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.
My Love, Oil Painting
By Eric Vanasse
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
A brightly colored parrot perches on a snow-covered rock before a tranquil lake, with snowy mountains rising in the background. Tropical foliage frames the bird...
Oil
Biscuit Before Harvest, Original Painting
By Dwight Smith
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
A white farmhouse sits quietly beneath a gray sky, its brick chimneys contrasting against the muted backdrop. A red tractor rests in the golden field. Artist ...
Watercolor
Sun Ripened, Original Painting
By Dwight Smith
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
Complementary colors take center stage in this still life. Purple plums rest in a yellow bowl, creating an immediate impact of bright hues. Above, a brightly ...
Watercolor
Florentine singer / - The Renaissance of the Renaissance -
By Paul Dubois
Located in Berlin, DE
Paul Dubois (1829 Nogent-sur-Seine - 1905 Paris), Florentine singer, 1865. Light brown patinated bronze with cast round plinth mounted on a square marble base (3.5 cm high). Total height 53 cm. Bronze dimensions: 49.5 cm (height) x 20 cm (length) x 10 cm (width), weight 5.6 kg. Inscribed on the plinth "P.[aul] DUBOIS", dated "1865", with the foundry's mark "F. BARBEDIENNE FONDEUR" and the signet "REDUCTION MECANIQUE A. COLLAS". - Patina very occasionally darkened, lute with loss of one tuning peg, otherwise in excellent condition. - The renaissance of the Renaissance - The bronze is a precisely executed and masterfully cast contemporary reduction of Paul Dubois 155 cm tall masterpiece "Florentine Singer", which is exhibited in the Musée d'Orsay and for which the artist was awarded the Medal of Honor at the Paris Salon in 1865. The work acted as a beacon, and was followed by a plethora of depictions of juveniles. Inspired by Donatello and Luca della Robbia, but also by painters such as Piero della Francesca, Benozzo Gozzoli, and Pinturicchio, the "Florentine Singer" is not an epigonal work that pays homage to a vanished era, but a successful attempt to draw vitality from the art of the past and thus give it new life. The effect of vitality is the core of Italian Renaissance art theory. In order to fulfill itself as art, art had to appear like nature. This naturalism also characterizes the "Florentine Singer". The young man appears to have been taken from life, which is reinforced by the momentary nature of his action. He has just struck a now fading chord. In addition, the natural appearance is enhanced by the detailed shaping of the figurative details, such as the laces with the slightly curved leather of the shoes, the belt buckle, or the ornamentation on the body of the lute. Even the fingernails are clearly defined. Unlike the Renaissance, however, the effect of liveliness here is not based on the "discovery" of nature and the human body, but primarily on the rediscovery of the art of the Quattrocento. The liveliness of the artwork is therefore at the same time a revitalization of this art, so that we can speak of a Renaissance of the Renaissance, just as the Pre-Raphaelites in England at the same time transferred the Quattrocento to contemporary art. Dubois takes on the most difficult of all subjects, the depiction of singing through silent sculpture. He was preceded in this by Luca della Robbia and Donatello with their pulpits of singers created in the 1430s in the Museo dell'Opera del Duomo in Florence. Compared to these works, the physiognomy of Dubois singer is far less animated, yet he also depicts singing in a convincing manner. He uses the whole body. He takes the ancient contrapposto, which was essential to Renaissance sculpture, and transforms the standing leg-playing posture into a late medieval S-swing, giving the body an elegant beauty and at the same time setting it in melodic motion. In the equally elegant finger position, the music is expressed in a much more literal way with the beating of the lute. Finally, the musicality of the sculpture culminates in the face with the mouth open to sing. Through the act of singing, which is a great challenge to the artistic will to depict perfect beauty, the gracefulness of the classical face is not diminished, but enhanced. Starting from the face with the singing mouth and the gaze absorbed by the sounds, the inner vitality spreads, giving the bronze sculpture an intense aura, enhanced by the music. Dubois transfers the beauty of the Renaissance to the musical, sublimating the visible sculpture to the invisible of music. He took up the challenge of transcending the Renaissance with the Renaissance, thus responding to the Querelle des Anciens et des Modernes, which arose at the end of the 17th