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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
"Anticipation" (2024) By Matt Talbert, Original Oil Painting, Portrait
Located in Denver, CO
Matt Talbert's "Anticipation" (2024) is an original, handmade oil painting on panel that depicts a portrait of a brunette in a dark slip. Artist bio/statement: Matt Talbert is a co...
Category

2010s Realist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Oil, Panel

English 20th century portrait of an English Frigate in full sail at sea in oils.
Located in Woodbury, CT
English 20th century portrait of an English Frigate in full sail at sea in oils. A very well painted oil on canvas with great detail of a ship cutting through the sea at I'm sure great speed. The piece is an oil on canvas with I think gouache added to the waves to make them a brighter white. The piece is signed Mason and with some investigation, we are attributing this painting to the talented English painter Barry Mason...
Category

1980s Realist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Tavern on the Green (New Yorker Magazine cover proposal)
Located in Wilton Manors, FL
Barbara Shermund (1899-1978). Tavern on the Green. Watercolor and ink on paper, 9 3/8 x 12 inches. Unsigned. Excellent condition. Provenance: Ethel ...
Category

1930s Realist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Ink, Watercolor

Chinese Contemporary Art by Su Yu - No Interview at the Intersection
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

Oil, Canvas

"Progress on Memorial" – Oil Painting, Industrial Urban Landscape
Located in Denver, CO
Brad Davis’s "Progress on Memorial," oil on wood panel, measures 16 x 20 inches with a framed size of 18.50 x 22.50 inches, and is framed, ready to hang. This painting captures a sta...
Category

2010s Realist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Oil, Wood Panel

"Healing Promise" by Michael Magrin, Oil Painting, CO Landscape
Located in Denver, CO
Michael Magrin's ( US based) "Healing Promise" is an original, handmade oil painting of a tranquil sunrise. This piece is framed in a natural float fram...
Category

2010s Realist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Linen, Oil

Hallucination
Located in Zofingen, AG
The painting conveys the idea that what we perceive as life may be an illusion, while the true reality remains hidden. At the center of the scene, a man and a woman stand by a pool, ...
Category

2010s Realist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Cotton Canvas, Acrylic

Black Sea. Ukraine
Located in Zofingen, AG
Two figures stand, facing the horizon, their eyes fixed on a missile flying horizontally. Its fiery trail cuts through the calm sky, and the moment hangs between “there’s still time”...
Category

2010s Realist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Acrylic

Snow in Winter Oil Florence Academy Harvest in Autumn Reflection Light Shadow
Located in Houston, TX
Samuel S. Hoskins Statement on Snow in Winter: Delving into the symbolism of winter, I painted a figure dressed in black, embracing the harvest of autumn. In my perspective, winte...
Category

2010s Realist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Linen, Oil

View Of The City
Located in Lake Worth Beach, FL
Early 20th Century European School, view of the city, with buildings in the background, gouache on paper unsigned in a beautiful custom made Haydenryk frame under glass.
Category

Early 20th Century Realist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Gouache, Board

View Of The City
View Of The City
$938 Sale Price
24% Off
"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

Together. Without words Original painting by Nataliya Bagatskaya
Located in Zofingen, AG
This painting is a finalist of the international art contest organised by Artbox project and was exhibited as finalists in Basel International airport during Art Basel week in 2024. ...
Category

2010s Realist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Acrylic

Huge topical Black History slavery painting Jamaica Morant Bay 1865 rebellion
Located in Norwich, GB
Uprising - a huge and incredibly powerful and topical painting by Jamaican master painter Barrington Watson (1931-2016). It depicts the 1865 Moran...
Category

1960s Realist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Masonite, Oil

Contemporary portrait "Black ang Gold"
Located in Zofingen, AG
Crafted with acrylics in a symphony of black and gold, this painting captures the essence of strength and elegance. The striking contrast and precise realism convey a sense of intros...
Category

2010s Realist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Cotton Canvas, Acrylic

"Sergei" - Oil on Canvas Realist Portrait Painting 2016
Located in Denver, CO
"Sergei," an original oil painting on canvas created in 2016 by Viktoria Savenkova, is an expressive realist portrait rendered with skillful precision and emotional depth. Measuring ...
Category

2010s Realist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Australian River Landscape Painting by 20th Century English Australian Artist
Located in Preston, GB
Australian River Landscape Painting by 20th Century English Australian Artist, Howard Barron (1900–1991) depicting a scene along the Murrumbidgee River in Australia’s New South Wales...
Category

