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.
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Style: Realist
"Purple Rose of Cujo" Oil Painting
Located in Denver, CO
Pug with purple flowers
Category
2010s Realist Figurative Paintings
Materials
Oil
European Cityscape #4
Located in San Francisco, CA
This artwork "European Cityscape" c. 1990 is a oil painting on hard board by Argentinian artist Henry D. Ramirez. It is signed at the lower right corner by the artist. The hard board...
Category
Late 20th Century Realist Figurative Paintings
Materials
Oil
The Autumn portrait
Located in Zofingen, AG
In this oil painting, I aimed to capture the quiet melancholy and reflective beauty of autumn through the soulful eyes of a young woman cloaked in a deep blue coat. Her gaze, interwo...
Category
2010s Realist Figurative Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
Crocs, Award Winning Cuban Artist, Realism, Oil Painting On Canvas Gallery Wrap
Located in Houston, TX
Check for Free Shipping at Check Out Reduced from $3200
Crocs is a painting by the young Cuban artist, Osley Gil. It was painted in 2021 in Havana in the tr...
Category
2010s Realist Figurative Paintings
Materials
Cotton Canvas, Oil
Edwardian Ecclesiastical Gouache Design for Tripytch Above Altar c1920 Art Deco
Located in London, GB
Anonymous
Design for Triptych Above Altar
British, c. 1920s
Gouache
38×28.5cm
Christ Pantocrator stands in the middle of the design, surrounded by the four evangelists (Saints Matthew...
Category
1920s Realist Figurative Paintings
Materials
Gouache
"Sunset Storm", Oil Painting
By Gordon Brown
Located in Denver, CO
Gordon Brown's "Sunset Storm" is an original, handmade oil painting that depicts an atmospheric landscape with a panoramic views of the sun setting while ...
Category
2010s Realist Figurative Paintings
Materials
Oil
"Genre Scene"
Located in Edinburgh, GB
Unidentified Artist (German, 19th Century)
Oil on Canvas
Framed: 41 × 52 cm
Flat: 30 × 40 cm
This dramatic and vividly detailed 19th-century oil painting captures the chaotic mome...
Category
19th Century Realist Figurative Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
"Here and Now, " Oil Painting
Located in Denver, CO
Linda Tracey Brandon's (US based) "Here and Now" is an oil painting that depicts a feminine figure juxtaposed with a floral patterning.
Linda Tracey Brandon is a nationally recogniz...
Category
2010s Realist Figurative Paintings
Materials
Oil
"Trees 3" (2024) By Brian Sostrom, Original Acrylic Painting
Located in Denver, CO
"Trees 3" (2024) by Brian Sostrom is an original handmade acrylic painting that depicts a pine trees in front of a colorful sunset with flowing clouds above.
Brian Sostrom grew up ...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Realist Figurative Paintings
Materials
Acrylic, Wood Panel
"Classic Krispy" (2025) by Gregory Block, Original Oil Painting, Donuts in Box
Located in Denver, CO
Gregory Block's (US based) "Classic Krispy" is an original, handmade painting that depicts a variety of twelve fresh donuts in high detail.
About the Artist:
Gregory was born in Kan...
Category
2010s Realist Figurative Paintings
Materials
Oil
Johnny the Pioneer
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
Shipping Procedure
FREE Shipping Worldwide
Ships in a well-protected tube from Nigeria
This work is unique, not a print or other type of copy.
Accompanied by a Certificate of Authent...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Realist Figurative Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
Chinese Contemporary Art by Su Yu - The Letter
By Su Yu
Located in Paris, IDF
Oil on canvas
Su Yu is a Chinese artist born in 1987 who lives & works in Beijing in China. He was an old student of prestigious art teachers as Shi Liang & Chen Danqing at Oil Pain...
Category
2010s Realist Figurative Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
"Rooster" Original Oil and Acrylic Painting
Located in Denver, CO
Conrado López's "Rooster," a 2023 artwork, is a striking representation of the vibrant and spirited nature of its subject. Crafted with acrylic, gold leaf, and oil on a canvas measur...
