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Realist Figurative Paintings

REALIST STYLE

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.

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Style: Realist
"Amsterdam-Street" Realist Netherlands Cityscape Oil Painting on Canvas Framed
"Amsterdam-Street" Realist Netherlands Cityscape Oil Painting on Canvas Framed

"Amsterdam-Street" Realist Netherlands Cityscape Oil Painting on Canvas Framed

By George Jan Dispo

Located in New York, NY

A charming, realistic oil painting of a classic canal scene in Amsterdam, rendered in a traditional 19th-century academic style with a warm, inviting atmosphere. A tall, elegant ‘bef...

Category

Mid-20th Century Realist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

India Madras Painting on board Portrait of Serving Girl with Pot c 1910
India Madras Painting on board Portrait of Serving Girl with Pot c 1910

India Madras Painting on board Portrait of Serving Girl with Pot c 1910

Located in Norfolk, GB

Madras School C 1910 Acrylic on board 11.5" x 8" Address on verso This painting dating to the early 20th century, c 1910, shows a young woman, possibly from Madras (see info on reverse), The colours follow the conventions of a genre of art called Company School painting...

Category

1910s Realist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Mixed Media, Board

An Old 19th Century Genre Interior Depicting An Afternoon Nap, 1877
An Old 19th Century Genre Interior Depicting An Afternoon Nap, 1877

An Old 19th Century Genre Interior Depicting An Afternoon Nap, 1877

Located in Stockholm, SE

Jakob Kulle (1838–1898) Sweden An Afternoon Nap, 1877 signed and dated oil on canvas unframed 61 × 48 cm (24 × 18.9 in) framed 79 × 67 cm (31.1 × 26.4 in) Provenance: Purchased di...

Category

1870s Realist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

"The Dark Waters" Painting, Acrylic on Canvas, Signed
"The Dark Waters" Painting, Acrylic on Canvas, Signed

"The Dark Waters" Painting, Acrylic on Canvas, Signed

Located in Zofingen, AG

This refined contemporary painting combines narrative elegance with a strong visual signature. The striking red boat immediately anchors the composition, floating against richly text...

Category

2010s Realist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Cotton Canvas, Acrylic

French school Still Life fruits Oil painting Signed
French school Still Life fruits Oil painting Signed

French school Still Life fruits Oil painting Signed

Located in Zofingen, AG

➡️Still Life painting from C Romey⬅️ ⏩It is signed C Romey⏪ Cecil Romey 1889-1973 ⭐Medium:⭐ Oil on canvas ⭐Technique: ⭐Impasto painting with expressive brushwork. ⭐Size:⭐55x38 c...

Category

1950s Realist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Oil, Stretcher Bars, Gesso

British Chalk Pencil Sketch of a Horse Patiently Waiting at The Wooden Fence
British Chalk Pencil Sketch of a Horse Patiently Waiting at The Wooden Fence

British Chalk Pencil Sketch of a Horse Patiently Waiting at The Wooden Fence

Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire

John Rabone Harvey ( 1966 - 1922) graphic and chalk deep green artist paper , unframed artist paper : 5.5 x 7 inches Provenance: private collection Condition: very good condition Ha...

Category

Mid-19th Century Realist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Chalk, Graphite

"What Am I Looking At?.." Signed Acrylic Painting, Realist
"What Am I Looking At?.." Signed Acrylic Painting, Realist

"What Am I Looking At?.." Signed Acrylic Painting, Realist

Located in Zofingen, AG

This artwork blends calm seaside serenity with an unexpected, dreamlike encounter. A solitary girl stands on the shore, dressed in timeless black-and-white attire, her posture compos...

Category

2010s Realist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Acrylic

Crowded Street Scene From Luntmakargatan, Stockholm
Crowded Street Scene From Luntmakargatan, Stockholm

Crowded Street Scene From Luntmakargatan, Stockholm

Located in Stockholm, SE

Olof Arborelius (1842–1915) From Luntmakargatan, Stockholm oil on paper mounted on board signed with monogram “OA” unframed 24 × 30 cm (9.4 × 11.8 in) frame 35 × 41 cm (13.8 × 16.1...

