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Realist Art

REALIST STYLE

Realist art attempts to portray its subject matter without artifice. Similar to naturalism, authentic realist paintings and prints see an integration of true-to-life colors, meticulous detail and linear perspectives for accurate portrayals of the world. 

Work that involves illusionistic techniques of realism dates back to the classical world, such as the deceptive trompe l’oeil used since ancient Greece. Art like this became especially popular in the 17th century when Dutch artists like Evert Collier painted objects that appeared real enough to touch. Realism as an artistic movement, however, usually refers to 19th-century French realist artists such as Honoré Daumier exploring social and political issues in biting lithographic prints, while the likes of Gustave Courbet and Jean-François Millet painting people — particularly the working class — with all their imperfections, navigating everyday urban life. This was a response to the dominant academic art tradition that favored grand paintings of myth and history. 

By the turn of the 20th century, European artists, such as the Pre-Raphaelites, were experimenting with nearly photographic realism in their work, as seen in the attention to every botanical attribute of the flowers surrounding the drowned Ophelia painted by English artist John Everett Millais.

Although abstraction was the guiding style of 20th-century art, the realism trend in American modern art endured in Edward Hopper, Andrew Wyeth and other artists’ depictions of the complexities of the human experience. In the late 1960s, Photorealism emerged with artists like Chuck Close and Richard Estes giving their paintings the precision of a frame of film.

Contemporary artists such as Jordan Casteel, LaToya Ruby Frazier and Aliza Nisenbaum are now using the unvarnished realist approach for honest representations of people and their worlds. Alongside traditional mediums, technology such as virtual reality, artificial intelligence and immersive installations are helping artists create new sensations of realism in art.

​​Find authentic realist paintings, sculptures, prints and more art on 1stDibs.

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Style: Realist
Eminent Domain, Original Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA

Artist Comments
An original landscape watercolor, painted in the realist tradition, portrays a small national park near Florida. The tide frequently overtakes the benches in th...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Art

Materials

Watercolor

Rhinoceros, Wild animal, watercolor on Paper, Handmade Painting, One of a Kind
Located in Granada Hills, CA
311 Artist: Artyom Abrahamyan, Work: Original Painting, Handmade artwork, One of a Kind Medium: Watercolor on Paper Year: 2024 Style: Classic Art Title: Rhinoceros Size: 12 x 16 inc...
Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Paper, Watercolor

Pink Bird, Watercolor on Paper, Handmade Painting, One of a Kind
Located in Granada Hills, CA
310 Artist: Artyom Abrahamyan, Work: Original Painting, Handmade artwork, One of a Kind Medium: Watercolor on Paper Year: 2024 Style: Classic Art Title: Pink Bird Size: 12 x 16 inch...
Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Paper, Watercolor

Fresh Light, an oil on aluminum with a vivid landscape
Located in Edgartown, MA
Art and design in varied forms have always been a driving interest in my life. Living in Madison, Connecticut, I began my career as a muralist and trompe l’oeil painter doing signif...
Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Oil

Japanese cup with limes, still life painting by Tim Snowdon
Located in BUNGENDORE, AU
Original artwork on linen by established Australian painter Tim Snowdon. Japanese cup with limes is one of three original paintings featuring the same Japa...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Art

Materials

Oil, Linen

Slim Aarons 'Westin Excelsior, Venice'
Located in New York, NY
Westin Excelsior in Venice 1957 C print Estate stamped and hand numbered edition of 150 with certificate of authenticity from the estate. Slim Aarons, an acclaimed fine art photo...
Category

1950s Realist Art

Materials

Silver Gelatin

Sheep in Landscape (C. 558)
Located in New York, NY
Sheep in Landscape (C. 558), 1974 Lithograph in colors, on wove paper 18 1/8 x 20 1/4 in. (46 x 51.4 cm) Edition of 50 Signed and numbered in pencil, lower margin
Category

1970s Realist Art

Materials

Paper, Lithograph

Bison, Watercolor on Paper, Handmade Painting, One of a Kind
Located in Granada Hills, CA
314 Artist: Artyom Abrahamyan, Work: Original Painting, Handmade artwork, One of a Kind Medium: Watercolor on Paper Year: 2024 Style: Classic Art Title: Bison Size: 12 x 16 inch, (...
Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Paper, Watercolor

Contemporary portrait "New Look for an Old Jacket"
Located in Zofingen, AG
Sometimes you dig into the closet, find a long-forgotten item, and start trying it on in different ways. You try it on, and it seems pretty cool, but then you think: Where am I going...
Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Cotton Canvas, Acrylic