Category
2010s Realist Figurative Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
Easter’s Dream, 20” x 30” inches, oil on canvas
Located in Riga, LV
Title: Easter’s Dream
Size: 20” x 30” inches
Medium: Original oil on canvas
Category
2010s Realist Figurative Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
Early Summer Period Excursions from London, 1930s railway poster design
Located in London, GB
A. E. Halliwell (1905-1987)
Early Summer Period Excursions from London
Gouache
26 x 15 cm
c.1930
Provenance: Family of the artist
A.E. Halliwell (1905–1986) was a British artist, i...
Category
1930s Realist Figurative Paintings
Materials
Gouache
Xmas Period Excursions from London, 1930s railway poster design
Located in London, GB
A. E. Halliwell (1905-1987)
Xmas Period Excursions from London
Gouache
26 x 15 cm
c.1930
Provenance: Family of the artist
A.E. Halliwell (1905–1986) was a British artist, illustrat...
Category
1930s Realist Figurative Paintings
Materials
Gouache
Easter Excursions from London, 1930s railway poster design by A. E. Halliwell
Located in London, GB
A. E. Halliwell (1905-1987)
Easter Excursions from London
Gouache
26 x 15 cm
c.1930
Provenance: Family of the artist
A.E. Halliwell (1905–1986) was a British artist, illustrator, a...
Category
1930s Realist Figurative Paintings
Materials
Gouache
Holidays on the Continent, 1930s railway poster design by A. E. Halliwell
Located in London, GB
A. E. Halliwell (1905-1987)
Holidays on the Continent
Gouache
19 x 13 cm
Stamped to reverse, A E Halliwell Gunnersbury Gardens.
c.1930
Provenance: Family of the artist
A.E. Halliwel...
Category
1930s Realist Figurative Paintings
Materials
Gouache
Summer and Bank Holiday Period Excursions, 1930s railway poster design
Located in London, GB
A. E. Halliwell (1905-1987)
Summer and August Bank Holiday Period Excursions
Gouache
26 x 15 cm
c.1930
Provenance: Family of the artist
A.E. Halliwell (1905–1986) was a British art...
Category
1930s Realist Figurative Paintings
Materials
Gouache
Portrait of African Man Tanzania - Signed Oil Painting circa 1970's
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Artist/ School: The work is signed and dates to the 1970's period.
Title: Portrait of an Africa Woman, believed to be from Tanzania (according to previous owner).
Medium: oil paint...
Category
20th Century Realist Figurative Paintings
Materials
Oil
Harbour Cove-Original impressionism Cornish Seascape oil painting- modern art
Located in London, Chelsea
"Harbour Cove" by Lenny Cornforth is a captivating original seascape painting that transports viewers to the picturesque shores of Cornwall. Created with oil on canvas, Cornforth's c...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Realist Figurative Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
Americano with Milk
Located in Zofingen, AG
In this artwork, captured using acrylic paints, I highlighted the vintage allure and vividness of an American roadside scene. Vibrant contrasts and symbolic elements such as the oran...
Category
2010s Realist Figurative Paintings
Materials
Cotton Canvas, Acrylic
"Sunlit Heights" Oil Painting
Located in Denver, CO
Rob Alexander's "Sunlit Heights" is an original, handmade oil painting that depicts snow capped blue mountains rising from the mist.
This painting is c...
Category
2010s Realist Figurative Paintings
Materials
Oil, Wood Panel
Daenerys morning
Located in Zofingen, AG
Once upon a time, a wonderful girl posed for Evgeniy, outwardly very similar to the well-known blonde from Game of Thrones. Almost a doppelganger of her fairy-tale sister .. And then...
