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.
Night Tempera Watercolor on Paper, Realist Nude, 21st Century, Signed
Located in London, London
erotic portrait nu naked woman after the bath Original tempera watercolor on paper 51x41cm hand signed
Paper, Tempera, Watercolor
Flamenco Dancers Antonio, Antonio Ruiz Soler and Rosario, Florence Perez Padilla
Located in San Francisco, CA
This artwork titled "Les Danseurs Espagnols Rosario and Antonio" referring to the famous Flamenco dancers, Antonio Ruiz Soler and Florence Perez Padilla ...
Watercolor
'A Sunday Morning in September' drawing by Frans van Leemputten
Located in London, GB
Frans Van Leemputten (1850-1914) 'A Sunday Morning in September' Pencil and chalk on paper 78 x 64 cm, 98 x 84 cm framed Signed lower right Frans Van Leemputten sought to capture...
Paper, Pencil
"Flamenco Avec Rosario" (Florence Perez Padilla)
Located in San Francisco, CA
This artwork titled "Flamenco Avec Rosario" referring to the famous Flamenco dancers, Antonio Ruiz Soler and Florence Perez Padilla A.K.A Rosario, c.1945...
Watercolor
Half-length portrait of a Pharisee - In the shadow of betrayal -
Located in Berlin, DE
Hermann Prell (1854 Leipzig - 1922 Dresden-Loschwitz). Half-length portrait of a Pharisee, 1885. Sketch for the right-hand figure in the painting Judas Iscariot, 1886. Pencil drawing heightened with opaque white and black chalk on beige-grey wove paper (papier vélin), 34 x 27.8 cm (visible size), 52 x 45 cm (mount), signed, dated and inscribed "H. PRELL 1885 zu 'Judas'". Minor browning, collection stamp on the reverse. - In the shadow of betrayal - About the artwork This painting is the sketch for the head of the Pharisee offering the coins to Judas in one of Herrmann Prell's major works, the painting Betrayal of Judas, completed in 1886. The painting belongs to the Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden and is illustrated in Adolf Rosenberg: Prell, Bielefeld and Leipzig 1901, p. 21 (Fig. 19). It is especially highlighted in Thieme-Becker (vol. 27, p. 376). Hermann Prell, Betrayal of Judas, 1886 The monumental head, which fills the picture and is distinguished by its ornamented robe, is almost a lost profile, which in the executed painting is justified by the Pharisee's turning towards Judas. Despite the fact that the sitter withdraws from the viewer by turning away, it was necessary to artistically elaborate the motivation for the purchase of one of Christ's disciples, which is why the drawing focuses on the expression of the face, while the 'accessories' are treated in a more summary manner. In characterising the face, Hermann Prell performs a balancing act: since the Pharisee, despite his destructive actions, is an actor in the history of salvation, the head must show a dignity appropriate to the event, but at the same time the physiognomy must also bear witness to the scheming attitude that led to the betrayal. To solve this dilemma, Prell draws on the traditional depictions of the heads of the apostles, shading the face to indicate the obdurate darkness of the spirit and moving the base of the nose slightly upwards while the mouth falls away, thus giving a physiognomic expression to the motivation of the action. The fatal drama of the betrayal is expressed in the monumentalisation of the head and in the thunderous white highlights that contrast with the darkness of the chalk. As a study, considered by the artist to be a work in itself, this drawing reveals the pictorial problems and brainstorming of monumental painting. About the artist In 1872 Prell, who was one of the most important exponents of monumental painting of his time, began studying painting with Theodor Grosse at the Dresden Academy of Art and continued with Carl Gussow at the Berlin Academy in 1876. Hans von Marées taught him in Rome in 1878. More influential on his work, however, were Arnold Böcklin and Max Klinger, with whom Prell had been friends since his student days and with whom he worked together on several occasions. Prell's first major work, which established his reputation as a monumental painter, were the frescoes in the banqueting hall of the Architektenhaus in Berlin in 1881/82, commissioned by the state and depicting the different periods of architecture. Prell then went to Italy for two years to study fresco painting. Other major commissions followed. These included monumental frescoes in the town halls of Worms (1884), Hildesheim (1882-92), Gdansk (1895) and Dresden, the staircase of the Silesian Museum of Fine Arts in Breslau (1893/94), the throne room of the German Embassy in Rome (1896-99) and the staircase of the Albertinum in Dresden (1900-1904). From 1886 Prell taught at the academy of arts in Berlin and in 1892 he was appointed professor at the academy of arts in Dresden. His students included Osmar Schindler and Hans Unger...