Category

Early 1900s Realist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Oil, Board, Laid Paper

"What?.." Surreal Figurative Painting, Acrylic on Canvas, Signed
"What?.." Surreal Figurative Painting, Acrylic on Canvas, Signed

"What?.." Surreal Figurative Painting, Acrylic on Canvas, Signed

Located in Zofingen, AG

This painting invites the viewer into a quiet, surreal moment suspended between reality and dream. A young woman, draped in black, leans forward onto a round wooden table, her postur...

Category

2010s Realist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Acrylic, Cotton Canvas

"The New Scene of Van Eyden" Acrylic on Canvas, Signed
"The New Scene of Van Eyden" Acrylic on Canvas, Signed

"The New Scene of Van Eyden" Acrylic on Canvas, Signed

Located in Zofingen, AG

In The New Scene of Van Eyden, I reimagine a classical genre scene as a contemporary reflection on self-perception. Three figures — myself, my avatar, and the avatar’s companion — sh...

Category

2010s Realist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Acrylic, Cotton Canvas

Portrait of an Edwardian Dandy (Man)
Portrait of an Edwardian Dandy (Man)

Portrait of an Edwardian Dandy (Man)

Located in Wilton Manors, FL

Portrait of an Edwardian Dandy Gentleman, 2003. Acrylic on canvas, 16 x 20 inches. Signed with monogram and dated lower right.

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Cotton Canvas, Acrylic

Tigress Acrylic and Oil Painting on Canvas, Realist Style, 2000
Tigress Acrylic and Oil Painting on Canvas, Realist Style, 2000

Tigress Acrylic and Oil Painting on Canvas, Realist Style, 2000

Located in Sitges, Barcelona

Author: Rodolfo Ramírez Cardo (Havana, Cuba) Title: Version of “Tigress” by Karl Bang Year: 2000 Technique: Acrylic and oil on canvas Dimensions: 64 x 85 cm (25.2 x 33.5 in) (unframe...

Category

Early 2000s Realist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Ballerinas at the dressing room
Ballerinas at the dressing room

Ballerinas at the dressing room

Located in Zofingen, AG

In this piece, I captured the quiet, tender moments before the performance, where anticipation and grace blend beautifully. Using oil, I brought warmth and life to the dancers’ delic...

Category

2010s Realist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Basket Of Red Cherries Still-Life Oil Painting With Gilt Frame
Basket Of Red Cherries Still-Life Oil Painting With Gilt Frame

Basket Of Red Cherries Still-Life Oil Painting With Gilt Frame

Located in Frederiksberg C, DK

This still life painting depicts a woven basket brimming with ripe cherries, delicately arranged on a tabletop against a subdued background. The cherries are rendered with a sheen, t...

Category

Late 19th Century Realist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

British Chalk Pencil Sketch of a Horse and Farmers Preparing The Hay Cart
British Chalk Pencil Sketch of a Horse and Farmers Preparing The Hay Cart

British Chalk Pencil Sketch of a Horse and Farmers Preparing The Hay Cart

Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire

John Rabone Harvey ( 1966 - 1922) graphic and chalk deep green artist paper , unframed artist paper : 5.5 x 7 inches Provenance: private collection Condition: very good condition Dou...

Category

Mid-19th Century Realist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Chalk, Graphite

Such Times, Such Fruits Painting, Acrylic on Canvas, Signed, 75x95 cm
Such Times, Such Fruits Painting, Acrylic on Canvas, Signed, 75x95 cm

Such Times, Such Fruits Painting, Acrylic on Canvas, Signed, 75x95 cm

Located in Zofingen, AG

This painting reimagines Valentin Serov’s iconic “Girl with Peaches” through the emotional and psychological lens of contemporary Ukraine. In Serov’s original, the young girl sits in...