Category
2010s Realist Figurative Paintings
Materials
Oil, Tempera, Wood Panel
"Presque Isle (Day 126), July 21, 2024" by Primary Hughes, Original Oil Painting
Located in Denver, CO
"Presque Isle (Day 126), July 21, 2024" by Primary Hughes (United States) is a handmade landscape painting that is created on location or en plein air. The piece is framed, and ready...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Realist Figurative Paintings
Materials
Oil
American oil painting, Still life of Sea Shells Late 20th Century
Located in Woodbury, CT
American Still life of Sea Shells
A totally unique scene of seashells and objects painted Late 20th Century by an American Painter.
Original driftwood influenced frame and in com...
Category
1940s Realist Figurative Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
At Night
Located in Zofingen, AG
Over a year and seven months have passed since I walked the streets at night.
But I remember the feeling vividly when walking through the botanical garden at night, tall trees obscur...
Category
2010s Realist Figurative Paintings
Materials
Cotton Canvas, Acrylic
Girl with the Chimera Tattoo
Located in Zofingen, AG
Another wonderful example from a series of morning portraits by Evgeniy Monahov, where subtle realistic detailing of the face is accompanied by a colorful and impressionistically pai...
Category
2010s Realist Figurative Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
"Dogwood Blossom" (2024) By Fred Wessel, Egg Tempera on Gold Leaf Painting
By Fred Wessel
Located in Denver, CO
Fred Wessel's "Dogwood Blossom" is a stunning egg tempera painting on gold leaf. Created in 2024, this piece features an icon of a dogwood blossom, resting in an ornate gold leaf des...
Category
2010s Realist Figurative Paintings
Materials
Gold Leaf
Remnants - Serene Oil Landscape of Rural Barns in Winter Light, 2017
Located in Denver, CO
Dave Santillanes' "Remnants" (2017) is a masterfully rendered oil painting that captures the quiet beauty of a rural landscape transitioning between seasons. Measuring 24 x 40 inches...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Realist Figurative Paintings
Materials
Oil
Self
By Karen Offutt
Located in Denver, CO
"Self," is an original oil painting by Karen Offutt. It is unframed, but ready-to-hang.
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Realist Figurative Paintings
Materials
Oil, Panel
Original Oil Painting of River Landscape in Ireland by 20th Century Irish Artist
By Manson Blair
Located in Preston, GB
Original Oil Painting of a River Landscape in County Tyrone, Ireland, by Irish Artist, Manson Blair. Presented in the original ornate frame.
Art measure...
Category
Late 20th Century Realist Figurative Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
"Sticks and Stones" (2022) by Sheri Farabaugh, Still Life Oil Painting
Located in Denver, CO
"Steady Hand" (2024) by Sheri Farabaugh (United States Based) is a beautiful handmade still life oil painting that depicts a closeup of a pond shore, with tree branches laid across t...
Category
2010s Realist Figurative Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
Flowers-21st Century Contemporary Flower Painting of a Tulip vase with Flowers
By Joran van der Haar
Located in Nuenen, Noord Brabant
Joran van der Haar
Flowers
104 x 80 cm ( framed 116 x 92 cm, frame is included in price)
oil on canvas
The realistic painted "17th century style' b...
Category
2010s Realist Figurative Paintings
Materials
Cotton Canvas, Oil
''Tomatoes” Contemporary Fine Realist Still-Life Painting of Red Tomatoes
Located in Utrecht, NL
During his successful career as a goldsmith the desire to paint grew on Dutch artist René Smoorenburg (1954). The attention to detail, which was of gr...
Category
2010s Realist Figurative Paintings
Materials
Oil, Panel
Contemporary portrait "Stop!"
Located in Zofingen, AG
I capture a mesmerizing blend of solitude and defiance, set against a sprawling, desolate backdrop that poses the timeless question of direction in life’s journey. The stark contra...