Impressionistic Moonlight Seascape Oil Painting Michael Budden Beach
Located in Chesterfield, NJ
Moonrise oil/canvas 12 x 16 image size 18.5 x 22.5 framed. An oil painting on canvas by award winning contemporary artist Michael Budden that showcases a romantic moonlit seascape cr...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Art

Materials

Oil

Ballerina at the Barre (Poster with photography by Harvey Edwards)
Located in Clinton Township, MI
Ballerinas and those that own dance schools would appreciate this beautiful poster with a photograph by Harvey Edwards of a ballerina at the barre. It has been tastefully framed wit...
Category

Late 20th Century Realist Art

Materials

Paper

Slim Aarons 'Westin Excelsior, Venice'
Located in New York, NY
Portofino 1957 C print Signature stamped and hand numbered edition of 150 with certificate of authenticity from the Slim Aarons estate. The Westin Excelsior Hotel on the Lido in ...
Category

1950s Realist Art

Materials

Silver Gelatin

Impressionistic Moonlight Seascape Oil Painting Michael Budden Beach Jetty
Located in Chesterfield, NJ
Moonlight Serenade oil/canvas 20 x 30 image size 26 x 36 framed. An oil painting on canvas by award winning contemporary artist Michael Budden that showcases a romantic moonlit seasc...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Art

Materials

Oil

Ponte Sant’Angelo -Christo, Contemporary, 21st Century, Collage, Limited Edition
Located in Zug, CH
Ponte Sant’Angelo, Wrapped, Project for Rome - Christo, Contemporary, 21st Century, Collage, Limited Edition Collage on lithograph with acrylic frame Edition of 160 Arab and 90 Roman...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Art

Materials

Mixed Media, Lithograph

Inuksuks on Anchor Bay
Located in Clinton Township, MI
Anchor Bay in Chesterfield, Michigan is the location for this metallic print of a photographic image by Deborah Benedic. Deborah created these stone in...
Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Mixed Media

Hyenas, Wild animal, Watercolor on Paper, Handmade Painting, One of a Kind
Located in Granada Hills, CA
308 Artist: Artyom Abrahamyan, Work: Original Painting, Handmade artwork, One of a Kind Medium: Watercolor on Paper Year: 2024 Style: Classic Art Title: Hyenas Size: 12 x 16 inch, ...
Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Paper, Watercolor

Siberian Joy, Bird, Watercolor on Paper, Handmade Painting, One of a Kind
Located in Granada Hills, CA
305 Artist: Artyom Abrahamyan, Work: Original Painting, Handmade artwork, One of a Kind Medium: Watercolor on Paper Year: 2024 Style: Classic Art Title: Siberian Joy Size: 12 x 16 i...
Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Paper, Watercolor

Sapphire Evening, an eerie and mysterious view of a marsh with heavy clouds
Located in Edgartown, MA
Art and design in varied forms have always been a driving interest in my life. Living in Madison, Connecticut, I began my career as a muralist and trompe l’oeil painter doing signif...
Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Oil

Antique American School 19th Century Horse Landscape Portrait Framed Painting
Located in Buffalo, NY
19th century horse portrait in a fall landscape. Oil on board. Nicely framed.
Category

1870s Realist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Dripper, Bird, Watercolor on Paper, Handmade Painting, One of a Kind
Located in Granada Hills, CA
306 Artist: Artyom Abrahamyan, Work: Original Painting, Handmade artwork, One of a Kind Medium: Watercolor on Paper Year: 2024 Style: Classic Art Title: Dripper Size: 12 x 16 inch, ...
Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Paper, Watercolor

Truth-Soul
Located in Oslo, NO
This poetic work of art was painted on canvas with watercolors and impregnated with a special composition - “liquid watercolor paper”. I wrote a poem (in Russian) that encodes the m...
Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Watercolor

Sparrow-hawk, Bird, Watercolor on Paper, Handmade Painting, One of a Kind
Located in Granada Hills, CA
307 Artist: Artyom Abrahamyan, Work: Original Painting, Handmade artwork, One of a Kind Medium: Watercolor on Paper Year: 2024 Style: Classic Art Title: Sparrow-hawk Size: 12 x 16 i...
Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Paper, Watercolor

Mode Vie. Fashion Watercolor Painting Illustration Drawing on Paper
Located in Norwalk, CT
Limited Edition Geclee Print of 50 Edition, on Watercolor Paper , hand-embellished by watercolor. The size of geclee print is 11"X14" . Size with the white matt is 20″X16″. Frame i...
Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Watercolor