Category

2010s Realist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Cotton Canvas, Acrylic

Sunflowers in a Mediterranean Landscape, 20th Century Oil on Canvas
Sunflowers in a Mediterranean Landscape, 20th Century Oil on Canvas

Sunflowers in a Mediterranean Landscape, 20th Century Oil on Canvas

Located in Preston, GB

Sunflowers in a Mediterranean Landscape Art measures 24 x 20 inches Frame measures 26 x 22 inches Sunlit Reverie Among the Sunflowers Original oil painting by Vinny (inspired by ...

Category

20th Century Realist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Matthew (male portrait)
Matthew (male portrait)

Matthew (male portrait)

By Randall Exon

Located in Wilton Manors, FL

Randall Exon (b.1956). Matthew, 1990. Oil on wood panel. Measures 24 x 36 inches. Unframed. Excellent condition with no damage or conservation. Signed and dated lower right. Gallery stamp on verso. Plastic wall mount taped down on verso. Provenance: The More Gallery INC, Philadelphia; Aramark Corporate Collection. Randall Exon (b. 1956) was born in Vermillion, South Dakota. Exon earned his B.F.A. in painting from Washburn University in Topeka, Kansas, and an M.F.A. at the University of Iowa. In 2003, the James A. Michener Art Museum in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, staged a solo exhibition of his work. He was awarded the Thomas Benedict Clarke Prize in the 2004 179th Annual Invitation Exhibition of Contemporary American Art at the National Academy Museum and School of Fine Arts, New York. More recently, Exon’s work was featured in Visions of the Susquehanna, a traveling exhibition organized by the Lancaster Museum of Art, Pennsylvania, in 2008, and Haunting Narratives, a major exhibition at the Woodmere Art Museum, Philadelphia, in 2012. BORN 1956 Vermillion, SD EDUCATION 1982 M.F.A. in Painting, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 1981 Skowhegan School of Painting, Skowhegan, ME 1981 M.A. in Painting, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 1978 B.F.A. in Painting, Washburn University, Topeka, KS SOLO EXHIBITIONS 2013 Hirschl & Adler Modern, New York, NY 2009 Hirschl & Adler Modern, New York, NY 2007 Hirschl & Adler Modern, New York, NY 2004 Hirschl & Adler Modern, New York, NY 2003 Randall Exon: A Quiet Light, James A. Michener Art Museum, Doylestown, PA 2001 Mulvane Museum of Art, Topeka, KS 2000 More Gallery, Philadelphia, PA 1998 More Gallery, Philadelphia, PA 1996 More Gallery, Philadelphia, PA 1994 More Gallery, Philadelphia, PA 1993 Tasis England American School, Main Gallery, Thorpe, Surrey, England 1992 More Gallery, Philadelphia, PA Theatre Gallery, Washburn University, Topeka, KS Widener University Art Museum, Chester, PA 1990 Charles More Gallery, Philadelphia, PA 1988 West Chester University, McKinney Gallery, Mitchell Hall, West Chester, PA Charles More Gallery, Philadelphia, PA Carleton College, Northfield, MN 1987 University of Maine at Machias, University Gallery, ME Topeka Public Library, Central Gallery, KS 1986 More Gallery, Philadelphia, PA 1984 More Gallery, Philadelphia, PA Stoneybrook School, Suffolk, Long Island, NY 1981-82 Florence Wilcox Gallery, Swarthmore College, PA Beauchamp Gallery, Topeka, KS SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS 2019 Unforeseeable Thereness, Stanek Gallery, Philadelphia, PA 2018 Vis-à-Vis, Hirschl & Adler Galleries, New York, NY 2017 The New Baroque, Booth Gallery, New York, NY, curated by Robert Zeller Painted Landscapes: Contemporary Views, Heritage Museums and Gardens, Sandwich, MA 2016 Mixed Environs: Contemporary Painters, Lore Degenstein Gallery, Susquehanna University, Selinsgrove, PA 2015 Home is Where the Art Is, Hirschl & Adler Galleries, New York, NY 2014 Our American Life, Hirschl & Adler Galleries, New York, NY 2014 Edge of the Seat, The Rye Arts Center Gallery, Rye, NY 2013 Duets: Art in Conversation, Hirschl & Adler Galleries, New York, NY 2012 Haunting Narratives: Detours from Philadelphia Realism, 1935-Present, Woodmere