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.
"Rabbit" Realist Rabbit Portrait in the Field Oil Painting on Carved Wood Panel
By Chaval
Located in New York, NY
With the medium of traditional oil paint, this charming piece by Chaval is exceptionally detailed and thought-provoking. Following a realist approach, yet depicting some playful impe...
Oil, Wood Panel, Varnish
Marine lovers
Located in London, London
Marine landscape Marine lovers We sail towards an unknown shore, towards those who awaits for us, towards those whom we love dearly. Abstract painting on canvas, blue, extra-large,...
Canvas, Cotton Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
Oil on Canvas of Jackie O with Gold Leaf 49 x 51
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Words: Now I think that I should have known that he was magic all along. I did know it but I should have guessed that it would be too much to ask to grow old with and see our childr...
Gold Leaf
Vintage Realist Landscape with Horse and Sheep Framed Oil Painting
Located in Buffalo, NY
Vintage American school realist landscape oil painting. Oil on canvas. Framed. Provenance from a Sag Harbor, NY collection. Measuring: 23 by 28 inches overall. Handsomely framed in ...
Canvas, Oil
"Turner" Realist Dog Portrait in the Field Oil Painting on Carved Wood Panel
By Chaval
Located in New York, NY
With the medium of traditional oil paint, this charming piece by Chaval is exceptionally detailed and thought-provoking. Following a realist approach, yet depicting some playful impe...
Oil, Wood Panel
Seashore
Located in Zofingen, AG
The ocean is a mystery, full of secrets and deep emotions. Its power can be frightening, yet it beckons and offers freedom. In every wave lies a story of fear and love, intertwined i...
Canvas, Oil
$616
Margaret Crutchley, Cedar of Lebanon at Sunset, Tree Art, Sunset Painting
Located in Deddington, GB
Cedar of Lebanon at Sunset By Margaret Crutchley [2021] original Acrylic on a deep canvas Image size: H:50 cm x W:50 cm Complete Size of Unframed Wor...
Canvas, Acrylic
Sea Birds in Surf
Located in Wilton Manors, FL
Beautiful seascape painting by American artist, James Floyd Clymer (1893-1982). Seabirds, ca.1930. Watercolor and pencil on paper measures 14 x 20 inches. Signed lower margin. SHIPS ROLLED. Matting removed. James Floyd Clymer ( 1893-1982 ) known for his Regionalist style of land, sea and cityscapes, created paintings with an emphasis on color and form. His works possess a clear and simple style, easily understood by the masses. Born in Perkasie Pennsylvania, 20 miles north of Philadelphia, Clymer was the youngest of seven children. Losing his mother during childbirth, he was raised by his eldest sister. He attended Drexel University in Philadelphia, studying Art and Architecture and worked as an Architect in the years following World War I. During this time, Clymer met the artist Gwenyth Waugh, daughter of the renowned marine painter, Frederick Judd Waugh. His thrust then changed from Architect to Artist. Together, the couple travelled to destinations such as Spain and Newfoundland, where they gave birth to their only daughter. In the early 1920's, Clymer and family settled in Provincetown, MA and quickly became associated with notable artists such as Helen Sawyer, Edwin Dickinson...
Watercolor, Rag Paper, Pencil
$4,273Sale Price|20% Off
Power
Located in London, London
oil on canvas one-of-a-kind hand signed The canvas will be shipped STRETCHED, unframed All custom charges are included in the final price agreed
Canvas, Cotton Canvas, Oil
Newfoundland Landscape (Canada)
Located in Wilton Manors, FL
Beautiful lanscape painting by American artist, James Floyd Clymer (1893-1982). Newfoundland, ca.1930. Watercolor and pencil on paper measures 14 x 20 inches. Signed lower margin. SHIPS ROLLED. James Floyd Clymer ( 1893-1982 ) known for his Regionalist style of land, sea and cityscapes, created paintings with an emphasis on color and form. His works possess a clear and simple style, easily understood by the masses. Born in Perkasie Pennsylvania, 20 miles north of Philadelphia, Clymer was the youngest of seven children. Losing his mother during childbirth, he was raised by his eldest sister. He attended Drexel University in Philadelphia, studying Art and Architecture and worked as an Architect in the years following World War I. During this time, Clymer met the artist Gwenyth Waugh, daughter of the renowned marine painter, Frederick Judd Waugh. His thrust then changed from Architect to Artist. Together, the couple travelled to destinations such as Spain and Newfoundland, where they gave birth to their only daughter. In the early 1920's, Clymer and family settled in Provincetown, MA and quickly became associated with notable artists such as Helen Sawyer...