century around the French Academy and remained virulent into the 19th century, in which antiquity was regarded either as an unattainable ideal or as a standard to be surpassed. With his work, Dubois proved that the Renaissance, which had championed the art of the ancients, could lead to a new renaissance of art. About the artist Paul Dubois' great-uncle was the famous French Baroque sculptor Jean-Baptiste Pigalle, in whose footsteps the talented great-nephew followed. When he debuted at the Paris Salon in 1858, he signed his work "Dubois-Pigalle". At his father's request, however, he first studied law before devoting himself to sculpture under the tutelage of François Christophe Armand Toussaint in 1856 and entering the École des Beaux-Arts in 1858. From 1859 to 1863, he lived in Rome and traveled to Naples and Florence. Inspired by Florentine art of the quattrocento, Dubois initiated a school-forming neo-Florentine style that combined the elegantly simple forms of youthful grace with a precise wealth of detail.Two purchases by the French state (“envois de Rome”) were made during his stay in Rome, which brought him recognition in Paris. After his return there, he quickly became an internationally sought-after artist. Dubois was also active as a creator of monuments. His most famous work is the equestrian statue of Joan of Arc (1896) on the forecourt of Reims Cathedral. He was also a sought-after portraitist who produced around 50 busts and - Dubois was also a passionate painter - around 100 portraits in oil. From 1873 to 1878 he was curator of the Museum du Luxembourg, in 1876 he became a member of the Institut de France and from 1878 to 1905 he was director of the École des Beaux-Arts. In 1865, Dubois was awarded the Paris Salon Medal of Honor for his “Florentine Singer”. In 1867 he became Chevalier, in 1874 Officier, in 1886 Commandeur of the Légion d'honneur, which awarded Dubois the Grande Croix in 1896. Selected Bibliography Stole, Elmar: Paul Dubois. In: Saur. Allgemeines Künstlerlexikon, vol. 30, Munich - Leipzig 2001, pp. 677-678. GERMAN VERSION Paul Dubois (1829 Nogent-sur-Seine - 1905 Paris), Florentinischer Sänger, 1865. Hellbraun patinierte Bronze mit gegossener runder Plinthe auf quadratischem Marmorsockel montiert (3,5 cm Höhe). Gesamthöhe 53 cm. Maße der Bronze: 49,5 cm (Höhe) x 20 cm (Länge) x 10 cm (Breite), Gewicht 5,6 kg. Auf der Plinthe mit „P.[aul] DUBOIS“ bezeichnet, auf „1865“ datiert, mit dem Gießereistempel „F. BARBEDIENNE FONDEUR“ und dem Signet „REDUCTION MECANIQUE A. COLLAS“ versehen. - Patina sehr vereinzelt nachgedunkelt, Laute mit Verlust eines Stimmwirbels, ansonsten ausgezeichnet erhalten. - Die Renaissance...
Bronze
Blue Window, Original Painting
By Renee Noel
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
Pastel pink, yellow, orange, and violet cumulus clouds drift across a blue sky above a golden field. Deeper blue mountains stretch along the horizon, while sc...
Acrylic
A Peach, Oil Painting
By Art Tatin
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
A ripe white peach with dried leaves rests on a wooden surface. Its pinkish-red and yellow skin contrasts with the dark background. Artist Art Tatin used Flem...
Oil
Red Canoe - Clark Lake, Painting, Oil on Canvas
Located in Yardley, PA
I came across this view of a local lake with the striking image of a red canoe sitting tied to a dock with muted background colours. I turned it into a painting with the colours in t...
Oil
Language of the Sky, Oil Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
Ocean waves crash onto the shore beneath a dramatic, stormy sky, with colors dancing throughout the scene. This seascape evokes the idea of finding light in d...
Oil
Glorious Summer Path Oil Painting, Impressionistic Landscape, 110cm
Located in London, Chelsea
We offer complimentary worldwide shipping and cover all tariffs and import taxes for this artwork. This exceptional artwork is currently on display and available for sale at Signet C...
Canvas, Oil
"Historic Sailing Ship" by Unknown Artist; Oil on Linen, c. 19th Century
Located in Oklahoma City, OK
This 24.25" x 30.25" x 3.5" oil on linen painting by an unknown artist depicts a sailing ship on open water. The 19th century-style ship has large, billowing waves that catch the sea...
Linen, Oil
Red-Tailed Hawk on the Hunt, Original Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
Artist Emil Morhardt paints a swooping hawk he observed circling the sky and then landing on a tall nearby tree. The bird inspects the many gopher holes nearby. Emil captures it just as it launches a successful attack—painting the plumage with fine detailed brushwork and intense colors against a pure white background. The piece embodies the essence of this powerful raptor.