Art Museum, Philadelphia, PA Structuring Nature, Walton Arts Center, Fayetteville, AR Summer Selections, Hirschl & Adler Modern, New York, NY 2011 Masterworks: The Best of Hirschl & Adler, Hirschl & Adler Galleries, New York, NY 2010 Summer Selections, Hirschl & Adler Modern, New York, NY 2009 Holiday Selections, Hirschl & Adler Modern, New York, NY 2008-2009 American Green – Art and Stewardship, Somerville-Manning Gallery, Greenville, DE 2008 Holiday Selections, Hirschl & Adler Modern, New York, NY Summer Selections, Hirschl & Adler Modern, New York, NY 2007 Finding a Form: Influences in Figurative Painting, Tower Gallery, Philadelphia, PA Holiday Selections, Hirschl & Adler Modern, New York, NY Summer Selections, Hirschl & Adler Modern, New York, NY 2006-2008 Visions of the Susquehanna, Susquehanna Art Museum, PA; Governor’s Residence, Harrisburgh, PA; Washington County Museum of Fine Arts, Hagerstown, MD; Roberson Center for Art and Science, Binghamton, NY. 2006 Summer Selections, Hirschl & Adler Modern, New York, NY 2004 179th Annual: An Invitational Exhibition of Contemporary American Art, National Academy of Design, New York, NY Selected Works from the Ballinglen Collection, United States Embassy to Ireland, Ambassadors Residence, Phoenix Park, Dublin, Republic of Ireland. Part of the Art in the Embassies Program, Washington D.C. 2001 Personal Affinities, Contemporary Artists Influenced by the works of Edwin Dickinson, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts Museum, Philadelphia, PA 2000 December Show, Fenton Gallery, Cork City, Ireland Works from the Archives, Ballinglen Arts Foundation, Ballycastle, County Mayo, Ireland 1999 New Realism for a New Millennium, Memorial Art Gallery, University of Rochester, NY Indomitable Spirits, The Figure At The End Of The Century, The Art Institute of Southern California, Laguna Beach, CA 1998 Visual Poetry, A Selection of Work by Artists Inspired by the Words and Sentiments of Walt Whitman, Stedman Gallery, Rutgers University, Camden, NJ The Artist's Window, Lee Hansley Gallery, Raleigh, NC Embodied Fictions, Twelve Contemporary Figure Painters, The Boyden Gallery, St. Mary's College of Maryland, St. Mary’s City, MD 1997 Abstract and Image, Four Painters, Hopkin's Center, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH An Extended View: Landscapes by Philadelphia Artists, Levy and Paley Galleries, Moore College of Art and Design, Philadelphia, PA 1996 Figure Drawings, Hillyer Hall, Smith College, Northampton, MA Figurative Paintings, Edith Caldwell Gallery, San Francisco, CA A Show of Hands (Exhibit and auction to assist AIDS research), Moore College of Art and Design, Philadelphia, PA 1994 Figures in the Landscape, More Gallery, Philadelphia, PA 1992 Landscapes by Randall Exon & Joseph Byrne, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH 1991 A Show of Hands, Moore College of Art and Design, Philadelphia, PA 1991 Ten Contemporary Philadelphia Painters, Westmoreland Museum, Greensburg, PA 1991 Sport in Art, Woodmere Museum, Chestnut Hill, PA 1990 Myth and Monument, More Gallery, Philadelphia, PA 1990 Evidence of the Senses, 7 Painters, Woodmere Museum, Chestnut Hill, PA Pollack Award Winners, Mulvane Gallery, Washburn University, Topeka, KS 1989 Works on Paper, More Gallery, Philadelphia, PA Nocturnes, More Gallery, Philadelphia, PA 1986 Nature Morte, Southern Alleghenies Museum of Art, St. Francis College, Loretto, PA 1984 The Spirit of the Coast: Paintings, Monmouth Museum, NJ Drawings: Personal and Intimate, More Gallery, Philadelphia, PA Night Paintings, Florence Wilcox Gallery, Swarthmore, PA 1983 Realist Direction, Penn State University Museum, University Park, PA 1981 Graduate Student Traveling Exhibit, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 1980 Selected Painters, Mulvane Gallery, Washburn University, Topeka, KS 1979 Artists Choose Artists Exhibit, University of Missouri at Kansas City Art Gallery, MO JURIED SHOWS 1990 Philadelphia Art Now, Philadelphia Museum of Art, PA 