Watercolor, Rag Paper, Pencil
White lace
Located in Zofingen, AG
On the canvas of the artwork "White Lace" nature unveils its delicate side, as if weaving an intricate lace fabric for its masterpiece. A wave, enveloped in pristine foam, intertwine...
Canvas, Oil
"A bouquet of lilacs"
Located in Edinburgh, GB
The idea came to me on a sunny May morning, when an armful of freshly cut lilacs found its way into the studio. Their scent instantly overpowered the smell of paint and solvents, fil...
Acrylic
A Gentle Breath, Contemporary Original Art, Skyscape Painting, Meditation Art
Located in Deddington, GB
A Gentle Breath is an orignal skyscape painting by Charlotte Elizabeth. Charlotte Elizabeth is available online and in our gallery at Wychwood Art. Charlotte has been working with paint professionally for over fifteen years. A prestigious training in theatre design preceded a busy career as a Theatrical Scenic Artist in London’s West End...
Canvas, Acrylic
Oil on Canvas by Christina Major Titled Cloudscape Series 2 49 x 49
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
See images for Quotes within painting handwritten by artist This painting is also sold in a diptych combo with a second piece but in this listing sold individually As an undergrad...
Oil
Coastal Patrol - original surrealist-realism oilpainting-contemporary 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, Acrylic
$1,199
“Suspended Cloud” Mixed media on canvas Atmosphere Mexican Artist Bound Rules
Located in Houston, TX
“Suspended Cloud” Mixed media on canvas Atmosphere Mexican Artist Bound by Rules 24" x 24" This painting by Mexican artist Nancy Rullan explores the feeling of being restricted or...
Cotton Canvas, Mixed Media
Vintage Signed American Modernist Framed Lake Landscape Large Oil Painting
Located in Buffalo, NY
Impressive early American modernist landscape oil painting. Framed. Oil on canvas. Signed. Image size, 28 H by 22L.
Canvas, Oil
$5,500
This is a Real Place! 2: large painting of lake or river w/ blue water & bridge
Located in Bryn Mawr, PA
"In the series “This is a real place!” I was fascinated by how the underside of the pier at Saint Simons Island, GA was like a readymade collage. The way the pilings and rails divide and frame the spaces between them looks artificially imposed on the scene until you notice the way the waves bounce off the pilings and the railings cast shadows on the water. In some iterations, I chose to simplify the structures of the pier and lighten the values so that it would emphasize the detail in the water. Likewise, I omitted a family of starlings and their droppings in favor of highlighting the geometry of the architecture and the colors and patterns of the water. Making paintings in a series allows me to investigate the results of making different decisions about an image. How I crop or stylize it, the manner in which I apply the paint, what gets included or excluded all add shades of meaning to each piece. Additionally, depictions of the same subject in different weather, seasons, times of day, and tides allows me a deeper understanding. I notice more relationships, colors, and details every time I paint the subject. Every painting is a pile of decisions. Playing with removing more and more details to see what is truly important sometimes improves the painting. The fewer elements you include in an image, the more each one means, and the more important it is to get each thing perfect. At times I like to paint every single detail I can find in a scene, and other times I feel like the unadorned components are sufficient to hold each other in a satisfying composition. I often add simplified shapes to my paintings to highlight the presence of absence or to heighten the importance of each area by creating stark visual contrasts. The physicality of the paint also plays a role. I used highly textured, thickly applied paint to construct the solid structural elements, and luminous layers of thinly glazed paint for the delicate linework and subtle blending of the water." - Brooke Lanier...
Oil, Panel
Oil on Canvas of Frank Sinatra 66 x 66
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Quotes within painting: "If you don't know a guy on the other side of the world, love him anyway because he is just like you. He has the same dreams the same hopes and fears. It's on...
Oil
$9,600Sale Price|20% Off
Autumn Breeze II, Figurative oil painting, woman in red orange dress
By Al Saralis
Located in Dallas, TX
Al Saralis – Autumn Breeze II (2025) Oil on canvas, 59 x 51 inches (150 x 130 cm) This evocative oil painting by British artist Al Saralis captures a solitary figure enveloped in th...
Cotton Canvas, Oil
Prints
Located in East Quogue, NY
Hyperreal oil painting by Anthony Adcock of a dirt footprint - gold and silver on paper, presented in wood frame. Image is hand drawn on paper. Anthony Adcock's hyperreal oil pain...