About the Artist
Emil Morhardt is an acrylic painter from Santa Barbara, California who expresses his passion for birds through realistic acrylic paintings. He paints at home in a studio room that has large windows and a north-facing view of the mountains. He observes the animals from this window, watching roadrunners, foxes, bobcats, deer, and coyote run by. Surrounded by this wildlife, Emil paints bird portraits reminiscent of those by artist John James Audubon. He bases his paintings off hundreds of photographs he takes of birds in the wild and at wildlife recovery centers. Emil captures the freedom and inquisitiveness that birds display...
Acrylic
The Mighty Oak, Oil Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
Artist Shela Goodman paints a lone oak tree standing majestically in an open sunlit field. "It is a symbol of strength, endurance...
Oil
Emerald Pools, Oil Painting
By Jinny Tomozy
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
The lake is still, and the air is crisp on an early spring morning. The emerald hues of the water at Sand Harbor in Lake Tahoe reveal its crystal clear quality....
Oil
View from the Bridge, Original Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
A quiet river winds through a grove of trees. The warm glow at the horizon in mid-October creates a dreamlike mist and softens the scene.Artist Candice Eisenfel...
Acrylic
$111Sale Price|20% Off
The Gates - New York Central Park
By Christo
Located in Winterswijk, NL
The artwork "The Gates - New York Central Park" by the artist Christo is extraordinary and an eye-catcher for every room Color offset on heavy paper B...
Color, Offset
Model Session - 15-03-25 - 2, Drawing, Pastels on Paper
By Corne Akkers
Located in Yardley, PA
Reclined Position This pastel drawing ‘Model Session - 15-03-25 - 2’ shows model Renee in a reclined position. This is the way she prefers to sleep, she said. Only good for us...
Pastel
Monhegan Morning - Fog and Seagulls, Oil Painting
By Steve Boggs
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
Mist lingers over the distant ocean, softening the horizon and capturing the mystic beauty of Monhegan Island in the early morning. Waves and currents weave thr...
Oil
Lost to Time, Original Painting
By Art Clark
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
A weathered yellow cottage with a red roof stands alone on the prairie, surrounded by wildflowers and a rustic fence. Dark clouds gather overhead, adding a se...
Acrylic
Yaquina Head Light, Oil Painting
By Steve Boggs
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
Capturing the timeless majesty of the Yaquina Head Lighthouse, this painting conveys the rugged beauty of the Oregon coastline. The structure stands as a steadf...
Oil
Pathway to the Past, Original Painting
By Art Clark
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
A rustic blue cottage, weathered by time, nestles among vibrant wildflowers. It was once the home of a widow who lost her loving h...
Acrylic
Crossed - original contemporary artwork - figurative oil painting
Located in London, Chelsea
We offer complimentary worldwide shipping and cover all tariffs and import taxes for this artwork. This exceptional artwork is currently on display and available for sale at Signet C...
Canvas, Oil
Lord Wellington, Central Park, NY, 1969
Located in East Hampton, NY
Lord Wellington, Central Park, NY, 1969 11x14" (Edition: 1 of 10) Silver Gelation Iconic Photography About the Artist: My intent is to create a mythic...
Silver Gelatin
Maine Harbor Sunset
Located in Milford, NH
A fine luminous Maine harbor scene by contemporary American artist William R. Davis (1952-). Davis was born in Somerville, Massachusetts, and grew up in Hyannis Port where he took sa...
Canvas, Oil
Au bord de la mer
By James Jacques Joseph Tissot
Located in New York, NY
Etching and drypoint, 1880. Signed by the artist in pencil, lower left. With the artist's red ink stamp in, lower right. From the edition of approximately 100. Sheet 19.5 x 9.75 ...
Etching
$371Sale Price|20% Off
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
Red Goddess, Painting, Oil on Canvas
By Jo Beer
Located in Yardley, PA
Portrait of Florence Welch. I love Florence's bohemian style, and thought that a William Morris design would provide a suitable background ( his design here is Pink & Rose 1890...
Oil
$9,000
'Pioneer Woman & Children' Bronze, Marble Sculpture by Harold Castor, c. 1970
Located in Oklahoma City, OK
This 25" x 17" x 11" bronze sculpture by the celebrated multidisciplinary artist Harold Castor is a realistic depiction of a woman with her two children....
Marble, Bronze
$816Sale Price|20% Off
Autumn mood. Oil on cardboard, 38 x 48, 5 cm
Located in Riga, LV
Autumn mood. Oil on cardboard, 38x48,5 cm Alfejs Bromults (1913.3.IV - 1991.11.I) His first professional education was at National University at studies to R.Suta, J. Bine and G. S...
Oil, Cardboard
Victorian Still Life with Fruit and Foliage Small Oil Painting one of a pair.