On Clouds, a vivid oil on aluminum painting with clouds overlooking water
Located in Edgartown, MA
Art and design in varied forms have always been a driving interest in my life. Living in Madison, Connecticut, I began my career as a muralist and trompe l’oeil painter doing signifi...
Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Oil

Hyena, Wild Animal, Watercolor on Paper, Handmade Painting, One of a Kind
Located in Granada Hills, CA
304 Artist: Artyom Abrahamyan, Work: Original Painting, Handmade artwork, One of a Kind Medium: Watercolor on Paper Year: 2024 Style: Classic Art Title: Hyena Size: 12 x 16 inch, (...
Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Paper, Watercolor

Chinese Contemporary Art by Su Yu - $1
Located in Paris, IDF
Oil on canvas Su Yu is a Chinese artist born in 1987 who lives & works in Beijing in China. He was an old student of prestigious art teachers as Shi Liang & Chen Danqing at Oil Pain...
Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Looking towards Dinham and Ludlow Castle, large watercolour C19 landscape
Located in ludlow, GB
Looking towards Dinham and Ludlow Castle, Shropshire - a Landscape view Watercolour on Paper, mounted on board and housed within its original gilt frame, glazed. A beautiful and u...
Category

Late 19th Century Realist Art

Materials

Watercolor

Black Hamlet (Momento Mori) Cityscape
Located in Wilton Manors, FL
Beautiful painting depicts a young black man holding skull and flip phone. Gouache on illustration board, image measuring 8 x 10 inches; 16 x 20 inches framed. Signed lower left.
Category

Early 2000s Realist Art

Materials

Gouache, Illustration Board

Resolute, an oil on aluminum painting depicting a strong wave in greens
Located in Edgartown, MA
Art and design in varied forms have always been a driving interest in my life. Living in Madison, Connecticut, I began my career as a muralist and trompe l’oeil painter doing signifi...
Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Oil

Tufted Titmouse, Bird, Watercolor on Paper, Handmade Painting, One of a Kind
Located in Granada Hills, CA
298 Artist: Artyom Abrahamyan, Work: Original Painting, Handmade artwork, One of a Kind Medium: Watercolor on Paper Year: 2024 Style: Classic Art Title: Tufted Titmouse Size: 12 x 1...
Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Paper, Watercolor

Chinese Contemporary Art by Su Yu - 5 Beautification
Located in Paris, IDF
Oil on canvas Su Yu is a Chinese artist born in 1987 who lives & works in Beijing in China. He was an old student of prestigious art teachers as Shi Liang & Chen Danqing at Oil Pain...
Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

"Right" Oil Painting
Located in Denver, CO
Mia Bergeron's (US based) "Right" is an original, handmade oil painting that depicts a close up realistic human nipple. Mia Bergeron's interest in art was cultivated early on, begi...
Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Oil

Sailboats and Sailing Ship in Seascape early 20th Century Oil Painting Framed
Located in Stockholm, SE
This artwork showcases the beauty of sailing boats and ships sailing gracefully on the sea waters. The artist's attention to detail is evident in the intricate depiction of the ships...
Category

Early 20th Century Realist Art

Materials

Wood, Oil, Cardboard

Strong Seas
Located in Wiscasett, ME
Signed lower left. (Born in Yorkshire, England in 1927; died in 2008). Dinsdale painted the sea and great ships of the era when “Britannia ruled the waves” with her fleets of clipper and fighting ships...
Category

