal salons and rooms of the palace. You can see architecture monuments of Baku, Shusha, Iravan and other towns on the works of Russian painters G.G.Gagarin and V.V.Vereshagin, visited Azerbaijan in XIX century. The strong traditions of Azerbaijani monumental painting were continued on the walls of the Sardar palace in Yerevan (the palace was destroyed in XX century, 4 large portraits, painted by Mirza Gadijm Iravani on the walls of the palace, was destructed) and some houses in Shusha. Discovery of easel painting is related to Mirza Gadim Iravani's name. He created perfect artistic portraits as "Dancer", "Darvish", "Wrestler", "Rider".
Mir Mohsun Navvab, well-known as a talented poet, musical theorist and calligrapher in Azerbaijan culture history, was also engaged in painting and mosaic decoration. Motives of nature, pictures of flowers, birds occupy an important place in his works. Landscapes, pictures of flowers and decorative applied art patterns by poetess Khurshudbanu Natavan draw attention as well.
Realist tendency strengthens in Azerbaijan fine art, new artistic kinds and genres appeared in connection with the annexation of North Azerbaijan to Russia in the early XIX century. Magazines like "Molla Nasreddin", as well as satiric graphics and illustration genres appeared. Painters of the magazine "Molla Nasreddin" O.Shmerling, I.Rotter, A.Azimzade and Kh.Musayev was engaged in graphic art, conforming to public-political problems of that time. A. Azimzade, the founder of Azerbaijan satiric graphic, made sharp caricatures, cartoons, exposing public inequality, ignorance, fanaticism, tsar oppression. Famous pictures series "Hundred types", watercolours, devoted to woman freedom, atheism and political motives, differs with actuality and national colour. Illustrations, drawn by A.Azimzade to "Hopopnama" by M.A.Sabir in1914, are one of his most successful works.
"Ilanli mountain under moonlight", "When the Sunsets", "Spring" landscapes, "Refugees" series, including portraits of homeless people, compositions like "Matchmaking", "Wedding", as well as artistic design and cloth sketch to plays "Deads" (J.Mammadguluzade), "Hadji Gara" (M.F.Akhundzade), "Pari-jadu" (A.Hagverdiyev), staged in Nakhichevan theatre in 1910s, by B.Kangarli, one of the founders of Azerbaijan realist easel painting, are valuable examples of Azerbaijan painting.
State museum "Istiglal" (Independence- 1919), national symbols- state emblem and flag were established, as well as measures on protection and restoration of historical monuments were taken in this period. Alibay Huseynzade, famous publisher of magazine "Fyuzat", philosopher, journalist and painters created such works as "Bibiheybat" mosque, "Sheykhulislam's portrait"
The 70-year Soviet government established in Azerbaijan in 1920. Culture formation and development of new styled fine art began in the country. The first school of arts was opened in Baku (1920), new kinds and genres of fine art appeared.
G.Khaligov, I.Akhundov, A.Hadjiyev, M.A.Vlasov, K.Kazimzade, A.Mammadov and other painters worked in graphic along with A.Azimzade in the 1930s. They painted books by Azerbaijan and foreign writes, made political posters on different actual subjects. Modern easel painting was related with the activity of young painters, graduated Azerbaijan State School of Arts in the 1920s. The first creation exhibition of Azerbaijan Young Painters Society (1928), the exhibition, organized by Azerbaijan Revolutionary Fine Art Union in the 1930s had success. Works by S.Salamzade, G.Khal?gov, A.Rzaquliyev and other painters, devoted to up-to-date subjects occupied an important place in the first exhibition, organized in Baku and Moscow. Azerbaijan painters' organizational committee was established in 1932. Some achievements were gained in painting. "Vintage" by S.Sharifzade, "A.Azimzade's portrait" by H.Hagverdiyev, "Nizami Gandjavi's portrait" by G.Khal?gov, housing and historical tableaus by M.Abdullayev, B.Mirzazade, B.Aliyev, S.Bahlulzade and K.Khanlarov draw attention with colour richness, colour harmony.
Some monuments were built, national sculptors developed in connection with the appearance of Azerbijan modern profession sculpture. Statues of M.A.Sabir, M.F.Akhundzade and others, decorative monuments, portraits and busts were created by sculptors I.Guliyev, S.D.Erzya, Y.R.Tripolskaya, P.V.Sabsay and others in 1920-1930s. F. Abdurrahmaniov, one of the founders of soviet sculpture, created busts and portraits of Azerbaijan literature and culture workers (A.Hagverdiyev, M.F.Akhundzade, U.Hadjibayov, A.Zeynalli and others ), his first monumental work "Fuzuli" statue (1939, Azerbaijan Literature Museum named after Nizami) in the 1930s. Decorative statues and portraits, a statue of M.P.Vagif (1939-40, Azerbaijan Literature Museum named after Nizami) by sculptor J.Garyaghdi are valuable examples of Azerbaijan sculpture of XX century.
The first Azerbaijan painters' congress was held in 1940.
Political posters and satiric graphic occupied the main place in Azerbaijan painters' creation of the Second World War. A. Azimzade, G.Xaligov, I.Akhundov, A.Hadjiyev, S.Sharifzade and others took an important part in the creation of political caricatures.