Realist More Art
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.
Mid-20th Century Realist More Art
Oil
Artist Comments
Artist Jesse Aldana presents a skyscape from a ground-level angle in realistic detail. White clouds, flattened in their haste, race across the sky. It leaves th...
21st Century and Contemporary Realist More Art
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Realist More Art
Oil, Board
Artist Comments
Deep within a forest on the West Coast, golden winter light bathes the scene. Despite the chilliness of the season, the magnificence of the surroundings prevail...
21st Century and Contemporary Realist More Art
Oil
Artist Comments
The artwork captures the serenity of the ocean. Painted with oil paint and cold wax, the waves carry a slightly raised texture, adding to the realistic quality ...
21st Century and Contemporary Realist More Art
Oil
Artist Comments
At sunset, the sky shifts from blue to purple and pink. The sea subtly reflects the ethereal colors from above, adding glimmer to its surface. The soft clouds a...
21st Century and Contemporary Realist More Art
Oil
Artist Comments
"This work is a representation of the unadorned beauty of nature," shares artist Jose Luis Bermudez. The clear blue sky stretches pristinely in soft hues, provi...
21st Century and Contemporary Realist More Art
Oil
Artist Comments
Two modern buildings, one raw sienna, and the other white, stand side by side against a deep blue sky. The daylight in the background contrasts with the structu...
21st Century and Contemporary Realist More Art
Acrylic
19th Century Realist More Art
Oil
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...
21st Century and Contemporary Realist More Art
Watercolor
Late 19th Century Realist More Art
Watercolor
Late 20th Century Realist More Art
Paper
Artist Comments
As the sun rises, the world undergoes a magical transformation. The sky turns vivid and saturated, lending its breathtaking colors to the water below. Smooth tr...
21st Century and Contemporary Realist More Art
Oil
Mid-19th Century Realist More Art
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Realist More Art
Canvas, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Realist More Art
Canvas, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Realist More Art
Oil, Board
21st Century and Contemporary Realist More Art
Oil, Board
2010s Realist More Art
Canvas, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Realist More Art
Oil, Board
Artist Comments
A townhouse on West 27th Street draws attention at night, its red door seemingly glowing in the darkness. Shadows of a street sign and construction vehicles add...
21st Century and Contemporary Realist More Art
Oil
Artist Comments
The colorful buoys of a fishing boat in San Pedro harbor reflect on the dark, calm water. The gray sky sets a peaceful tone. The two men fishing from the docks ...
21st Century and Contemporary Realist More Art
Watercolor
Artist Comments
Dramatic technicolor clouds sweep across the sky, reflecting their vibrant hues on the water and sand below. The light from the nearly obscured sun peeks throug...
21st Century and Contemporary Realist More Art
Oil
Artist Comments
A solitary glass of bourbon stands against the backdrop of muted hues. Bathed in soft, ambient light, its amber depths evoke a sense of warmth and tranquility. ...
21st Century and Contemporary Realist More Art
Acrylic
Artist Comments
The lone boat bears the marks of its history. Here, she sits alone, at rest. Artist Tom Hoerber has kept the composition simple to emphasize the quiet solitude,...
21st Century and Contemporary Realist More Art
Watercolor
Artist Comments
The liquor's warm amber hues glow softly against the rustic wooden table. Wisps of aromatic vapor rise from the golden liquid, creating an ethereal aura around ...
21st Century and Contemporary Realist More Art
Acrylic
1990s Realist More Art
Watercolor
1950s Realist More Art
Oil
1950s Realist More Art
Oil
1960s Realist More Art
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Realist More Art
Canvas, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Realist More Art
Oil, Board
21st Century and Contemporary Realist More Art
Oil, Board
21st Century and Contemporary Realist More Art
Bronze
21st Century and Contemporary Realist More Art
Canvas, Acrylic
Artist Comments
Barns stand as a sanctuary for many farms across America. In this painting, a lit lantern in a high window of the structure acts as a guiding light under the gr...
21st Century and Contemporary Realist More Art
Watercolor
21st Century and Contemporary Realist More Art
Oil, Panel
21st Century and Contemporary Realist More Art
Canvas, Acrylic, Mixed Media
21st Century and Contemporary Realist More Art
Linen, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Realist More Art
Oil, Board
21st Century and Contemporary Realist More Art
Canvas, Acrylic
Artist Comments
Artist Jo Galang paints a tranquil river tucked in the middle of the woods. "One of the joys of life is finding unexpected treasure in the midst of nowhere," sa...
21st Century and Contemporary Realist More Art
Oil
Artist Comments
Inspired by the scenic landscapes of the State of Washington, this painting features a mountain of rocks at the edge of a lake. The vibrant contrast of orange, ...
21st Century and Contemporary Realist More Art
Oil
Artist Comments
A calico cat displays its endearing charm. Painted in a realist style, artist Shuxing Fan portrays the curious gaze of his son's feline friend, with its eyes re...
21st Century and Contemporary Realist More Art
Oil
1950s Realist More Art
Oil, Cardboard
Artist Comments
Dark, stormy clouds cover the sun, looming over a coastline and creating a dramatic mood for the seascape. On the horizon, a lone sailboat casts a silhouette ag...
21st Century and Contemporary Realist More Art
Oil
Mid-19th Century Realist More Art
Pastel
21st Century and Contemporary Realist More Art
Canvas, Oil
Late 19th Century Realist More Art
Porcelain, Oil
Artist Comments
Calm waters meet the rocky shore in this view of the Great Lakes. A soft orange glow peeks behind the clouds, giving faint illumination to the scene. The detail...
21st Century and Contemporary Realist More Art
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Realist More Art
Silver
1970s Realist More Art
Oil, Cardboard
Artist Comments
A snow-covered mountain gleams as the sun hits its rocky form, offering a striking contrast to a shaded, deep forest at its base. The play of light and shadow a...
21st Century and Contemporary Realist More Art
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Realist More Art
Canvas, Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Realist More Art
Canvas, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Realist More Art
Canvas, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Realist More Art
Canvas, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Realist More Art
Canvas, Oil