Chalk
coastal landscape, bohuskusten, c. 1920s
Located in Stockholm, SE
Watercolor on paper signed Axel Hilleström unframed 39.5 x 72 cm (15.6 x 28.3 in) framed 50 x 83 cm (19.7 x 32.7 in) This expansive watercolor depicts a sandy shoreline along the Sw...
Paper, Watercolor
Rheims Cathedral
By Henri Schäfer
Located in Middletown, NY
Watercolor and gouache on cream wove paper. Signed and titled in watercolor in the lower right image area. Small circular pea-sized damp stain in the top center image area (visible in the are of the sky), and some additional small spots of unobtrusive foxing in the upper left sheet area. Otherwise in very good condition with fresh colors and intricate brushwork. Henri Schäfer...
Watercolor, Gouache, Archival Paper
19th Century Loch Tay Scottish Landscape in Watercolor on Paper
Located in Soquel, CA
19th Century Loch Tay Scottish Landscape in Watercolor on Paper Masterful Scottish watercolor landscape of Loch Tay with boats and small figures on the short by Aaron Edwin Penley (E...
Paper, Watercolor
Edmund Dulac - The Sleeping Princess - Ballet Costume Design
By Edmund Dulac
Located in London, GB
EDMUND DULAC (1882-1953) The Sleeping Princess – A Costume Design for the Ballet “The Sleeping Princess” Watercolour over traces of pencil Framed 26 by 18.5 cm., 10 ¼ by 7 ¼ in. (...
Watercolor, Paper
"Male Nude Study" Ink Drawing, Academic Realist, Profile, Unframed, 9.5x9.75 in
Located in Sag Harbor, NY
“Male Nude Study” is a sketch by renowned figure artist Steven Assael. The drawing was produced entirely in ink with every stroke of pen executed in complete confidence. The drawing ...
Paper, Pen
Do butterflies live in winter? (sketch for the painting of the same name)
Located in Zofingen, AG
A quick spontaneous live sketch started on the windowsill of a house on Patriarch's Ponds turned into a sketch for a future large painting of the same name. An additional strip of pa...
Paper, Tempera, Permanent Marker
Untitled
By Bo Bartlett
Located in Wilton Manors, FL
Bo Bartlett (b.1955). Untitlrd, 1991. Charcoal and pencil on paper, 18 x 18.5 inches, 28.5 x 28.5 inches framed. Non-reflective museum glass. Signed and dated lower right. Artist seal in red ink lower left. Excellent condition. While Bo Bartlett’s paintings pay homage to an art historical tradition that has long been rooted in Philadelphia, Boston, and New York, his work highlights the American South—a place he refers to as both the “center of the art world” and the “center of the real world.” After graduating from high school in Columbus, Georgia, Bartlett traveled to Florence, Italy, to pursue an artistic career. There, he studied under North Carolina painter Ben Long...
Charcoal, Pencil
Self-Portrait / - The Inner Essence -
Located in Berlin, DE
Herbert Rolf Schlegel (1889 Breslau - 1972 Landsberg am Lech), Self-Portrait, 1946, pencil on heavy paper, 94 cm (height) x 73 cm (width), monogrammed “HRS” in the upper right corner...
Paper
Untitled
By Mark Beard
Located in New York, NY
Charcoal with red and white conté crayon on Rives BFK paper Signed and dated, recto This artwork is offered by ClampArt, located in New York City. Mark Beard, born in 1956 in Salt ...
Charcoal, Wax Crayon, Rag Paper
Orientalist Watercolor 'The Watercarrier', Signed, Early 20th Century
By Aiveill
Located in Cotignac, FR
Early 20th century orientalist watercolour on paper by Aiveill, signed bottom right. In art history, Orientalism is the imitation or depiction ...
Paper, Watercolor, Gouache
Les Danseurs Espagnols Teresa and Luisillo
Located in San Francisco, CA
This artwork titled "Les Danseurs Espagnols Teresa an Luisillo" referring to the famous Flamenco dancers, Teresa Viera Romero and Luis Perez Davila A.KA Luisillo, is a watercolor, on...
Watercolor
Sleeping Nude Figurative
Located in Soquel, CA
Drawing of a sleeping nude woman by S. LeDrew (20th Century). Signed "S. LeDREW" in the lower right corner. Presented in a double mat of dark red and whi...
Paper, Conté
"In the Artist's Studio, " Late 19th Century Scottish Realist Watercolor Interior
Located in Wiscasset, ME
"In the Artist's Studio" was painted in the realistic style in the late 19th century by the Scottish artist, George Clark Stanton. Stanton was a painter, watercolorist, goldsmith and...