1989 State of Pennsylvania Juried Exhibition, William Penn Museum, Harrisburg, PA 1987 State of Pennsylvania Juried Exhibition, William Penn Museum, Harrisburg, PA 1984 Butler Institute of American Art Annual Exhibit, Youngstown, OH National Academy of Design Biannual Competition, New York, NY 1981 32nd Iowa Artists Exhibition, Des Moines Art Center, Des Moines, IA 1980 Iowa Artists Solon, Burnnier Gallery, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 1979 Kansas Bankers Association Exhibition, Topeka, KS AWARDS/GRANTS/RESIDENCIES 2004 The Thomas Benedict Clarke Prize, 179th Annual Invitational Exhibition of Contemporary American Art, National Academy Museum and School of Fine Arts, New York, NY 2001 2nd Fellowship, Ballinglen Arts Foundation, Ballycastle, County Mayo, Ireland Eugene M. Lang Faculty Fellowship, Swarthmore College, PA 1997 Fellow, Ballinglen Arts Foundation, Ballycastle, County Mayo, Ireland 1992 Washburn Fellow, Washburn University, Topeka, KS 1989 Eugene M. Lang Faculty Fellowship, Swarthmore College, PA 1988 Andrew Carnegie Prize, 163rd Annual Exhibition of the National Academy of Design, New York, NY 1987 1985-86 1984 1981 1981 1980 1976, 78 TEACHING 1982-present 1994-00 1980-82 Best of Show prize, juried museum exhibition, The State Museum of Pennsylvania, Harrisburg, PA Henry Luce Scholar, Bali, Indonesia Julius Halgarten Prize for Best Painting by an Artist under 35 years of age Academy of Design Annual Exhibition, New York, NY Iowa Artists Salon, Second Prize Skowhegan Scholarship Award, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA Student Award, 32nd Iowa Artists Exhibition, Des Moines Art Center, IA Charles Pollack purchase prize for the best painting from annual student exhibition, Washburn University, Topeka, KS Professor in Studio Arts, Swarthmore College, Swarthmore, PA Chair, Department of Art, Swarthmore College, Swarthmore, PA Teaching Assistant to Ben Frank Moss, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA VISITING ARTIST/LECTURES 2002 2001 1998 1995 1994 1993 1994, 1992 1992 1989 1987 1986 1985 1982 Pennsylvania State University, Abington, PA Hollins College, Roanoke, VA Maryland Arts Institute, Baltimore, MD Beaver College, Glenside, PA Union College, Department of Art, Schenectady, NY Allentown Art Museum, PA Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Philadelphia, PA Bucks County Community College, Newtown, PA Tasis England American School, Thorpe, Surrey, England Boston Art Institute, MA Boston University, M.F.A. program, MA Beaver College, Department of Art, Philadelphia, PA Dartmouth College, Department of Visual Studies, Hanover, NH Dartmouth College, Department of Visual Studies, Hanover, NH Carleton College, Northfield, MN University of Maine at Machias, ME Horsham College of Art, Horsham, England Stoneybrook School, Suffolk, Long Island, NY Moore College of Art, Basic Drawing, Philadelphia, PA Vassar College, Department of Art, Poughkeepsie, NY PUBLIC COLLECTIONS Allentown Art Museum, PA ARA Corporation, Philadelphia, PA Security Pacific National Bank, Sanger Branch, Los Angeles, CA University of Iowa, Permanent Collection, Iowa City, IA Mulvane Gallery Permanent Collection, Washburn University, Topeka, KS Woodmere Museum, Mt. Airy, Philadelphia, PA Henry Luce Foundation, New York, NY Henry Wendt Collection, Philadelphia, PA Susquehanna Art Museum, Harrisburg, PA SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY Sozanski, Edward J. “Simple Situations, in almost holy light,” Philadelphia Inquirer , February 7, 2003 Francis, Naila,“Studies in Light, Space,” The Intelligencer, January 9, 2003 Thompson, Jodi, “Fabulous Realism, seeing the light,” Out & About, January 9, 2003 Hopkin, Alannah, The Irish Examiner, July 1, 2002 Hopkin, Alannah, The Irish Examiner, January 2002 Sosanski, Edward, Philadelphia Inquirer, February 2001 Carr, Jeffrey, “Landscapes of the Imagination,” American Artist, January 1999 “On The Town,” New York Times Art Review, November 1998 Adelson, Fred B...