Gold, Silver
$1,363Sale Price|20% Off
Impasto Oil Painting of River & Silver Birch Trees - British Contemporary Artist
Located in Preston, GB
Impasto Oil Painting of River & Silver Birch Trees - by British Contemporary Artist, Terry Evans Art measures 20 x 24 inches Frame measures 25 x 29 inches A beautifully atmosph...
Canvas, Mixed Media, Oil
Oil on Canvas of Billie Holiday 48 x 48
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Christina Major was born in Concord, New Hampshire in 1982. She has lived all over the world including Hawaii, France, New York and more currently Florida. Christina has achieved h...
Oil
$2,400
"The Waves 09.28.2024" oil painting of ocean wave breaks, whitecaps, framed
Located in Sag Harbor, NY
The Waves 09.28.2024 is an oil painting by American Impressionist Nelson H. White. A calm blue sky meets the ocean in a the distant horizon. Waves break in the foreground, forming white-caps, painted in thick white strokes, connotting the chaotic crash of a wave. Signed "Nelson H. White 2024" in lower right corner Frame Dimensions 9 x 16in Framed in a custom Italian gold leaf frame. Nelson H. White was born in New London, Connecticut in 1932. White has been surrounded by art and artists from the time he was born. He received his earliest art instruction from his grandfather, Henry Cooke White (1861-1952) and his father Nelson Cooke White (1900-1989), both important American artists. The family lived in Waterford, Connecticut and the elder White had been an early member of the art colony in Old Lyme, Connecticut. Known for his paintings of the Connecticut landscape and shoreline, Henry Cooke White became a teacher to his son, Nelson Cooke White. Living with his parents at the Florence Griswold house in Old Lyme, he met some of the most important and influential artists of the day, Childe Hassam, Will Howe Foote...
Oil, Panel
"Morning tranquillity"
Located in Edinburgh, GB
There are moments when an image is born not in the mind, but simply at the tips of the brushes. A silence, warmed by the evening sun, reigned in the studio, and suddenly a clear sens...
Acrylic, Mixed Media
Garage, Painting, Oil on Canvas
By Robert LeMar
Located in Yardley, PA
Painting of a parking garage at dusk. One commuter hurries to her car. :: Painting :: Realism :: This piece comes with an official certificate of authenticity signed by the artist ::...
Oil
$1,589Sale Price|20% Off
Impasto Oil Painting of River Tree Scene British Postwar & Contemporary Artist
Located in Preston, GB
Impasto Oil Painting of River Tree Scene British Postwar & Contemporary Artist, Terry Evans Terry Evans is a British Postwar & Contemporary Painter born in 1943, known for h...
Canvas, Mixed Media, Oil
$5,500
This is a Real Place! 3: large painting of lake or river w/ blue water & bridge
Located in Bryn Mawr, PA
"In the series “This is a real place!” I was fascinated by how the underside of the pier at Saint Simons Island, GA was like a readymade collage. The way the pilings and rails divide and frame the spaces between them looks artificially imposed on the scene until you notice the way the waves bounce off the pilings and the railings cast shadows on the water. In some iterations, I chose to simplify the structures of the pier and lighten the values so that it would emphasize the detail in the water. Likewise, I omitted a family of starlings and their droppings in favor of highlighting the geometry of the architecture and the colors and patterns of the water. Making paintings in a series allows me to investigate the results of making different decisions about an image. How I crop or stylize it, the manner in which I apply the paint, what gets included or excluded all add shades of meaning to each piece. Additionally, depictions of the same subject in different weather, seasons, times of day, and tides allows me a deeper understanding. I notice more relationships, colors, and details every time I paint the subject. Every painting is a pile of decisions. Playing with removing more and more details to see what is truly important sometimes improves the painting. The fewer elements you include in an image, the more each one means, and the more important it is to get each thing perfect. At times I like to paint every single detail I can find in a scene, and other times I feel like the unadorned components are sufficient to hold each other in a satisfying composition. I often add simplified shapes to my paintings to highlight the presence of absence or to heighten the importance of each area by creating stark visual contrasts. The physicality of the paint also plays a role. I used highly textured, thickly applied paint to construct the solid structural elements, and luminous layers of thinly glazed paint for the delicate linework and subtle blending of the water." - Brooke Lanier...