Watercolor
Gateway, Jumping Horse Drawing, Charcoal on Panel, white frame
Located in Dallas, TX
"Gateway" is a beautiful and unique charcoal drawing on panel of a dynamic horse jumping in mid-air. The composition is contemporary, playing with the positive and negative space. ...
Charcoal, Graphite, Panel, Wood Panel
(After) "The Gleaners" Ink Drawing Painting Study
Located in Houston, TX
The original "The Gleaners" is an oil painting by Jean-François Millet completed in 1857. It depicts three peasant women gleaning a field of stray stalks of wheat after the harvest. ...
Ink
Chinatown, San Francisco
By Sun Ying
Located in San Francisco, CA
This artwork titled "Chinatown, San Francisco" c.1975 is a watercolor on paper by noted Chinese/American artist Sun Ying, 1919-2016. It is hand signed at the lower left corner by the artist, stamped with the artist red ink stamp at the lower right corner. The artwork size is 15 x 22 inches, framed is 27 x 33.5 inches. It is beautifully custom framed in a wooden gold frame, with gold color spacer and fabric matting. It is in excellent condition. About the artist. 1919 Sun Ying 孙瑛 ( 1919-2016 ) known as (Sun Dashi 大石) was born on November 8, in a poor family, in Gaotang Xian, Shandong Province, in China. 1949 Based in Taipei, he devoted himself entirely to painting and influenced the world of art by creating several painting societies as the Chinese Association of Ink Painting . Taiwan awarded him the Golden Cup Award. 1960 / 1970 He exhibited his works in Australia, Brazil, Germany, Malaysia and United States. 1974 He went to live in the United States. 1982 After a visit to his family, he returned to China. 1984 With Qi Baishi...
Watercolor
Lake landscape – Swiss School early 19th century
Located in Middletown, NY
Brush and brown ink and wash with graphite on cream wove paper, 6 1/2 x 9 1/4 inches (165 x 232mm). Inscribed "Fahlerant, No. 9754, Paisaje--Orillas de un lago" in ink on the verso. ...
Ink, Handmade Paper, Graphite
British Chalk Pencil Sketch of Two Dapper Gentleman Fishing On The Riverbank
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
John Rabone Harvey ( 1966 - 1922) graphic and chalk deep green artist paper , unframed artist paper : 7 x 5.5 inches Provenance: private collection Condition: very good condition Ha...
Chalk, Graphite
Portrait of Young Man
Located in Wilton Manors, FL
Outstanding male portrait by 20th-century American artist, Vito Tomasello. Portrait of a young man, c.1950. Pencil on paper, sheet measures 14 x 17 inches. Excellent condition. S...
Paper, Pencil
"Factory Boy with Locomotive" Paul Meltsner, 1930s Working WPA Portrait
By Paul Meltsner
Located in New York, NY
Paul Meltsner Factory Boy with Locomotive, circa 1935 Signed lower left Watercolor on paper 23 3/4 x 19 1/2 inches Paul Meltsner sold his first painting when he was eight years old...
Paper, Watercolor
John William North - 19th Century British Watercolour - Courtship
Located in London, GB
JOHN WILLIAM NORTH, ARA, RWS (1842-1924) Courtship - Bicknoller, Somerset Signed with initials l.r.: JWN Watercolour Framed 17.5 by 13.5 cm., 7 b...
Watercolor
Maxwell Armfield - 20th Century British Theatrical watercolour
Located in London, GB
MAXWELL ARMFIELD, RWS. (British 1882-1972) Costume Design for Geranos Signed l.l.: MAXWELL ARMFIELD, inscribed u.l.: Costume, PHEONIX CEREMONY/ IAN (?) VALO as DAVID, and further i...
Watercolor, Paper
Violinist (Portrait of Young Man with Violin)
Located in Wilton Manors, FL
Outstanding male portrait by 20th-century American artist, Vito Tomasello. Portrait of a Violinist, 1950. Charcoal on paper, sheet measures 13 x 19 inches. Signed lower left. A ...
Paper, Charcoal
Mid Century Santa Cruz, California Figurative Vintage Boardwalk Scene, 1944
Located in Soquel, CA
A lively and detailed mid-1940's vintage boardwalk scene of Santa Cruz, California by California artist Cassard (20th Century), 1944. This figurative...
Paper, Watercolor, Gouache
Siegfried and the Bear
Located in Pasadena, CA
Provenance Acquired by the gallery directly from the artist Exhibitions William Stout: South Pasadena and Nordic Myths at The Raymond, Pasadena, CA, November 2, 20Provenance Acquire...