Located in ludlow, GB
Victorian Still Life with Fruit and Foliage a Small Oil Painting, one of a pair. Exquisitely painted Still Life of Apples and Plums, it looks like you can just reach in and pick one...
Oil
Victorian Still Life with Flowers and Fauna Small Oil Painting one of a pair.
Located in ludlow, GB
Victorian Still Life with Flowers and Fauna a Small Oil Painting, one of a pair. Beautiful and highly detailed small Oil on Canvas, mounted on Stretchers and housed in a period styl...
Oil
EDWARD BOHLIN STERLING & GOLD 1941 TOM MIX PATTERN SPURS WESTERN FINE ART
Located in San Antonio, TX
Edward Bohlin Saddle, Spurs, Chaps, Gun Belts (1895-1980) Hollywood, California Artist / Saddle Maker Medium: Sterling & Gold 1941 "Tom Mix Style Sp...
Silver
The Guardian Angel
By Königliche Porzellan-Manufaktur (KPM)
Located in Missouri, MO
"Guardian Angel" late 19th c. Original hand-painted KPM Porcelain In Jewel Encrusted Frame approx. 6 3/8 x 5 inches
Porcelain, Oil
Morning Glory, Oil Painting
By Jo Galang
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
It's a peaceful morning, with the sun shining brightly and reflecting its warm light on the pebbles on the riverbed. The trees provide a comforting shade, cre...
Oil
E type, Painting, Acrylic on Canvas
Located in Yardley, PA
I have been a fun of classic jaguar cars since childhood. I have been privileged to attend 2 classic jaguar shows at Cheshire, UK in 2018 and 2022. This is my second painting of a ja...
Acrylic
$3,200Sale Price|62% Off
"Elephant In The Pool" Lrg Orig. Oil Painting by Robert White, Frameless Display
Located in Encino, CA
“Elephant In The Pool,” an original oil on canvas by Robert K. White, is a piece for the true collector. White’s careful attention to detail and vivid use of greens, browns, and blue...
Oil, Canvas
White and Pink Peonies, original oil Still Life Painting, 60X60cm, Signed
By Robert Lemay
Located in London, Chelsea
We offer complimentary worldwide shipping and cover all tariffs and import taxes for this artwork. This exceptional artwork is currently on display and available for sale at Signet C...
Canvas, Oil
Blossoms_01, Painting, Watercolor on Paper
By Helal Uddin
Located in Yardley, PA
This is one of my studio paintings. I love watercolor because it’s a very challenging medium. I used Daniel Smith Extra Fine Watercolors with world-class acid-free Arches 300gsm wa...
Watercolor
$1,079
Bluebell Stems Original Oil Painting, Contemporary Realism Woodland Art, 40cm
Located in London, Chelsea
Gallery service: Complimentary worldwide shipping is offered, with Signet Contemporary Art covering all tariffs, customs duties and import taxes, making international collecting simp...
Canvas, Oil
$352Sale Price|20% Off
Chroessi Schnell - "Cows X" - realistic fine nature theme drawing
Located in Winterswijk, NL
Chroessi Schnell - "Cows X". Realism, fine drawing, nature themes. The cows show the ambivalence between a life in peace and calmness on the meadows of the lower rhine landscape an...
Paper
$3,240
Tidal Whisper II-original Contemporary realism seascape oil on canvas painting
Located in London, Chelsea
Gallery service: Complimentary worldwide shipping is offered, with Signet Contemporary Art covering all tariffs, customs duties and import taxes, making international collecting simp...
Canvas, Oil
$2,686
457. Portrait - original realism wildlife portrait oil painting-contemporary art
By Paul Jansen
Located in London, Chelsea
We offer complimentary worldwide shipping and cover all tariffs and import taxes for this artwork. This exceptional artwork is currently on display and available for sale at Signet C...
Canvas, Oil
$4,860
392. Portrait- original realism wildlife portrait oil painting-contemporary art
By Paul Jansen
Located in London, Chelsea
We offer complimentary worldwide shipping and cover all tariffs and import taxes for this artwork. This exceptional artwork is currently on display and available for sale at Signet C...
Canvas, Oil
$4,995
452. Out of the Darkness - original realism wildlife painting - contemporary art
By Paul Jansen
Located in London, Chelsea
We offer complimentary worldwide shipping and cover all tariffs and import taxes for this artwork. This exceptional artwork is currently on display and available for sale at Signet C...
Canvas, Oil
$2,686
455. Portrait, Original Oil on Board Wildlife Painting, Contemporary Realism Art
By Paul Jansen
Located in London, Chelsea
We offer complimentary worldwide shipping and cover all tariffs and import taxes for this artwork. This exceptional artwork is currently on display and available for sale at Signet C...