Oil, Panel
"3 Pears Still Life with illusions" 40x50" soft focus oil on canvas
Located in Southampton, NY
This oil painting from 1985 is priced at a fraction of the original price. It was in our storage area and we just decided to put it on sale at a price which is a fraction of the original price. These still life with illusion paintings were originally sold in New York City at the D&D building on 59th street. It was a building that only interior designers were allowed to shop at. the general public could only go in with their interior designer to select an item. This came from the Haller Gallery in that space. It was originally priced at $3500 when at the gallery in the D&D building in NYC. It is oil on canvas and in very subtle colors. The top right area of the canvas show slight lines of cracking to the paint. You can see that on one of the close up images. The pale thick colors (The illusions) give a 3d floating look. We have another Still Life with 4 Pears also on sale this week.
Canvas, Oil
"4 Pears still Life with illusions" Soft focus Oil on canvas 42x66
Located in Southampton, NY
This oil painting from 1983 is priced at a fraction of the original price. It was originally priced at $3500 when at the gallery in the D&D building in NYC. It was in our storage a...
Canvas, Oil
Oil on Canvas by Christina Major Titled Cloudscape Series 1 & 2 49 x 98
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Quotes within painting are in images handwritten by artist As an undergraduate Christina Major developed into a portrait painter. Major has been interested in the ways the identity...
Oil
$39,996Sale Price|20% Off
Lowell Nesbitt, Mr. Jefferson’s Garden (Thomas Jefferson’s Garden), 1986
Located in Fairfield, CT
This exquisite oil painting by Lowell Nesbitt (1933–1993), titled Mr. Jefferson’s Garden (Thomas Jefferson’s Garden, Monticello, Virginia), exemplifies the artist’s radical expansion...
Linen, Oil
"A moment of solitude"
Located in Edinburgh, GB
This painting speaks to the importance of allowing yourself space for reflection, for a solitude that is not lonely. It teaches us to value vulnerability as a source of strength and ...
Acrylic, Mixed Media
$39,996Sale Price|20% Off
Lowell Nesbitt, Frosted Mountain, 1982
Located in Fairfield, CT
This exquisite oil painting by Lowell Nesbitt (1933–1993), titled Frosted Mountain, exemplifies the artist’s radical expansion of realism into a realm of monumental scale, heightened...
Linen, Oil
"Nox" (2023) By Allen Williams, Original Oil Painting
Located in Denver, CO
"Nox" (2023) by Allen Williams is an original handmade oil painting that depicts a disturbing a uncanny portrait of a man on a dim gold background. Abo...
Oil, Board
Raquel Welch Oil on Canvas by Christina Major
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Quotes within painting: "I'm optimistic about whatever is going to happen. We all have a childhood dream that when there is love, everything goes like silk, but the reality is that m...
Oil
$6,400Sale Price|20% Off
"Two Greyhounds" Realist Dogs in Venice Portrait Oil Painting on Canvas
By Chaval
Located in New York, NY
With the medium of traditional oil paint, this charming piece by Chaval is exceptionally detailed and thought-provoking. Following a realist approach, yet depicting some playful impe...
Canvas, Oil
Oil on Canvas by Christina Major Titled Cloud Series 1 49 x 49
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
See images for Quotes within painting handwritten by artist This painting is also sold in a diptych combo with a second piece but in this listing sold individually As an undergra...
Oil
$3,293Sale Price|30% Off
River Landscape Painting with Mountains & Trees by 20th Century Dutch Artist
By Joop Smits
Located in Preston, GB
River Landscape Painting with Mountains & Trees by 20th Century Dutch Artist, Joop Smits (1938-2014) Art measures 30 x 23 inches Frame ...
Oil, Board
The Mucker
Located in East Quogue, NY
Hyperreal oil painting by Anthony Adcock - Oil on ACM (aluminum composite material) *This is a hyperrealistic oil painting - What appears as wood grain and concrete is in fact oil p...
Mixed Media, Oil
$39,996Sale Price|20% Off
Lowell Nesbitt, Six Robes, 1974
Located in Fairfield, CT
This exquisite oil painting by Lowell Nesbitt (1933–1993), titled Six Robes, exemplifies the artist’s radical expansion of realism into a realm of monumental scale, heightened percep...
Linen, Oil
"Robert" Realist Deer Portrait in the Winter Oil Painting on Carved Wood Panel
By Chaval
Located in New York, NY
With the medium of traditional oil paint, this charming piece by Chaval is exceptionally detailed and thought-provoking. Following a realist approach, yet depicting some playful impe...
Oil, Wood Panel
"Vincent" Realist Cat Portrait in the Outdoors Oil Painting on Carved Wood Panel
By Chaval
Located in New York, NY
With the medium of traditional oil paint, this charming piece by Chaval is exceptionally detailed and thought-provoking. Following a realist approach, yet depicting some playful impe...