Category

1990s Realist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Oil, Wood Panel

BE WATER
BE WATER

BE WATER

Located in Zofingen, AG

She floats where silence begins — just beneath the skin of the water. Her form is neither here nor gone, dissolving into rhythm and light. There is no past, no edge, no name — only t...

Category

2010s Realist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Oil, Wood Panel

Loch Eilt in the Scottish Highlands Realist Landscape Vintage Oil Painting
Loch Eilt in the Scottish Highlands Realist Landscape Vintage Oil Painting

Loch Eilt in the Scottish Highlands Realist Landscape Vintage Oil Painting

By William McGregor

Located in Preston, GB

Loch Eilt in the Scottish Highlands Landscape Vintage Painting. A beautiful realist oil painting of the Scottish Highlands from a highly respected British Artist. Art measures 33 x...

Category

20th Century Realist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Cotton Canvas, Oil

Early 20th Century  Maritime Oil Painting of RMS Aquitania in New York Harbor
Early 20th Century  Maritime Oil Painting of RMS Aquitania in New York Harbor

Early 20th Century Maritime Oil Painting of RMS Aquitania in New York Harbor

Located in Soquel, CA

Original Maritime Oil Painting of RMS Aquitania in New York Harbor by Frederick Hoertz. Original painting of Cunard Line’s Aquitania by Frederick Hoertz (American, 1889-1978) that w...

Category

1920s Realist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Oil, Linen, Stretcher Bars

Chinese Contemporary Art by Su Yu - The Ying-Yang Game in the Age
Chinese Contemporary Art by Su Yu - The Ying-Yang Game in the Age

Chinese Contemporary Art by Su Yu - The Ying-Yang Game in the Age

By Su Yu

Located in Paris, IDF

Oil on canvas Su Yu is a Chinese artist born in 1987 who lives and works in Beijing. He was an old student of prestigious art teachers as Shi Liang & Chen Danqing at Oil Paintin...

Category

2010s Realist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Painting of Mountain Cottages by River in Ireland by 20th Century Irish Artist
Painting of Mountain Cottages by River in Ireland by 20th Century Irish Artist

Painting of Mountain Cottages by River in Ireland by 20th Century Irish Artist

By Robert B Higgins

Located in Preston, GB

Painting of Mountain Cottages by River in Ireland by 20th Century Irish Artist Art measures 20 x 16 inches Frame measures 24 x 20 inches This captivating oil painting portrays a ...