Category
2010s Realist Figurative Paintings
Materials
Cotton Canvas, Acrylic
My Peregrinations 4
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
The artist painted this work during his trying times and expressed himself while passing through difficult situations to tell his stories of how he overcame every feature of the pain...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Realist Figurative Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Acrylic
Roses In The Sky Still Life
Located in Lake Worth Beach, FL
Roses In The Sky.
canvas 31.5x39 new white gold framed 34x42x1
Zbigniew Kopania, artist painter, cinematographer, born December 21, 1949, in Łódź Poland.
Kopania style of paintings ...
Category
2010s Realist Figurative Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
"Life of Aegidius of St. Gilles.."
Located in Edinburgh, GB
18th-19th Century Oil Painting – "Life of Aegidius of St. Gilles"
A captivating 18th-19th century oil painting illustrating a dramatic episode from the life of St. Aegidius (St. Gile...
Category
18th Century Realist Figurative Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
Contemporary portrait "A Glass of Milk"
Located in Zofingen, AG
This piece embodies the serene connection between beings and the simplicity of life's pleasures. I've infused realism with symbolism to capture the figural bond between the human and...
Category
2010s Realist Figurative Paintings
Materials
Cotton Canvas, Acrylic
Distrust - Contemporary, Figurative Painting, Window, Blue, Human, Female, Male
Located in Baden-Baden, DE
Distrust, 2012
Oil on canvas (Signed on reverse)
70.86 H x 70.86 W in
180 H x 180 W cm
Radu Rodideal is interested in the atmosphere of his work. Human ...
Category
2010s Realist Figurative Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
Whispers of the Soul 5
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
Shipping Procedure
FREE Shipping Worldwide
Ships in a well-protected tube from Nigeria
This work is unique, not a print or other type of copy.
Accompanied by a Certificate of Authent...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Realist Figurative Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Acrylic
"The Mooring of Scarlet, " Oil Painting
Located in Denver, CO
Pamela Wilson's (US based) "The Mooring of Scarlet" is an original, handmade oil painting that depicts a pregnant model with a boat on top of her head.
This...
Category
2010s Realist Figurative Paintings
Materials
Oil, Canvas
Journey Through Hell, 9/11 Art, Signed painting, exhibited at Brattleboro Museum
By Thelma Appel
Located in New York, NY
Thelma Appel
Journey Through Hell, 2001
Oil on Canvas
Hand signed and dated by artist on the back of the canvas
Frame Included: hand made metal museum frame
This powerful, haunting ...
Category
Early 2000s Realist Figurative Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
"Early Evening" (2023) by Clyde Steadman, Original Oil Painting
Located in Denver, CO
"Early Evening" by Clyde Steadman (United States) is a handmade cityscape painting that is unframed, but ready to hang.
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Realist Figurative Paintings
Materials
Oil
"Moonlight San Lorenzo de Picuris, " Original Adobe Landscape Oil Painting
Located in Denver, CO
"Moonlight San Lorenzo de Picuris" by Lorenzo Chavez (US based) is a handmade landscape oil painting that depicts a southwestern adobe basking in moonlight. The piece is framed, and ready to hang.
“Moonlight San Lorenzo de Picuris” This old mission...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Realist Figurative Paintings
Materials
Oil
Contemporary portrait "I'll Tell You..."
Located in Zofingen, AG
I talk to an imaginary friend almost all the time.)
Is this normal at all?)
In this painting, I explored the depth of human connection, crafting an intimate narrative through a reali...
Category
2010s Realist Figurative Paintings
Materials
Cotton Canvas, Acrylic
"Sagittarius Study (Jeanne D'Arc)" (2016) By Fred Wessel, Egg Tempera Painting
By Fred Wessel
Located in Denver, CO
Fred Wessel's "Sagittarius Study (Jeanne D'Arc)" is a stunning egg tempera painting on gold leaf. Created in 2018, this piece depicts a young woman, Joan of Arc, looking forward with...
Category
2010s Realist Figurative Paintings
Materials
Gold Leaf
The New Yorker Hotel 8th Avenue Manhattan New York City by British Urban Artist
Located in Preston, GB
Painting of the Wyndham New Yorker Hotel, 8th Avenue, Manhattan, New York City, by British Contemporary Urban Artist, Angela Wakefield. Part of her Ne...