1970s Realist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Linen, Cotton Canvas, Oil

Shire Horse & Man by Woodland River in the English Countryside by British Artist
Located in Preston, GB
Shire Horse & Man by Woodland River in the English Countryside by British Artist, Peter J Greenhill Art measures 24 x 18 inches Frame measures 30 x...
Category

20th Century Realist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Farmhouse by a River in the English Countryside by 20th Century British Artist
Located in Preston, GB
Farmhouse by a River in the English Countryside by 20th Century British Artist, Peter J Greenhill Art measures 30 x 20 inches Frame measures 35 x 2...
Category

20th Century Realist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

"A peony", Realism, figurative, flowers, pastel colors
Located in MADRID, ES
Realism, figurative, flowers, pastel colors
Category

2010s Realist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Vintage Rural Landscape Snow Scene "Winter Cold, Farm Idyll" by German Artist
Located in Preston, GB
Vintage Rural Landscape Snow Scene entitled "Winter Cold, Farm Idyll" by German Artist, Karl Heinz Stienen (1918-2002). Graduate of the Dresden Academy of Fine Arts. A serene winter ...
Category

1970s Realist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Cotton Canvas, Oil

"Citrus and Ginger" (2024) By Jeff Legg, Original Still Life Oil Painting
Located in Denver, CO
Jeff Legg's (US based) "Citrus and Ginger" is an oil painting created in 2024 depicting a white and blue pot alongside a sliced orange, grapes and ginger. About the artist: Jeff C. ...
Category

2010s Realist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Oil, Board

Oil Painting of Country Harvest Scene with Horses & Figures by British Artist
Located in Preston, GB
Oil Painting of Country Harvest Scene with Horses & Figures by British Artist. Oil on Board, Signed. Framed in a high quality distressed ornate moulding. Art measures 20 x 16 inche...
Category

Mid-20th Century Realist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Winter Sunset with Sheep & Farmer in the English Countryside by British Artist
Located in Preston, GB
Winter Sunset with Sheep & Farmer in the English Countryside by 20th Century British Artist, Noel Ripley (b.1944). Original, Signed, Oil on Board Art mea...
Category

Late 20th Century Realist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Oil, Board

"Dusk" Oil Painting
Located in Denver, CO
Diego Glazer's "Dusk" is an original, handmade oil painting that is framed and ready to hang. The painting depicts a standing nude figure in shadow wearin...
Category

2010s Realist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Oil, Panel

Wild Flowers
Located in San Francisco, CA
This artwork "Wild Flowers" 1977, is an oil painting on canvas board by noted Canadian artist Ernest Eidersdorf, 1901-1998. It is signed at the lower right corner by the artist. The ...
Category

Late 20th Century Realist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Oil

"Trust/Truth (Self Portrait)" Contemporary Figurative Painting
Located in East Quogue, NY
Stunning monochromatic realistic contemporary figurative portrait painting by Sullivan Giles. Size 40 x 30 inches. Oil on canvas. The figures Giles depicts are often self-portraits...
Category

2010s Realist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Fine 19th Century French Realist Oil Painting Chef in Kitchen Pantry Larder
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Le Chef circle of Théodule-Augustin Ribot (French, 1823 – 1891) oil on board, framed framed: 20.5 x 16.5 inches board: 15 x 12 inches inscribed verso provenance: private collection, ...
Category

19th Century Realist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Oil

"Genre Scene"
Located in Edinburgh, GB
Grand 17th-Century Style Genre Scene – Oil on Canvas A magnificent large-scale oil painting depicting an elegant gathering of noble figures in an architectural setting. This historic...
Category

17th Century Realist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Chinese Contemporary Art by Su Yu - Memories of Love 6
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

Oil, Canvas

"Blue Jay" Original Oil Painting by Susan McDonnell, Avian Art
Located in Denver, CO
Susan McDonnell's "Blue Jay," created in 2021, is a masterful oil on panel that captures the vibrant essence and lively demeanor of its avian subject. Measuri...
Category

2010s Realist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Oil, Panel

Early 20th Century 1920s Portrait of a Boyarina
By Bell Dibble Taft
Located in Soquel, CA
Charming portrait of Russian Boyarina by Bell Dibble Taft (American, 1855-1937), 1921. Signed and dated lower left corner and gallery label for Oakland Gallery Exhibit (Oakand Museum...
Category