Ink, Watercolor
Portrait of a Baby
Located in Wilton Manors, FL
Violet Oakley (1896-1961). Portrait of a Baby, ca. 1930. Conte crayon and pencil on laid paper, sheet measuring 11 x 14 inches. Framed measurement: 13.5 x 16.5 inches. Signed low...
Conté, Laid Paper
Commedia dell'arte – Four Character Studies in Watercolor, 1920s
Located in Myrtle Beach, SC
Unidentified artist, 'Commedia dell’arte' – four character studies (Arlecchino, Pantalone, Pantalone giovane, Tartaglia), watercolor and pencil, c. 192...
Pencil, Watercolor
"Waiting" (2023) By Bunyod Suvonov, Original Charcoal and Graphite Drawing
Located in Denver, CO
"Waiting" (2023) by Bunyod Suvonov is original handmade drawing made with charcoal and graphite on toned paper. This piece depicts a portrait of a woman with long flowing hair laying...
Paper, Charcoal, Graphite
Untitled
By Mark Beard
Located in New York, NY
Charcoal with red and white conté crayon on Rives BFK paper Signed and dated, recto This artwork is offered by ClampArt, located in New York City. Mark Beard, born in 1956 in Salt ...
Charcoal, Wax Crayon, Rag Paper
Church Interior
By Ray Quigley
Located in Buffalo, NY
A modern illustration by American artist Ray Quigley depicting two men inside of a church.
Gouache, Illustration Board, Ink
View of Constantinople
Located in Middletown, NY
A bright and beautiful Orientalist landscape by a master of the genre. Watercolor and graphite on cream laid paper, laid down to archival board, 14 3/4 x 6 3/4 inches (374 x 170 m...
Watercolor, Graphite
South San Francisco
Located in San Francisco, CA
This artwork "South San Francisco" 2003 Is a watercolor on paper by Filipino artist Ephraim Samson, b.1947. It is signed and dated at the lower right co...
Watercolor
Untitled
By John Button
Located in New York, NY
Graphite on paper Dated in pencil, l.r. This artwork is offered by ClampArt, located in New York City. John Button (1929-1982) was a fine draftsman and drew from life models throug...
Paper, Graphite
Elevate, Jumping Horse Drawing, Charcoal on Fabriano paper, white frame
Located in Dallas, TX
"Elevate" is a beautiful and unique charcoal drawing on paper of a dynamic horse jumping in mid-air. The composition is contemporary, playing with the positive and negative space. Th...
Charcoal, Archival Paper, Graphite
Performance II realistic charcoal & ink monotone drawing, woman in striped dress
Located in Dallas, TX
"Performance I & II" are thoughtful and dynamic charcoal drawings on paper by Patsy McArthur. They are monotone, black and white, and show a woman wearing a fashionable striped s...
Charcoal, Ink, Archival Paper
"Back At The Stables (II)" (2024) By James Van Fossan, Original Drawing
Located in Denver, CO
James Van Fossan's "Back At The Stables (II)" (2024) is an original handmade charcoal and graphite drawing on paper that depicts a cowboy leaning against a sawhorse in a moment of re...
Paper, Charcoal, Graphite
Untitled (Man Undressing)
By Mark Beard
Located in New York, NY
Graphite on paper Signed, c.l. This artwork is offered by ClampArt, located in New York City. Mark Beard, born in 1956 in Salt Lake City, now live...
Paper, Graphite
Sketchbook Page with Figures and Anatomical Details in Pencil on Paper - Germany
Located in Soquel, CA
Sketchbook Page with Figures and Anatomical Details in Pencil on Paper Drawings of a man at a desk and other figurative sections by an unknown artist (19th Century). On the left sid...
Paper, Pencil
BMW 502 (1954)- XXI Century, Contemporary Acrylic Painting, Vehicle, Car
Located in Warsaw, PL
Mariusz Szalajdewicz (b. 1974) Studied at the Faculty of Architecture at Warsaw University of Technology, where he mastered the drawing skill. Architect and urbanist, illustrator.
Canvas, Acrylic
Man and Dog on the Front Porch
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist: Margaret.S Johnson (American, 1893-1964) Title: Man and Dog on the Front Porch Year: Circa 1930 Medium: Ink drawing Signature: Signed on the ...
Ink
"Am I Excluded ? or do I Exclude Myself ?" Large colored ink and watercolor
Located in San Francisco, CA
This artwork titled "Am I Excluded ? or do I Exclude Myself ?" 1979, is a colored ink and watercolor on Fabriano paper by American artist Linda Carter Hol...
