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, Acrylic
Artist Comments
Swirling clouds loom over a rugged landscape, depicting the quiet anticipation before a storm. Bathed in the last warm light before the rain arrives, golden gra...
21st Century and Contemporary Realist More Art
Oil
Artist Comments
When you focus on classic automobiles, their designs often resemble human features. This yellow vehicle, for example, seems to radiate a cheerful, almost huma...
21st Century and Contemporary Realist More Art
Watercolor
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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...
21st Century and Contemporary Realist More Art
Oil
Artist Comments
Artist Kristine Kainer depicts a colorful display of lobster buoys—a common sight found in a quaint New England fishing village near one of her childhood ho...
21st Century and Contemporary Realist More Art
Oil
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 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 painting features three roses in different stages of growth, from bud to full bloom. Their delicate colors and realistic detail capture their natural beau...
21st Century and Contemporary Realist More Art
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Realist More Art
Oil, Board
Artist Comments
Artist Christopher Garvey displays a realistic still life of a potted calathea plant and a green glass pitcher. "I've always found greens a challenge since I typically mix my greens," shares Christopher. He compels himself with a study of different shades using multiple blue and black hues. The skillful interplay between light and shadow creates a visually balanced and pleasing composition.
About the Artist
Christopher Garvey focuses on the still life in his work, capturing objects like dishes and fruit with impressive clarity. He currently lives in South Carolina and finds inspiration in Renaissance and Baroque art. When it comes to technique, he enjoys the challenge of accurate drawing and the transparent qualities of oil paint. He has collected many books over the years, which he uses to improve his practice.
Words that describe this painting: vase, glass, plant, calathea, still life, pot, pitcher, still life, realism, reflection, tabletop, small, oilpaint, still life, realism, oil painting, green
Calathea with a Green Pitcher...
21st Century and Contemporary Realist More Art
Oil
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...
21st Century and Contemporary Realist More Art
Oil
Artist Comments
Artist Mandy Main presents an uplifting, light-filled landscape of vast green fields and limitless skies. The breathtaking vista combines old-world realism wi...
21st Century and Contemporary Realist More Art
Oil
Artist Comments
A magical sunset unfolds in artist Jose Luis Bermudez's realistic piece. The sky glows in gold and pink tones as the clouds ...
21st Century and Contemporary Realist More Art
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
Artist Shela Goodman presents a birch tree by the roadside bursting with fall colors. "Birch trees with their white bark, black m...
21st Century and Contemporary Realist More Art
Oil
Artist Comments
In western Washington between Mt. Rainier and the Pacific Ocean, Porter Creek flows under a high canopy of conifers, winding through the hills and ferns. In a...
21st Century and Contemporary Realist More Art
Acrylic
Artist Comments
In artist Jo Galang's quiet piece, a clear river stream flows through mossy rocks. She draws inspiration from the amazingly peaceful and soothing Kanaka Creek...
21st Century and Contemporary Realist More Art
Oil
Early 20th Century Realist More Art
Gouache
21st Century and Contemporary Realist More Art
Canvas, Acrylic
1960s Realist More Art
2010s Realist More Art
Oil
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...
21st Century and Contemporary Realist More Art
Oil
1990s Realist More Art
Fiberglass
Artist Comments
The sun hovers low on the horizon, casting its golden light creating a warm glow over the rugged landscape. This scene captures a timeless moment, where passi...
21st Century and Contemporary Realist More Art
Oil
Artist Comments
Artist John Jaster captures the ethereal beauty of an oriental lily. Its raspberry-red petals, framed by crisp white margins, cradle a bright yellow-green fil...
21st Century and Contemporary Realist More Art
Acrylic
2010s Realist More Art
Mixed Media, Lithograph, Offset
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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
A rose blooms quietly, its petals glowing softly in the light. The branches in the distance stretch out, piercing the night sky like steel knives. Painted wit...
21st Century and Contemporary Realist More Art
Oil
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 preva...
21st Century and Contemporary Realist More Art
Oil
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, focusing on the mild ripples in the water. By maintaining starkness, the viewer focuses primarily on the boat, imagining the stories she could tell of adventures at sea.
About the Artist
Words that describe this painting: boat, fishing, calm, sea, ocean, water, dock, pier, paper, seascape, realism...
21st Century and Contemporary Realist More Art
Watercolor
2010s Realist More Art
Oil
Artist Comments
The sun sets on the Grand Canyon, leaving a blanket of soft light over its ridges. It is a magical time as a mesmerizing array of colors fills the landscape. ...
21st Century and Contemporary 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 ...
21st Century and Contemporary Realist More Art
Watercolor
Artist Comments
The teapot's handle and spout mirror the stems of the plums. The interplay of the sturdy, metallic exterior of the container with the vibrant and soft flesh a...
21st Century and Contemporary Realist More Art
Watercolor
21st Century and Contemporary Realist More Art
Canvas, 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 dock...
21st Century and Contemporary Realist More Art
Watercolor
21st Century and Contemporary Realist More Art
Resin, Ink, Panel, Graphite, Mylar, Color Pencil
Artist Comments
Artist John Jaster shares a relaxing summer scene of blue skies over a turquoise sea lapping onto a white sandy beach. Two empty red chairs await to be filled...
21st Century and Contemporary Realist More Art
Acrylic
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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
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A fallen tree stretches along a tranquil, icy riverbank, its gnarled branches reaching toward the pale winter sky. Patches of snow cling to the rugged bark, c...
21st Century and Contemporary Realist More Art
Watercolor
Artist Comments
In this watercolor still life, a stack of large, plump oranges forms a column, with a tea bag resting on top. A honey bee buzzes by, leaving its shadow on the...
21st Century and Contemporary Realist More Art
Watercolor
Artist Comments
Wooden spools convey a natural landscape reminiscent of towering cliffs. Hues of blue threads form a vista mimicking rain pouring down on dry land. The interp...
21st Century and Contemporary Realist More Art
Watercolor
Artist Comments
Artist Mandy Main presents an expansive, glowing landscape with an accentuated perspective that pulls the eye deep into the distance. "The impressive momentum...
21st Century and Contemporary Realist More Art
Oil
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," ...
21st Century and Contemporary Realist More Art
Oil
Artist Comments
"This piece captures the essence of nature in its most serene and magical state," says artist Jose Luis Bermudez. The calmly...
21st Century and Contemporary Realist More Art
Oil
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
Artist Shela Goodman presents a soothing early morning scene of a tranquil pond. Her impressionist approach emphasizes the soft r...
21st Century and Contemporary Realist More Art
Oil
Artist Comments
At the break of dawn, the Grand Canyon embraces yet another fleeting moment in its timeless existence. Its layers echo the majestic grandeur of this natural wonder. Artist Olena Nabilsky...
21st Century and Contemporary Realist More Art
Oil
2010s Realist More Art
Oil
Artist Comments
A rare sight of snow covers the iconic Big Sur coastline on an evening of beauty and calm. Twinkling stars and the moon punctuate the sky, creating a display ...
21st Century and Contemporary Realist More Art
Oil
1960s Realist More Art
Oil
2010s Realist More Art
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Realist More Art
Canvas, Acrylic
1960s Realist More Art
Silver Gelatin
Late 19th Century Realist More Art
Wood, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Realist More Art
Canvas, Oil
20th Century Realist More Art
Paper, Lithograph
Artist Comments
This is my kind of garden; in full bloom, and crammed with a splendid variety of pretty things. The subject matter delights me not only because I love gardens...
21st Century and Contemporary Realist More Art
Watercolor
