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Realist Animal Drawings and Watercolors

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
British Chalk Pencil Sketch of a Cow With Horns Resting on The Grass
British Chalk Pencil Sketch of a Cow With Horns Resting on The Grass

John Rabone HarveyBritish Chalk Pencil Sketch of a Cow With Horns Resting on The Grass, 1966

British Chalk Pencil Sketch of a Cow With Horns Resting on The Grass

By John Rabone Harvey

Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire

John Rabone Harvey ( 1966 - 1922) graphic and chalk deep green artist paper , unframed artist paper : 5.5 x 7 inches Provenance: private collection Condition: very good condition Ha...

Category

Mid-19th Century Realist Animal Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Chalk, Graphite

British Chalk Pencil Sketch of A Bull Lying Down
British Chalk Pencil Sketch of A Bull Lying Down

John Rabone HarveyBritish Chalk Pencil Sketch of A Bull Lying Down, 1966

British Chalk Pencil Sketch of A Bull Lying Down

By John Rabone Harvey

Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire

John Rabone Harvey ( 1966 - 1922) graphic and chalk deep green artist paper , unframed artist paper : 5.5 x 7 inches Provenance: private collection Condition: very good condition Ha...

Category

Mid-19th Century Realist Animal Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Chalk, Graphite

British Chalk Pencil Sketch of a Cow with Horns In The Water Loche
British Chalk Pencil Sketch of a Cow with Horns In The Water Loche

John Rabone HarveyBritish Chalk Pencil Sketch of a Cow with Horns In The Water Loche, 1966

British Chalk Pencil Sketch of a Cow with Horns In The Water Loche

By John Rabone Harvey

Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire

John Rabone Harvey ( 1966 - 1922) graphic and chalk deep green artist paper , unframed artist paper : 5.5 x 7 inches Provenance: private collection Condition: very good condition Ha...

Category

Mid-19th Century Realist Animal Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Graphite, Chalk

British Chalk Pencil Sketches of Different Posed Cows
British Chalk Pencil Sketches of Different Posed Cows

John Rabone HarveyBritish Chalk Pencil Sketches of Different Posed Cows, 1966

British Chalk Pencil Sketches of Different Posed Cows

By John Rabone Harvey

Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire

John Rabone Harvey ( 1966 - 1922) graphic and chalk deep green artist paper , unframed artist paper : 5.5 x 7 inches Provenance: private collection Condition: very good condition Ha...

Category

Mid-19th Century Realist Animal Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Chalk, Graphite

British Chalk Pencil Sketch of a Portrait of a Detailed Cow's Face
British Chalk Pencil Sketch of a Portrait of a Detailed Cow's Face

John Rabone HarveyBritish Chalk Pencil Sketch of a Portrait of a Detailed Cow's Face, 1966

British Chalk Pencil Sketch of a Portrait of a Detailed Cow's Face

By John Rabone Harvey

Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire

John Rabone Harvey ( 1966 - 1922) graphic and chalk deep green artist paper , unframed artist paper : 5.5 x 7 inches Provenance: private collection Condition: very good condition Ha...

Category

Mid-19th Century Realist Animal Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Chalk, Graphite

British Chalk Pencil Sketches Of A Flock Of Sheep Standing and Lying Down
British Chalk Pencil Sketches Of A Flock Of Sheep Standing and Lying Down

John Rabone HarveyBritish Chalk Pencil Sketches Of A Flock Of Sheep Standing and Lying Down, 1966

British Chalk Pencil Sketches Of A Flock Of Sheep Standing and Lying Down

By John Rabone Harvey

Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire

John Rabone Harvey ( 1966 - 1922) graphic and chalk deep green artist paper , unframed artist paper : 5.5 x 7 inches Provenance: private collection Condition: very good condition Ha...

Category

Mid-19th Century Realist Animal Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Chalk, Graphite

British Chalk Pencil Sketch of a Cow Side Profile and Face Sketch
British Chalk Pencil Sketch of a Cow Side Profile and Face Sketch

John Rabone HarveyBritish Chalk Pencil Sketch of a Cow Side Profile and Face Sketch, 1966

British Chalk Pencil Sketch of a Cow Side Profile and Face Sketch

By John Rabone Harvey

Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire

John Rabone Harvey ( 1966 - 1922) graphic and chalk deep green artist paper , unframed artist paper : 5.5 x 7 inches Provenance: private collection Condition: very good condition Ha...

Category

Mid-19th Century Realist Animal Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Chalk, Graphite

British Chalk Pencil Sketches of Two Sheep Standing and Lying on the Grass
British Chalk Pencil Sketches of Two Sheep Standing and Lying on the Grass

John Rabone HarveyBritish Chalk Pencil Sketches of Two Sheep Standing and Lying on the Grass, 1966

British Chalk Pencil Sketches of Two Sheep Standing and Lying on the Grass

By John Rabone Harvey

Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire

John Rabone Harvey ( 1966 - 1922) graphic and chalk deep green artist paper , unframed artist paper : 5.5 x 7 inches Provenance: private collection Condition: very good condition Ha...