1980s Realist Art

Materials

Oil

Spring Collection: Pocket Daffodil [2024], Baroque Still Life, flower
Located in Deddington, GB
Spring Collection: Pocket Daffodil is an original oil painting by Dani Humberstone as part of her Pocket Painting series featuring small scale realistic oil paintings, with a nod to ...
Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Fiesole Path
Located in Sag Harbor, NY
Painted en plein air in Fiesole, Italy, just outside of the bustling city of Florence. Artist Bio Angel Ramiro Sanchez was born in 1974 in Maracaibo, Venezuela. At age six was accepted with full scholarship into the Instituto the Niños Cantores del Zulia, school for musically gifted children. At age fourteen he began five years of apprenticeship with the realist painter, Abdon J. Romero, an eminent specialist in murals for churches and public buildings. In 1993, a study grant from Mgr. Gustavo Ocando Yamarte, Founder the Niños Cantores, enabled him to travel to Florence, Italy, where he studied at the renowned Accademia di Belle Arti, graduating Magna Cum Laude in 1997. At the same time, he was enrolled at The Florence Academy of Art,founded by painter Daniel Graves, where he received a diploma in Painting. Ramiro was appointed senior painting instructor at The Florence Academy of Art in 1997, and is currently Director of the Advanced Painting Program. Ramiro paints only from life, searching for accuracy beyond physical appearance to reach the psychological state of his subject. He believes the painter must draw his information from "all five senses" to tell the complete human story. Ramiros work is predominantly represented by th e Grenning Gallery in Sag Harbor, New York, but also Scriba Gallery, venice, Italy, Jack Meier Gallery, Houston, Tx. Ramiros works can be found in numerous private collections in Europe, The United States and South America. Public collections include: The Fondazione Stelline, Milan, Italy. The Fremantle Foundation for Foreing Artist in Tuscany at Villa Peyron, Florence, Italy and The Muscarelle Museum of Art at the College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, VA. USA. He shares his life and passion for art with his wife, the artist Melissa Franklin-Sanchez. Education 1993-1997 Florence Academy of Art, directed by Daniel Graves, Florence, Italy. 1993-1997 Accademia di Belle Arti di Firenze Graduated Magna Cum Laude, Thesis: Historic and Technical Notes of Academic Realism Today. 1995 Florence, Italy: Michael John Angel...
Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Oil, Panel

Beautiful Oil On Canvas, Female Nude By V Tsvetkov Sold without frame
Located in Gavere, BE
"Realistic Oil On Canvas, Female Nude By V Tsvetkov " Original contemporary painting by Bulgarian artist V Tsvetkov, depicting a beautiful female nude Signed lower left V Tsvenkov E...
Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Oil, Canvas

HUMMINGBIRD, Painting, Acrylic on Canvas
Located in Yardley, PA
Welcome to my Gallery and thanks for your visit! This one of a kind painting is an original piece of artwork, created by hand in my studio in Greece. ----------------- Hummingbi...
Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Acrylic

Pocket Pink Rose with Leaf, Original Painting, Pink, Flower, Black, Single rose
Located in Deddington, GB
Pocket Pink Rose with Leaf is an original oil painting by Dani Humberstone as part of her Pocket Painting series featuring small scale realistic oil paintings, with a nod to baroque ...
Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Creekside Poppies
Located in Pasadena, CA
Acquired by the gallery directly from the artist UNFRAMED: 30" x 40" FRAMED: 37" x 47" x 2.25" Artist Statement "California poppies are our springtime treasures in the coastal ran...
Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Linen, Oil, Panel

California Light, San Juan Creek
Located in Pasadena, CA
Acquired by the gallery directly from the artist UNFRAMED: 30" x 40" FRAMED: 36.5" x 46.5" x .5" Artist Statement "The watershed for Mission San Juan Capistrano remains mainly und...
Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Linen, Oil, Panel

Ventura River Channel; Santa Ana Road, Ojai Valley
Located in Pasadena, CA
Acquired by the gallery directly from the artist UNFRAMED: 24" x 30" FRAMED: 30.75" x 36.625" x 1.5" Artist Statement "The dramatic Scenery surrounding Ojai and the coastal range ...
Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Linen, Oil, Panel

NO WAR, Painting, Acrylic on Canvas
Located in Yardley, PA
A terrible war is raging in Ukraine, our thoughts and our hearts are with the Ukrainians. In these difficult times, we are all praying for peace, seeking it, fighting for it. I rea...
Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Acrylic

Blue-tail, Bird, Watercolor on Paper, Handmade Painting, One of a Kind
Located in Granada Hills, CA
294 Artist: Artyom Abrahamyan, Work: Original Painting, Handmade artwork, One of a Kind Medium: Watercolor on Paper Year: 2024 Style: Classic Art Title: Blue Tail Size: 12 x 16 inch...
Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Paper, Watercolor

HMS Glasgow returning from Falklands - Shipping Scene Warship & other Vessels
Located in Preston, GB
HMS Glasgow returning from the Falkland Islands - Shipping Scene Warship & other Vessels by British Artist Norman Elford GRA (1931 - 2007) Art measures 29 x 20 inches Frame measur...
Category

1980s Realist Art

Materials

Oil, Board

Dieppe, France Saint-Jacques' Church painting by Richard Beer
Located in London, GB
To see our other Modern British Art, scroll down to "More from this Seller" and below it click on "See all from this Seller" - or send us a message if you cannot find the artist you ...
Category

20th Century Realist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Audrey Hepburn Watercolor Fashion Painting Illustration Drawing on Paper
Located in Norwalk, CT
Limited Edition Geclee Print of 50 Edition, on Watercolor Paper , hand-embellished by watercolor. The size of geclee print is 11"X14" . Size with the white matt is 20″X16″. Frame i...
Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Watercolor