Category

20th Century Realist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Oil, Board

The Wool Winder (1877) by Swedish Female Artist Emma Ekwall
The Wool Winder (1877) by Swedish Female Artist Emma Ekwall

The Wool Winder (1877) by Swedish Female Artist Emma Ekwall

Located in Stockholm, SE

In The Wool Winder, Emma Ekwall captures a moment of quiet domestic intimacy between a young woman and a man as they wind wool together—she with focused care, he with gentle attentiv...

Category

1870s Realist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Venetian Vedutist - 19th century landscape painting - View of Venice Colleoni
Venetian Vedutist - 19th century landscape painting - View of Venice Colleoni

Venetian Vedutist - 19th century landscape painting - View of Venice Colleoni

Located in Varmo, IT

Venetian painter (dated 1892) - Venice, view of Campo SS. Giovanni e Paolo with the statue of Colleoni. 40 x 22 cm without frame, 59.5 x 41.5 cm with frame. Oil on canvas, in an an...

Category

Late 19th Century Realist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Giacomo Guardi (Venetian vedutist) - late 18th century painting - Venice View
Giacomo Guardi (Venetian vedutist) - late 18th century painting - Venice View

Giacomo Guardi (Venetian vedutist) - late 18th century painting - Venice View

Located in Varmo, IT

Giacomo Guardi (Venice 1764 - Venice 1835) - Venice, view of the island of San Lazzaro degli Armeni. 11 x 17 cm unframed, 28 x 34 cm with frame. Tempera on paper, in a wooden frame...

Category

Late 18th Century Realist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Paper, Tempera

Gentleman Caller Southern Belle
Gentleman Caller Southern Belle

Gentleman Caller Southern Belle

Located in Wilton Manors, FL

Beautiful illustration art painting depicts a gentleman calling on a Southern belle. Oil on canvas measures 16 x 20 inches; 18 x 22 inches framed. Signed lower left.

Category

Mid-20th Century Realist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Oil

Chinese Contemporary Art by Su Yu - 250USdollar
Chinese Contemporary Art by Su Yu - 250USdollar

Chinese Contemporary Art by Su Yu - 250USdollar

By Su Yu

Located in Paris, IDF

Oil on canvas Su Yu is a Chinese artist born in 1987 who lives and works in Beijing. He was an old student of prestigious art teachers as Shi Liang & Chen Danqing at Oil Paintin...

Category

2010s Realist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

"Baptism of Christ"
"Baptism of Christ"

"Baptism of Christ"

Located in Edinburgh, GB

Unidentified Bolognese Artist, 18th Century – "Baptism of Christ" Medium: Oil on canvas Dimensions: 119 x 151 cm (unframed), 133 x 168 cm (framed) Provenance: Private collection No...

Category

18th Century Realist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

"Morning Nook" (2025), Original Landscape Still Life Oil Painting on Panel
"Morning Nook" (2025), Original Landscape Still Life Oil Painting on Panel

"Morning Nook" (2025), Original Landscape Still Life Oil Painting on Panel

Located in Denver, CO

"Hosta Party" by Tracy Wall (United States) is an original, handmade oil painting that depicts a landscape and is framed and ready to hang. As an artist, Tracy Wall sheds new light ...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Oil, Panel

"Sailing in the Afternoon" Realist Oil Painting on Board of Sailboat in Open Sea
"Sailing in the Afternoon" Realist Oil Painting on Board of Sailboat in Open Sea

"Sailing in the Afternoon" Realist Oil Painting on Board of Sailboat in Open Sea

By George Nemethy

Located in New York, NY

George Nemethy finds his inspiration in moments of quiet and solitude. Where he finds himself one with the sea and the sky and the tranquil world which he freely escapes to. Trained from an early age by his father Albert Nemethy, a world-renowned painter known best for his large scale steamer boats, George found...

