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.
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21st Century and Contemporary Realist More Art
Canvas, Oil
Artist Comments
Sweeping, layered clouds fill the sky, creating a dramatic contrast between light and shadow. Gentle waves with soft white foam at their crest roll towards the ...
21st Century and Contemporary Realist More Art
Oil
1950s Realist More Art
Oil
1970s Realist More Art
Pastel, Ink, Mixed Media, Watercolor, Color Pencil
21st Century and Contemporary Realist More Art
Canvas, Oil
Artist Comments
Golden and orange light cuts through dark clouds, capturing the fleeting brilliance of sunset. The contrast between the fiery horizon and the brooding sky evoke...
21st Century and Contemporary Realist More Art
Watercolor
21st Century and Contemporary Realist More Art
Canvas, Oil
Artist Comments
Golden autumn leaves blanket the paths of Central Park, setting the stage for a romantic stroll. A couple walks closely, sharing a blue umbrella while leaving a...
21st Century and Contemporary Realist More Art
Oil
1970s Realist More Art
Pastel, Ink, Mixed Media, Watercolor, Color Pencil
Early 2000s Realist More Art
Canvas, Oil
Artist Comments
In a strange cave, a delicate rose unfolds its creamy white petals and reveals its peachy center. The flower faces a new branch with two buds, like a mother p...
21st Century and Contemporary Realist More Art
Oil
Artist Comments
A tall, weathered tree stretches toward a colorful sky, its bare branches silhouetted against soft, dreamy hues. Dark green foliage below anchors the scene, whi...
21st Century and Contemporary Realist More Art
Watercolor
Artist Comments
Tangled brush in earthy tones borders a worn dirt road. A lone bare tree stands in the left foreground while a group of trees lines the distance. The overcast s...
21st Century and Contemporary Realist More Art
Watercolor
Artist Comments
A vast grain field stretches beneath towering cloud formations, capturing the anticipation of an approaching storm. Clashing elements heighten the tension as re...
21st Century and Contemporary Realist More Art
Oil
Artist Comments
The full moon glows above palm trees, casting a gentle glow across billowing clouds tinged with orange and peach. Framed by silhouettes of palms rising, the squ...
21st Century and Contemporary Realist More Art
Oil
20th Century Realist More Art
Charcoal, Handmade Paper
21st Century and Contemporary Realist More Art
Canvas, Oil
Artist Comments
A tall palm tree stands against an evening thunderhead, illuminated by the warm glow of the setting sun. Carefully blended colors capture the essence of the dra...
21st Century and Contemporary Realist More Art
Oil
1870s Realist More Art
Canvas, Oil
2010s Realist More Art
Canvas, Oil
Artist Comments
Artist Andres Lopez captures a mesmerizing scene of glistening water with a vibrant orange reflection. The painting captures the play of light on the ocean's su...
21st Century and Contemporary Realist More Art
Oil
Artist Comments
Artist Kent Sullivan captures the peaceful glow of early evening at a Colorado monument. Warm skies bathe the landscape in soft light, highlighting his admirati...
21st Century and Contemporary Realist More Art
Oil
Artist Comments
A narrow, half-frozen stream winds through a snow-covered field, reflecting the soft light of a pale winter sky. Bare trees frame the scene and lead the gaze in...
21st Century and Contemporary Realist More Art
Watercolor
Artist Comments
Dark silhouettes of bare trees create a quiet, moody landscape at dusk in the countryside. The glowing sunset illuminates the horizon. Deep tones fill a marsh b...
21st Century and Contemporary Realist More Art
Watercolor
21st Century and Contemporary Realist More Art
Linen, Acrylic
20th Century Realist More Art
Offset
Artist Comments
Dawn's first rays bathe the Los Angeles skyline, casting a burnished glow over the iconic palm trees. Billowing clouds add a touch of softness to the scene. T...
21st Century and Contemporary Realist More Art
Oil
Artist Comments
A leafless tree stands amid a serene country landscape. Dark branches stretch upward against an overcast sky, creating a striking silhouette. Beside it, a calm...
21st Century and Contemporary Realist More Art
Watercolor
21st Century and Contemporary Realist More Art
Canvas, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Realist More Art
Silver
Artist Comments
A roseate spoonbill opens its wings beside a clear, shimmering river, its gaze fixed on its own reflection. Bright colors create a dreamlike scene. The composit...
21st Century and Contemporary Realist More Art
Oil
Artist Comments
A plump green pear sits among scattered wine corks. The white background highlights the speckled skin of the fruit and the rustic appearance of the stoppers. ...
21st Century and Contemporary Realist More Art
Watercolor
Artist Comments
The warm colors of an August sunset spread across the vibrant Pacific sky. Gentle reflections dance on the calm ocean surface. The scene radiates a serene energ...