1920s Realist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Oil, Cardboard

"Across Hope" by Michael Magrin, Oil Painting, CO Landscape
Located in Denver, CO
Michael Magrin's ( US based) "Healing Promise" is an original, handmade oil painting of a tranquil sunrise. This piece is framed in a natural float fram...
Category

2010s Realist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Linen, Oil

Absolutely Nothing
Located in Zofingen, AG
This surreal artwork captures a stark desert crossroads under a vivid blue sky, where a vintage white convertible takes center stage. Two figures add intrigue: one stands beside the ...
Category

2010s Realist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Cotton Canvas, Acrylic

Cloud-Gazing Club
Located in Zofingen, AG
This artwork captures a surreal and serene moment, blending simplicity with mystery. A barefoot woman in a black dress stands on a vast, white, textured expanse, reminiscent of salt ...
Category

2010s Realist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Cotton Canvas, Acrylic

Country House & Old Mill by a River in the Woods - Vintage Oil by German Artist
Located in Preston, GB
Country House & Old Mill by a River in the Woods - Large Vintage Oil Painting by German Artist, Karl Heinz Stienen (1918-2002). Graduate of the Dresden Academy of Fine Arts. Art mea...
Category

1970s Realist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Cotton Canvas, Oil

"Message" - poetic realist oil on canvas painting, man and woman on phones
Located in Sag Harbor, NY
"Message" is a poetic realist oil painting by Steven Levin. It depicts two people talking on their phones, backs to each other, with a white dove flying in through the open window. ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Still Life with Apples - Oil on Canvas by Zhang Wei Guang (Mirror) - 2000
Located in Roma, IT
Original oil on canvas realized by Zhang Wei Guang in the early 2000s. Signed on rear. In excellent conditions, it includes a contemporary black wooden frame. Zhang Wei Guang, als...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Oil

Realist Portrait, Mid-Century Oil On Card, The Babushka. Oil.
Located in Cotignac, FR
Mid-Century realist oil on card of a peasant woman, dated 1963 to the reverse. Artist unknown. Presented in gilt and painted wood frame under glass. A charming, grounded painting of...
Category

Mid-20th Century Realist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Cardboard, Oil

"Skylover" contemporary realist male nude perspective oil painting
Located in Sag Harbor, NY
"Skylover" is a contemporary realist male nude perspective oil painting in a unique wood frame. An ellipse shaped canvas displays a man laying on the ground under the morning sky. Hi...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Chinese Contemporary Art by Su Yu - Capital & Art
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

Oil, Canvas

Oil on canvas - Maternity
Located in Sant Celoni, ES
La obra va firmada en la parte inferior Se presenta enmarcada la obra con un bello marco de la época de la obra en madera dorara (el marco presenta alguna leve falta) El estado de ...
Category

Early 20th Century Realist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Oil

Bathers - Nude Figures in Landscape Oil by Paul Gustav Fischer
By Paul Gustave Fischer
Located in Marlow, Buckinghamshire
Signed and dated oil on canvas nudes in seascape by Danish realist painter Paul Gustav Fischer. The work depicts two young women bathing on a rocky shoreline looking our towards the ...
Category

1920s Realist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Oil, Canvas

"Venetian Still Life with Flowers & Lyre" 20th Century Oil Painting on Canvas
Located in New York, NY
A stunning rendition of a Venetian still life with florals in a blue vase, a lyre guitar and views of Gondolas on the water. The rich color tones a...
Category

Mid-20th Century Realist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Girls Just Wanna Have Fun 6 - Contemporary Figurative Oil Painting, Sea View
Located in Salzburg, AT
Artodyssey "Julita Malinowska's paintings belong to those, which once seen - are never forgotten. The open spaces, sometimes cool and bright, at other times heavily saturated with co...
Category

2010s Realist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

"Local Residents, " Oil painting
Located in Denver, CO
Judd Mercer's (US based) "Local Residents," is an original, handmade oil painting that depicts a green grassy pasture where a herd of black cows graze. About the Artist: Judd Mercer is a watercolor painter based in Denver, Colorado. After attending art school for industrial design, Judd pursued a career in digital design and user experience and is co-owner of Elevated Third, a Denver-based digital agency. After committing to writing and illustrating a full-length fantasy novel in his spare time, Judd began watercolor painting around 2014, studying with teachers such as Alvaro Castagnet, Joseph Zbukvic and Herman Pekel...
Category