Category

Late 20th Century Realist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Oil, Canvas, Board

Alpine Mountain Hut Vintage Landscape Painting by 20th Century German Artist
Alpine Mountain Hut Vintage Landscape Painting by 20th Century German Artist

Alpine Mountain Hut Vintage Landscape Painting by 20th Century German Artist

Located in Preston, GB

Alpine Mountain Hut - Vintage Landscape Painting by 20th Century German Artist, Fritz Haupt Art measures 11 x 9 inches Frame measures 15 x 13 inches This exquisite painting by F....

Category

20th Century Realist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Cotton Canvas, Oil

"Sunset West" (2025) Oil Painting, Colorado Landscape
"Sunset West" (2025) Oil Painting, Colorado Landscape

"Sunset West" (2025) Oil Painting, Colorado Landscape

By Michael Magrin

Located in Denver, CO

Michael Magrin's ( US based) "Sunset West" is an original, handmade oil painting of a sunset above Colorado plains. This piece is framed in a "barn wood" frame and is ready to hang. ...

Category

2010s Realist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Linen, Oil, Wood Panel

Let Go 3, Male Nude, Original Oil Painting on Panel, Realist Style, 21st Century
Let Go 3, Male Nude, Original Oil Painting on Panel, Realist Style, 21st Century

Let Go 3, Male Nude, Original Oil Painting on Panel, Realist Style, 21st Century

Located in Chicago, IL

Let Go 1, 2, 3 (Series) In these paintings, Zdrale depicts multiple figures—often iterations of the same man—locked in a cycle of struggle. The ropes that coil around or extend from ...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Oil, Panel

"Return of the Prodigal Son" Realist Acrylic Painting on Canvas
"Return of the Prodigal Son" Realist Acrylic Painting on Canvas

"Return of the Prodigal Son" Realist Acrylic Painting on Canvas

Located in Zofingen, AG

This painting captures a quiet yet emotionally charged moment where symbolism gently emerges from everyday life. A woman embraces a black cat whose direct gaze creates an immediate p...

Category

2010s Realist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Cotton Canvas, Acrylic

A summer day
A summer day

A summer day

Located in Zofingen, AG

I captured a serene moment of elegant solitude, where light dances softly on delicate petals and polished surfaces. This oil painting celebrates grace and quiet confidence, inviting ...

Category

2010s Realist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

"Gipsy Musicians"
"Gipsy Musicians"

"Gipsy Musicians"

Located in Edinburgh, GB

Kaspar Waldmann (1657–1720) – "Gypsy Musicians" Medium: Oil on canvas Dimensions: 100 x 149 cm (unframed), 102 x 151 cm (framed) Provenance: Private collection Historical Context &...

Category

17th Century Realist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

"Vasyl in a sheepskin coat"
"Vasyl in a sheepskin coat"

"Vasyl in a sheepskin coat"

Located in Edinburgh, GB

The portrait of a young man is painted in oil. He poses in the center of the frame, facing the viewer. He is wearing a dark blue shirt with a white collar, over which he has thrown ...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Portrait of a Young Boy Seen from Behind
Portrait of a Young Boy Seen from Behind

Portrait of a Young Boy Seen from Behind

Located in Stockholm, SE

This intimate oil painting presents a young boy viewed from a three-quarter rear angle, caught in a quiet, reflective moment. The child’s back is turned gently toward the viewer, ren...

Category

1890s Realist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil, Board

Realist figurative paintings for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a wide variety of authentic Realist figurative paintings available for sale on 1stDibs. Works in this style were very popular during the 21st Century and Contemporary, but contemporary artists have continued to produce works inspired by this movement. If you’re looking to add figurative paintings created in this style to introduce contrast in an otherwise neutral space in your home, the works available on 1stDibs include elements of blue, purple, red, orange and other colors. Many Pop art paintings were created by popular artists on 1stDibs, including Su Yu, Janusz Szpyt, JC Spock, and Matt Talbert. Frequently made by artists working with Paint, and Oil Paint and other materials, all of these pieces for sale are unique and have attracted attention over the years. Not every interior allows for large Realist figurative paintings, so small editions measuring 0.5 inches across are also available.