Poppies; Tejon Ranch, California
Located in Pasadena, CA
Acquired by the gallery directly from the artist UNFRAMED: 18" x 24" FRAMED: 24.5" x 30.5" x 1" Artist Statement "This scene was inspired by a trip to Tejon Ranch nearly 10 years...
Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Linen, Oil, Panel

Holy Family with St Elizabeth and Young John Baptist 19th century Oil Painting
Located in Stockholm, SE
This tender depiction of the Holy Family represents a subject which was central to Raphael's oeuvre. The painting is based on the famous panel by Giulio Romano, called Madonna della ...
Category

Late 19th Century Realist Art

Materials

Canvas, Wood, Oil

Wolf, Animal Watercolor on Paper, Handmade Painting, One of a Kind
Located in Granada Hills, CA
302 Artist: Artyom Abrahamyan, Work: Original Painting, Handmade artwork, One of a Kind Medium: Watercolor on Paper Year: 2024 Style: Classic Art Title: Wolf Size: 12 x 16 inch, (3...
Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Paper, Watercolor

Kori Bustard, Bird, Watercolor on Paper, Handmade Painting, One of a Kind
Located in Granada Hills, CA
299 Artist: Artyom Abrahamyan, Work: Original Painting, Handmade artwork, One of a Kind Medium: Watercolor on Paper Year: 2024 Style: Classic Art Title: Kori Bustard Size: 12 x 16 i...
Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Paper, Watercolor

Historical Wells Fargo Stage Coach Western Shotgun Still Life Framed Painting
Located in Buffalo, NY
Nicely painted early 20th century historical still life. Oil on canvas. Nicely framed. Signed.
Category

1930s Realist Art

Materials

Oil, Canvas

Pichets, Tasse et Cerises
Located in San Francisco, CA
This artwork "Pichets, Tasse et Cerises" c.1970, is an original colors lithograph by French artist Frederic Vidalens, 1925-2004. It is hand signed and numbered 83/175 in pencil by th...
Category

Late 20th Century Realist Art

Materials

Lithograph

Great Tit, Bird, Watercolor on Paper, Handmade Painting, One of a Kind
Located in Granada Hills, CA
303 Artist: Artyom Abrahamyan, Work: Original Painting, Handmade artwork, One of a Kind Medium: Watercolor on Paper Year: 2024 Style: Classic Art Title: Great Tit Size: 12 x 16 inch...
Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Paper, Watercolor

Blue-tail, Bird, Watercolor on Paper, Handmade Painting, One of a Kind
Located in Granada Hills, CA
301 Artist: Artyom Abrahamyan, Work: Original Painting, Handmade artwork, One of a Kind Medium: Watercolor on Paper Year: 2024 Style: Classic Art Title: Blue-tail Size: 12 x 16 inch...
Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Paper, Watercolor

Blue-tail, Bird, Watercolor on Paper, Handmade Painting, One of a Kind
Located in Granada Hills, CA
300 Artist: Artyom Abrahamyan, Work: Original Painting, Handmade artwork, One of a Kind Medium: Watercolor on Paper Year: 2024 Style: Classic Art Title: Blue-tail Size: 12 x 16 inch...
Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Paper, Watercolor

Daurian Redstart, Bird, Watercolor on Paper, Handmade Painting, One of a Kind
Located in Granada Hills, CA
297 Artist: Artyom Abrahamyan, Work: Original Painting, Handmade artwork, One of a Kind Medium: Watercolor on Paper Year: 2024 Style: Classic Art Title: Daurian redstart Size: 12 x ...
Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Paper, Watercolor

River in May, 2022., oil on canvas, 60x80 cm
Located in Riga, LV
"I like to observe nature, animals, birds, landscapes. I depict my observations in paintings. Painting helps me to see, feel and understand the world, to be part of the world." -Jānis Ziņgītis...
Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Realist art for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a wide variety of authentic Realist art available for sale on 1stDibs. Works in this style were very popular during the 21st Century and Contemporary, but contemporary artists have continued to produce works inspired by this movement. If you’re looking to add art created in this style to introduce contrast in an otherwise neutral space in your home, the works available on 1stDibs include elements of blue, purple, orange, red and other colors. Many Pop art paintings were created by popular artists on 1stDibs, including Slim Aarons, Michael Budden, Daniel Pollera, and Su Yu. Frequently made by artists working with Paint, and Oil Paint and other materials, all of these pieces for sale are unique and have attracted attention over the years. Not every interior allows for large Realist art, so small editions measuring 0.1 inches across are also available.

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