Watercolor
Cadence, Realist charcoal drawing of women & hair running, graphic and patterned
Located in Dallas, TX
Cadence Charcoal on paper Artwork size: 24 x 46.5 inches / 60 x 118 cm Framed size: 27.5 × 52 inches / 70 × 132 cm Float framed in white behind anti-reflect art glass. This contempo...
Charcoal, Archival Paper
Sleepyhead
Located in Zofingen, AG
While working with a model in the studio, it often happens that models get tired and fall asleep - such moments are beautiful in their naturalness and often become the impetus for cr...
Paper, Tempera, Permanent Marker
Cecil Beaton - Watercolour Ballet Costume Design for Le Pavillon - 1936
By Cecil Beaton
Located in London, GB
SIR CECIL BEATON, CBE (1904-1980) Ballet Costume Design for Le Pavillon - 1936 Signed and bears wardrobe mark l.r.: Beaton Watercolour and ink on paper 49 by 39 cm., 19 ¼ by 15 ½ ...
Watercolor, Paper
Untitled
By Mark Beard
Located in New York, NY
Charcoal with red and white conté crayon on Rives BFK paper Signed and dated, recto This artwork is offered by ClampArt, located in New York City. Mark Beard, born in 1956 in Salt ...
Paper, Conté, Charcoal
1920's Historical Fashion Illustration of Lady in 17th Century Dress
Located in Soquel, CA
Finely detailed historical figurative fashion illustration painted in watercolor in 1921, of a lady in 17th century dress; complete with a full blac...
Paper, Watercolor
"Diver" - Original Painting by Elena Burykina, Marine Art, Penguins
Located in Denver, CO
Elena Burykina's "Diver" (2020) is an evocative oil on paper that captures the serene yet mysterious allure of underwater exploration juxtaposed with the natural world above. This 12...
Paper, Oil
Nude. Contemporary Realistic Figurative Mixed Media Drawing Polish artist
Located in Warsaw, PL
Contemporary realistic figurative mixed media drawing on cardboard by Polish artist Andrzej Szypluk. Monochromatic drawing of a female in nude. PROVE...
Chalk, Pastel, Cardboard, Pencil
Woman eating / - Interior Pictures -
By Ruth Schloss
Located in Berlin, DE
Ruth Schloss (1922 Nuremberg - 2013 Kfar Shmaryahu), Woman eating, around 1990. Mixed media on watercolor paper, 22.2 cm x 26.5 cm, signed “Schloss” lower left and signed again in He...
Paper
Dancing Pears art about food Exquisite unique signed ink drawing Japanese artist
Located in New York, NY
Yookan Westfield Dancing Pears (art about food), 2024 Ink drawing done with pigment liner on Saunders Waterford 300 GSM Cold Press Watercolor paper Signed in ink on the front Unique ...
Ink
Citroen 15CV - Contemporary Watercolor & Ink Painting, Vintage Car, Realistic
Located in Warsaw, PL
Mariusz Szalajdewicz (b. 1974) Studied at the Faculty of Architecture at Warsaw University of Technology, where he mastered the drawing skill. Architect and urbanist, illustrator.
Paper, Ink, Watercolor
George Denholm Armour - Late 19th Century British Watercolour Illustration
Located in London, GB
GEORGE DENHOLM ARMOUR, RSA, OBE (1864-1949) “Keep your ‘ead in” Signed, inscribed: Cabman: “Now then bunny, you keep your ‘ead in the rabbit-‘...
Watercolor
Puissance, Horse Drawing, Charcoal and graphite on Fabriano paper, white frame
Located in Dallas, TX
Puissance is a beautiful and unique charcoal drawing on paper of a dynamic horse. The Fabriano paper is a high quality watercolor grade set in a custom white wood frame, all archival...
Charcoal, Archival Paper, Graphite
Mercedes W128 Ponton. Figurative acrylic on paper car painting Polish art
Located in Warsaw, PL
Acrylic on paper contemporary figurative painting by Michal Wojtysiak. Artwork depicts mercedes car in realistic style. MICHAŁ WOJTYSIAK (ur. 1984) Graduated of Academy of Fine Art...
Paper, Acrylic
"Ukrainian Cossacks"
Located in Edinburgh, GB
Mikhail Chemiakin (b. 1943) “Ukrainian Cossacks”, 1981 Watercolor, ink on paper 29.5 × 29.5 cm Signed lower right A vivid and theatrical work by the internationally acclaimed Russia...
Paper, Ink, Watercolor