Canvas, Oil
Hi There, Original 36 x 46 Oil on Board Wildlife Realism Portrait Painting
By Paul Jansen
Located in London, Chelsea
We offer complimentary worldwide shipping and cover all tariffs and import taxes for this artwork. This exceptional artwork is currently on display and available for sale at Signet C...
Canvas, Oil
$2,686
Realism Wildlife Portrait oil Painting, Contemporary Realism, 38 x 46 Original
By Paul Jansen
Located in London, Chelsea
We offer complimentary worldwide shipping and cover all tariffs and import taxes for this artwork. This exceptional artwork is currently on display and available for sale at Signet C...
Canvas, Oil
Silent - Original Painting on Canvas, Painting, Oil on Canvas
By Gardani Art
Located in Yardley, PA
Silent captures a contemplative moment through masterful realism, showcasing the emotional depth achievable in figurative art. This original oil painting on canvas presents a woman i...
Oil
Dark Materials: 75 x 75 Oil Painting in Surreal Realism Style
Located in London, Chelsea
We offer complimentary worldwide shipping and cover all tariffs and import taxes for this artwork. This exceptional artwork is currently on display and available for sale at Signet C...
Canvas, Oil
Tidal Whisper: Modern Realism Oil Painting, 86 x 96 cm Original
Located in London, Chelsea
We offer complimentary worldwide shipping and cover all tariffs and import taxes for this artwork. This exceptional artwork is currently on display and available for sale at Signet C...
Canvas, Oil
453 Portret, Photorealistic Cow Portrait, 50 x 60 Oil on Canvas
By Paul Jansen
Located in London, Chelsea
We offer complimentary worldwide shipping and cover all tariffs and import taxes for this artwork. This exceptional artwork is currently on display and available for sale at Signet C...
Canvas, Oil
Uplifting, Original Painting
By Renee Noel
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
The realistic Western landscape painting depicts a rugged terrain under a stormy sky. Tall clouds resemble raised arms that reach up to the heavens. While obser...
Acrylic
Lake, Contemporary Realism Oil Painting on Canvas, 70x70 cm, Signed
Located in London, Chelsea
We offer complimentary worldwide shipping and cover all tariffs and import taxes for this artwork. This exceptional artwork is currently on display and available for sale at Signet C...
Canvas, Oil
"Oklahoma Sky" by Eve Cornejo, Oil Painting on Canvas; Vibrant Pinks, Blues
Located in Oklahoma City, OK
"Oklahoma's skies are incredibly vivid, full of color and drama, and they've always fascinated me," says Russian-American artist Eve Cornejo. In 'Oklahoma Sky', Cornejo's large, wisp...
Canvas, Oil
$3,780
Underworld - original surrealism still life realism oil painting, wildlife Art
Located in London, Chelsea
Gallery service: Complimentary worldwide shipping is offered, with Signet Contemporary Art covering all tariffs, customs duties and import taxes, making international collecting simp...
Canvas, Oil
"The Light of Love" Floral Oil Painting, Realism, 80x100 cm, New Art
Located in London, Chelsea
We offer complimentary worldwide shipping and cover all tariffs and import taxes for this artwork. This exceptional artwork is currently on display and available for sale at Signet C...
Canvas, Oil
Bust of a young woman / - Beauty of youth -
Located in Berlin, DE
Anonymous, Bust of a young woman, c. 1900, artificial marble and gray onyx marble. 37 cm (height) x 37 cm (width) x 22 cm (depth), weight 17.2 kg. Signed “GURRINI” on the reverse. -...
Marble
Lorne's Pond With Yarrow - Nature Landscape Romantic Realism
By Amber Young
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Amber Young's creative focus centers on nature, with a particular emphasis on the intricate beauty of forests, flowers, and water reflections.Young's artistic journey is deeply roote...
Canvas, Oil
Fall Classics, Original Painting
By Dwight Smith
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
A wooden basket contains a variety of apples and a World Series baseball. Painted realistically, this still-life watercolor ho...
Watercolor
Sunrise - Denver Open Space, Oil Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
In this landscape painting, a narrow stream winds through dense vegetation, creating a serene and captivating scene. The artwork beautifully captures the dram...
Oil
Living Waters: Original Impressionist Landscape Oil Painting on Canvas
Located in London, Chelsea
Gallery service: Complimentary worldwide shipping is offered, with Signet Contemporary Art covering all tariffs, customs duties and import taxes, making international collecting simp...
Canvas, Oil