Oil, Wood Panel
Vintage European Impressionist Seascape Coastal Mediterranean Sea Town Painting
Located in Buffalo, NY
Vintage European impressionist coastal town oil painting. Oil on board. Framed. Signed. In excellent original condition. Handsomely framed in a wood molding. Excellent condition...
Oil, Board
$875
"Cactus Wren" (2022) By J. Adam McGalliard, Original Pastel Illustration
Located in Denver, CO
"Cactus Wren" (2022) by J. Adam McGalliard is an original, handmade pastel illustration on paper that depicts a small bird standing on a bloomed cactus. J. Adam McGalliard is a Co...
Paper, Pastel
Betty Davis Eyes Oil on Panel by Christina Major Diptych 16 x 32
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
As an undergraduate Christina Major developed into a portrait painter. Major has been interested in the ways the identity of both artist and subject can coexist in a portrait. Major ...
Oil
$39,996Sale Price|20% Off
Lowell Nesbitt, Shadow Iris, 1982
Located in Fairfield, CT
This exquisite oil painting by Lowell Nesbitt (1933–1993), titled Shadow Iris, exemplifies the artist’s radical expansion of realism into a realm of monumental scale, heightened perc...
Linen, Oil
Phantasmagorical 1
Located in Denver, CO
"Phantasmagorical 1," is an original oil painting on 2 acrylic panels by Michelle Jader. It is framed and ready-to-hang.
Oil, Panel, Mirror, Digital
Horizon - Hyperrealistic abstract wood still life landscape oil painting
Located in East Quogue, NY
Hyperrealist oil painting of wood horizon landscape still life painting by Anthony Adcock. **** This is a hyperrealistic oil painting. No wood o...
Copper
Forward - Hyperrealistic oil painting of rusty directional road sign
Located in East Quogue, NY
Hyperrealist oil painting of an oxidized, rusted metal road sign with orange chevron directional arrow detail by Anthony Adcock. Medium: Oil and silver leaf on aluminum Size: 15 x ...
Gold Leaf
The Muck
Located in East Quogue, NY
Hyperrealist oil painting of a muddy road sign with gold leaf detail by Anthony Adcock. Medium: Oil and 23.5 gold leaf on aluminum. Size: 15 x 10 inches. **No wood or mud/concr...
Gold Leaf
Untitled (After)
Located in East Quogue, NY
Hyperreal oil painting by Anthony Adcock titled "Untitled (After)"- Oil on mounted linen. **There is no steel or rust in this piece. It is hand-painted oil on linen canvas and mount...
Linen, Oil, Panel
"Cy Twombly love"
Located in Edinburgh, GB
In this vibrant creation, I have released a kaleidoscope of emotions through a vibrant spectrum of colors and dynamic shapes. Each curve and shade sings a song of freedom and joy. C...
Paper, Acrylic
Hear the Wind - original surrealist realism painting-contemporary 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, Acrylic
"Palette Swimmer" Oil Painting on Artist's Palette, Boy Swimming, 12x16inch
Located in Sag Harbor, NY
An oil painting by Ramiro Sanchez (b. 1974, Maracaibo, Venezuela) created in Sag Harbor, NY. After Ramiro painted a landscape composition for his gallery, the artist noticed his youn...
Oil, Panel
$25,000
"Soul"
Located in Edinburgh, GB
The sculpture "Soul" embodies the interconnection of the material and spiritual, the external and internal world of man. The figure of a graceful female form is divided into two part...
Granite, Bronze
$513
Annamarie Dzendrowskyj, Twilight - Poland I, Atmospheric Landscape Art
Located in Deddington, GB
Annamarie Dzendrowskyj Twilight – Poland I Signed by the artist Original oil painting on linen Canvas size: H 38cm x W 28 cm Please note that insitu images are purely an indication o...
Linen, Oil
$4,096
Fourteen Foot Bank - original surrealist -realism oil painting-contemporary 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, Acrylic
Oil on Canvas of Billie Holiday II 48 x 48
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Christina Major was born in Concord, New Hampshire in 1982. She has lived all over the world including Hawaii, France, New York and more currently Florida. Christina has achieved h...
Oil
$5,341
Power
Located in London, London
oil on canvas one-of-a-kind hand signed The canvas will be shipped STRETCHED, unframed All custom charges are included in the final price agreed
Canvas, Cotton Canvas, Oil