Category

Mid-19th Century Realist Animal Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Chalk, Graphite

Antique English Watercolor - Countryside Landscape with Cows
Antique English Watercolor - Countryside Landscape with Cows

J.M. MyallAntique English Watercolor - Countryside Landscape with Cows, 1910

Antique English Watercolor - Countryside Landscape with Cows

Located in Soquel, CA

Antique English Watercolor - Countryside Landscape with Cows Miniature landscape with two cows in the foreground, signed "J.M. Myall 1910." One cow sits on the ground of a rolling h...

Category

1910s Realist Animal Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Paper, Watercolor

British Chalk Pencil Sketches of a Different Cows in Profiles In Field
British Chalk Pencil Sketches of a Different Cows in Profiles In Field

John Rabone HarveyBritish Chalk Pencil Sketches of a Different Cows in Profiles In Field, 1966

British Chalk Pencil Sketches of a Different Cows in Profiles In Field

By John Rabone Harvey

Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire

John Rabone Harvey ( 1966 - 1922) graphic and chalk deep green artist paper , unframed artist paper : 5.5 x 7 inches Provenance: private collection Condition: very good condition Ha...

Category

Mid-19th Century Realist Animal Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Chalk, Graphite

British Chalk Pencil Sketch of a Cow With Horns Munching on the Grass
British Chalk Pencil Sketch of a Cow With Horns Munching on the Grass

John Rabone HarveyBritish Chalk Pencil Sketch of a Cow With Horns Munching on the Grass, 1966

British Chalk Pencil Sketch of a Cow With Horns Munching on the Grass

By John Rabone Harvey

Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire

John Rabone Harvey ( 1966 - 1922) graphic and chalk deep green artist paper , unframed artist paper : 5.5 x 7 inches Provenance: private collection Condition: very good condition Ha...

Category

Mid-19th Century Realist Animal Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Chalk, Graphite

'Siamese Cats', Feline Portrait, Embroidery artist, Shorebird Studio, Watercolor
'Siamese Cats', Feline Portrait, Embroidery artist, Shorebird Studio, Watercolor

Kathryn Molineux Wilson'Siamese Cats', Feline Portrait, Embroidery artist, Shorebird Studio, Watercolor

'Siamese Cats', Feline Portrait, Embroidery artist, Shorebird Studio, Watercolor

Located in Santa Cruz, CA

'Siamese Cats', Feline Portrait, Embroidery artist, Shorebird Studio, Watercolor Signed lower right, 'Kathryn Molineux' (American, 20th century) and painted circa 1995. Additionally...

Category

1990s Realist Animal Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Watercolor, Gouache, Archival Paper

British Chalk Pencil Sketches of Four Sheep In Different Positions
British Chalk Pencil Sketches of Four Sheep In Different Positions

John Rabone HarveyBritish Chalk Pencil Sketches of Four Sheep In Different Positions, 1966

British Chalk Pencil Sketches of Four Sheep In Different Positions

By John Rabone Harvey

Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire

John Rabone Harvey ( 1966 - 1922) graphic and chalk deep green artist paper , unframed artist paper : 5.5 x 7 inches Provenance: private collection Condition: very good condition Ha...

Category

Mid-19th Century Realist Animal Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Chalk, Graphite

Chickadee, Bird, Watercolor Handmade Painting

Artyom AbrahamyanChickadee, Bird, Watercolor Handmade Painting, 2023

Chickadee, Bird, Watercolor Handmade Painting

By Artyom Abrahamyan

Located in Granada Hills, CA

55 Artist: Artyom Abrahamyan, Work: Original Painting, Handmade artwork, One of a Kind Medium: Watercolor on Paper, Year: 2023 Style: Classic Art, Subject: Chickadee, Size: 12 x ...

Category

2010s Realist Animal Drawings and Watercolors

Materials

Paper, Watercolor

Realist animal drawings and watercolors for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a wide variety of authentic Realist animal drawings and watercolors 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 animal drawings and watercolors created in this style to introduce contrast in an otherwise neutral space in your home, the works available on 1stDibs include elements of orange and other colors. Many Pop art paintings were created by popular artists on 1stDibs, including Dina Brodsky, Clifford Ellis, Edward Bawden, and Margaret Sweet Johnson. Frequently made by artists working with Paint, and Watercolor 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 animal drawings and watercolors, so small editions measuring 3 inches across are also available. Prices for animal drawings and watercolors made by famous or emerging artists can differ depending on medium, time period and other attributes. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $61 and tops out at $100,123, while the average work sells for $99.

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