21st Century and Contemporary Realist More Art
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Realist More Art
Canvas, Oil
Artist Comments
A bluebird rests on an elaborate balcony railing of a villa. Two white windows frame the little creature's tiny body, giving emphasis to its delicate form. Dirt...
21st Century and Contemporary Realist More Art
Watercolor
Artist Comments
A barn stands at the corner of a dirt road, capturing the quiet poetry of rural life. Reflected in the still water below, the structure’s weathered textures a...
21st Century and Contemporary Realist More Art
Watercolor
Artist Comments
A cluster of green winter grapes hangs from a single stem, standing out against a stark black background. Each grape displays lif...
21st Century and Contemporary Realist More Art
Oil
Artist Comments
A stretch of yellow mustard fields contrasts beautifully with the bright blue sky. Fluffy clouds drift overhead, adding depth and movement to the scene. The pai...
21st Century and Contemporary Realist More Art
Oil
Artist Comments
A gentle stream meanders through a valley, its calm water reflecting the sky and trees. The setting sun cast a soft glow in the distance, leaving the foreground...
21st Century and Contemporary Realist More Art
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Realist More Art
Canvas, Oil
2010s Realist More Art
Canvas, Oil
Artist Comments
Weathered brick facades in varying colors line the main street of historic Ripley, Ohio. The town played an important role in the history of the Underground Rai...
21st Century and Contemporary Realist More Art
Watercolor
Artist Comments
A gently flowing river reflects the soft glow of a warm summer morning, creating a sense of calm and stillness. A towering tree casts deep shadows over the wa...
21st Century and Contemporary Realist More Art
Watercolor
Artist Comments
In this piece, artist Vic Roschkov captures a peaceful natural landscape. He highlights a river mouth and a winding stream that flows through open green marshla...
21st Century and Contemporary Realist More Art
Watercolor
20th Century Realist More Art
Color, Offset
Artist Comments
A close-up view of plump red apples, their shiny skins catching the sunlight. Bright green leaves extend from the branches, framing the fruit in a lively contra...
21st Century and Contemporary Realist More Art
Oil
Artist Comments
Towering coconut palm trees stretch into a vibrant blue sky, their fronds swaying gently in the breeze. Expressive strokes and texture bring out the details o...
21st Century and Contemporary Realist More Art
Oil
Artist Comments
Artist Jesse Aldana presents a peaceful grassland with a well-trodden path leading inward. Inspired by two early morning spring hikes—the background comes f...
21st Century and Contemporary Realist More Art
Oil
Artist Comments
An arrangement of baking essentials rests on a wooden table, illuminated by the interplay of light and shadow, which highlights the diverse shapes and texture...
21st Century and Contemporary Realist More Art
Watercolor
21st Century and Contemporary Realist More Art
Oil, Board
Artist Comments
Time stands still at a derelict farm nestled in a sweeping valley. A meandering stream adds movement and direction to the scene. Towering mountains rise in the ...
21st Century and Contemporary Realist More Art
Acrylic
Artist Comments
A stark, leafless tree stretches its branches toward a soft, clouded sky. Its weathered trunk stands as a testament to passing time. Beside it, a vibrant, full-...
21st Century and Contemporary Realist More Art
Watercolor
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...
21st Century and Contemporary Realist More Art
Acrylic
Artist Comments
A roseate spoonbill stands by a clear, sparkling river, gazing at its own reflection. The soft, dreamlike tones evoke a quiet, reflective mood. The scene captur...
21st Century and Contemporary Realist More Art
Oil
Artist Comments
This oil painting captures the warmth of an evening sunset, casting a golden glow over a serene pond. The rich hues of the trees contrast with the vibrant ref...
21st Century and Contemporary Realist More Art
Oil
Artist Comments
Pink and red poppies sway against a bright blue sky dotted with fluffy white clouds. The buds and deep green stems highlight the vibrancy of the petals. The sce...
21st Century and Contemporary Realist More Art
Oil
Artist Comments
Artist Dwight Smith depicts a modern interpretation of a strawberry plant. Ready for harvest, the fruit grows from the silverware that represents vines. This wa...
21st Century and Contemporary Realist More Art
Watercolor
Artist Comments
The late afternoon light casts a soft glow on the mountain peaks. Purple irises bloom in the foreground, adding a touch of color to the moody landscape. Althoug...
21st Century and Contemporary Realist More Art
Oil
Artist Comments
An atmospheric seascape captures a dynamic sunset through vivid gradients of orange and yellow stretching across the sky while the ocean glows in deep red. Brig...
21st Century and Contemporary Realist More Art
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Realist More Art
Canvas, Oil