Category
2010s Realist Figurative Paintings
Materials
Gesso, Paint, Acrylic Polymer, Mixed Media, Acrylic, Board
"Big Sky" Oil Painting
Located in Denver, CO
Andrzej Skorut's (US based) "Big Sky" is an oil painting that depicts clouds looming over the vast plains with distant mountains.
Bio/artist statement:...
Category
2010s Realist Figurative Paintings
Materials
Oil
Purpose of Existence 14 - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative Portrait, Women
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
Shipping Procedure
FREE Shipping Worldwide
Ships in a well-protected tube from Nigeria
This work is unique, not a print or other type of copy.
Accompanied by a Certificate of Authent...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Realist Figurative Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
Be Still - 21st Century Contemporary, Figurative Portrait, Acrylic, Young Girl
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
Shipping Procedure
FREE Shipping Worldwide
Ships in a well-protected tube from Nigeria
This work is unique, not a print or other type of copy.
Accompanied by a Certificate of Authent...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Realist Figurative Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Acrylic
Reservations
By Cindy Press
Located in East Hampton, NY
Realism.
Black and white figurative painting
Women that are edgy and sexy.
One of a kind Oil on Canvas Paintings.
About The Artist:
Cindy Press is a visual artist living and workin...
Category
2010s Realist Figurative Paintings
Materials
Oil
"Last Light" Oil Painting
By Casey Childs
Located in Denver, CO
Casey Childs' (US based) "Last Light" is an oil painting that depicts a lone female figure sitting with a red umbrella looking out towards a field and tre...
Category
2010s Realist Figurative Paintings
Materials
Oil
Contemporary portrait "Summer Night"
Located in Zofingen, AG
In this piece, I aimed to capture a serene yet introspective moment under a summer night sky. The figure blends realism and symbolism, with dark hues against a twilight backdrop evok...
Category
2010s Realist Figurative Paintings
Materials
Cotton Canvas, Acrylic
"Morning Light" by Christopher Clark, Original Painting, Sunlit Landscape
Located in Denver, CO
Christopher Clark's "Icy Morning Light" is an original, hand made oil painting that depicts a landscape of snow covered trees with a warm sun rising in the background.
Christopher has been an artist since early childhood, when he would watch Bob Ross on PBS and mimic the famed oil painter’s art with crayons. He considers himself a self-educated artist, with his studies ranging from personal training with contemporary masters, to classical academic art technique, with much inspiration from 19th Century art and the Impressionist Movement. Christopher lived in Italy for a time, immersing himself in Italian culture and art, which continues to influence his painting. His fan base has grown considerably since his return to the US, gaining the attention of Lucasfilm and Marvel Fine Art, which both signed him as an officially licensed artist in 2016. Other clients include George Lucas, Major League Baseball, Louisville Slugger, and Fender Guitars.
Christopher’s painting skills are not his only talent in the arts. He has won several national swing dance championship competitions, and also studies tango and blues dancing. He has played guitar since the age of 12, and during his time as lead guitarist for a rock band, he opened for Blue Oyster Cult and Eddie Money...
Category
2010s Realist Figurative Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
Original Painting of Sweden Norway Fjord Landscape by Danish Landscape Artist
Located in Preston, GB
Original Painting of Sweden Norway Fjord Landscape by Danish Landscape Artist.
Art measures 27 x 23 inches
Frame measures 33 x 29 inches
An oil pain...
Category
Early 20th Century Realist Figurative Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Paint, Cotton Canvas, Oil
Ayanfe (Favorite)
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
Shipping Procedure
FREE Shipping Worldwide
Ships in a well-protected tube from Nigeria
This work is unique, not a print or other type of copy.
Accompanied by a Certificate of Authent...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Realist Figurative Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Charcoal, Mixed Media, Acrylic
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.