2010s Realist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Oil, Canvas

Contemporary portrait "White Lincoln"
Located in Zofingen, AG
This artwork captures a tranquil desert scene centered on a vintage white convertible parked on expansive sands. The car’s sleek design and chrome accents evoke nostalgia and freedom...
Category

2010s Realist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Cotton Canvas, Acrylic

''Red Chillies” Contemporary Fine Realist Still-Life Painting of Red Chillies
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 great importance in his work as a ...
Category

2010s Realist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Oil, Panel

"Nebula" - Oil Painting, Introspective Model
Located in Denver, CO
Nebula by Alexandra Manukyan This painting portrays a figure immersed in introspection. Her delicate posture reflects both vulnerability and strength. The swirling pink hues behind ...
Category

2010s Realist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Linen, Oil

[Bruce Sargeant (1898-1938)] Two Men on Ropes
Located in New York, NY
Oil on canvas Signed in black, l.l. This artwork is offered by ClampArt, located in New York City. Price includes framing. “Bruce Sargeant is a mythic figure in the modern art move...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

"Saint with icons"
Located in Edinburgh, GB
Unidentified French Artist (in the Manner of 17th Century Masters) "Saint with Icons" Medium: Oil on canvas Dimensions (Framed): 130 x 164 cm Dimensions (Canvas): 114 x 149 cm No sig...
Category

17th Century Realist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Oil, Canvas

Classroom Clutter
Located in Pasadena, CA
Provenance Acquired by the gallery directly from the artist FRAMED: 12" x 9"
Category

2010s Realist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Oil, Panel

[Bruce Sargeant (1898-1938)] Man with Ropes and Rings
Located in New York, NY
Oil on canvas mounted to Masonite Signed in red, u.r. $7000.00 + $350.00 framing This artwork is offered by ClampArt, located in New York City. “Bruce Sargeant is a mythic figure ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil, Masonite

Realist 19 Century painting of a french woman lighting a cigarette
Located in New York, NY
Woman lighting a cigarette by Victor Gabriel Gilbert. Excellent condition and original frame. Signed low left.
Category

19th Century Realist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

OLD MASTER OIL PAINTING 18th CENTURY Scottish School FINE DETAIL GOLD GILT FRAME
Located in Ferndown, GB
DESCRIPTION OLD MASTER OIL PAINTING 18th CENTURY Scottish School FINE DETAIL GOLD GILT FRAME NEW COLLECTION Of RARE PIECES OF Scottish HISTORY Description ( Late 18th centur...
Category

18th Century Realist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Oil

Portrait of Gerardina Van Osch by Dutch artist Johan Hendrik Neuman (Dutch)
Located in Soquel, CA
A beautiful realist mid 19th century portrait of Gerardina Van Osch (Dutch, 1819-1898) by Jan Hendrik Neuman (Johan Heinrich Neuman) (German, 1819-1898). S...
Category

Mid-19th Century Realist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Linen, Oil

Original Oil Painting of Beach Scene at Fairhead Ireland by Modern Irish Artist
Located in Preston, GB
Original Oil Painting of Beach Scene with Figures at Fairhead Ireland by Modern Irish Artist Artist William Henry Burns (1924-1995) Art meas...
Category

20th Century Realist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Oil, Board, Canvas

Still Life With Oranges In The Basket
Located in Lake Worth Beach, FL
Still Life with Oranges in the basket at night, framed. RAFAEL SALDARRIAGA was born in Medellin, Colombia in 1955. Arrived in the United States in 1993. After living in New Mexico a...
Category

2010s Realist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

OIL PAINTING Antique 19thCentury By E.Horton British old master Gold Gilt Frame
Located in Ferndown, GB
FINE ORIGINAL ARTIST E . Horton 19th CENTURY BRITISH OLD MASTER OIL PAINTING Fine Medium Size Original Antique 19th Century British OLD MASTER OIL PAINTING Romantic Scene GOLD G...
Category

Mid-19th Century Realist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Oil

Two Studio Models
Located in New York, NY
Gouache on paper Signed and dated, l.r. This artwork is offered by ClampArt, located in New York City Born in California, John Button (1929-1982) was educated at University of Cali...
Category

1970s Realist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Gouache, Paper

"The General" oil painting, realist portrait of senior army officer w sideburns
Located in Sag Harbor, NY
"The General" is a realist oil on linen painting. A portrait of a senior war offical, The General wears a dark grey military jacket and a white undershirt can be seen poking out at h...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Linen, Oil

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.

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