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.
Summer Landscape and Lake, Oil on Canvas, 1880, Signed
Located in Stockholm, Stockholm
A peaceful summer landscape depicting the lake Finnsjön in Järnboås, north of Nora in the historic Bergslagen region of central Sweden. The still lake occupies the foreground, its da...
Canvas, Oil
Ballerina
Located in Zofingen, AG
In this piece, I captured the delicate introspection of a quiet moment. Using oil, I aimed to blend fine realism with an intimate, almost tangible stillness. The softness of her skin...
Canvas, Oil
19th Century European Romantic Moonlit River Landscape Oil Canvas Signed
Located in Stockholm, SE
This enchanting night landscape in oil on canvas was painted by an Unidentified, presumably German, master "P. JHNEN" or "P. IHNEN", in the late 19th century, and is imbued with a ro...
Canvas, Wood, Oil
Pacific Sunset Waves, Contemporary Cyanotype on Paper, Navy Blue, Beach House
By Kind of Cyan
Located in Barcelona, ES
This is an exclusive handprinted limited edition cyanotype. "Pacific Sunset Waves" is an original cyanotype that abstractly shows the sunset reflections on the sea. Details: + Titl...
Emulsion, Mixed Media, Watercolor, Photographic Paper, Lithograph, Monop...
Venetian painter - 19th century Venetian lagoon scene - Bathers on boat
Located in Varmo, IT
Venetian painter (19th century) - Bathers on the Lagoon. 65 x 83 cm (without frame) - 76 x 93.5 cm (with frame). Oil on canvas, in carved and gilded wooden frame (not signed). The...
Canvas, Oil
Ocean Beach Seascape Oil Painting Children Playing Michael Budden Summer Play
Located in Chesterfield, NJ
Summer Play, Sailboats and the Jetty 6 x 8 unframed, 9.75 x 11.75 framed Signed LR Summer Play is a study oil painting on canvas by award winning contemporary artist Michael Budden t...
Oil
Impressionistic Seascape Painting Michael Budden Beach Play V
Located in Chesterfield, NJ
Beach Play V oil/panel image 8 x 10 unframed, 13 x 15 framed Beach Play V is an oil painting on panel by award winning contemporary artist Michael Budden that showcases a beach full...
Oil
"Hindsight" - Original Still-Life and Landscape, Oil Painting on Panel
By Emma Kalff
Located in Denver, CO
"This painting was made based off of a photo I took from a bus window in Mexico, near Puerto Vallarta. The image stuck with me as the idea of an idyllic hillside. It felt to me like ...
Oil, Panel
19th C Victorian Romantic Summer Landscape Old River Bridge Oil Canvas Signed
Located in Stockholm, SE
This charming oil painting on canvas, created in the second half of the 19th century and bearing a partially preserved signature 'W????ce', represents a fine example of a European ro...
Canvas, Wood, Oil
$680Sale Price|20% Off
Contemporary Seascape Oil Painting Sunrise Series by Michael Budden People Jetty
Located in Chesterfield, NJ
Sunrise Study Image is 6 x 8 unframed, and 11.75 x 13.75 framed. Signed LR Sunrise Study is a study oil painting on canvas by award winning contemporary artist Michael Budden that s...
Oil
Listed Artist Hewett Jackson Original Oil Painting Tall Ship Seascape Framed
Located in Palm Coast, FL
Up for sale is a large original oil painting on canvas by listed maritime artist Hewett R. Jackson (1914–2007). This striking nautical scene depicts a majestic tall sailing ship brea...
Oil
Antique 19th Century British Oil Painting by G. Wylle Rural Landscape Gilt Frame
Located in Palm Coast, FL
Up for sale is an antique British oil painting on canvas, signed “G. Wylle” in the lower area, depicting a picturesque riverside village scene with historic stone buildings, a tower ...
Oil
$960Sale Price|20% Off
Impressionistic Realistic Moonlight Landscape Oil Painting Michael Budden
Located in Chesterfield, NJ
Moon Sliver oil/panel 8 x 10 unframed 13.50 x 15.50 x 2 framed. Signed LR Moon Sliver is an oil painting on canvas by award winning contemporary artist Michael Budden that showcase...
Oil
$2,000Sale Price|20% Off
Impressionistic Moonlight Seascape Oil Painting Michael Budden Beach Jetty Boat
Located in Chesterfield, NJ
Evening Jetty, Moon Rise Oil/ canvas 12 x 16 unframed and 18.50 x 22.50 framed. Signed LL An oil painting on canvas by award winning contemporary artist Michael Budden that showcases...
Oil
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
"Cloud Composition 7" Original Realist Skyscape with Clouds
Located in Denver, CO
"Cloud Composition 7" is a realistic capturing of a golden skyscape, created with oil paint on panel. This piece is framed at 9.5 x 9.5 inches and is ready to hang. Jesse Mangerson ...
Oil, Panel
$960Sale Price|20% Off
Impressionistic Seascape Painting Michael Budden Beach Sunrise
Located in Chesterfield, NJ
Morning Drama oil/panel image 8 x 10 unframed, 14.5 x 16.5 framed signed LL Morning Drama is an oil painting on panel by award winning contemporary artist Michael Budden that showca...
Oil
“Where Everything Begins” — Hyperrealistic Seascape at Dawn
Located in Zofingen, AG
A moment of silence between night and day. The sea still holds the coolness and depth of darkness, yet the first path of sunlight already appears on the water — a sign of beginning, ...
Canvas, Oil
Small Oil of Cottages beside a Lake in Mountains on the Antrim Coast in Ireland
Located in Preston, GB
Small Oil of Cottages beside a Lake in Mountains on the Antrim Coast in Ireland, by Contemporary Artist, Derek Quann Art measures 10 x 8 inches Frame measures 17.5 x 15.5 inches Th...
Canvas, Oil
Fragility of Strength -Contemporary Seascape Oil Painting of Breaking Ocean Wave
Located in Zofingen, AG
The moment before everything changes, where strength teeters on the edge of fragility. DETAILS ● 100% original hand-painted ● The painting is textured ● The picture is painted with ...
Canvas, Oil
$1,569
“Line of Stillness” — Contemporary Seascape Painting of Calm Ocean Horizon
Located in Zofingen, AG
This work is about how formality dissolves when you’re surrounded by the right people. What is usually governed by rules, timing, and expectations quietly turns into something softer...
Canvas, Oil
$1,569
«Under a Heavy Sky» — Realistic Oil Seascape of Turquoise Waters and Storms
Located in Zofingen, AG
The sky lowers itself, as if reaching for the sea. Dense and dark, it carries an unspoken weight. The turquoise water does not resist — it glows from within, breathing steadily, ac...
Canvas, Oil
$480Sale Price|20% Off
Beach & Ocean Impressionistic Seascape Oil Painting by Michael Budden
Located in Chesterfield, NJ
Off the Coast Seascape Study is an oil painting on canvas panel by award winning contemporary artist Michael Budden that showcases a beautiful beach scene created in an impressionist...
Oil
Antique Late 19th Century Romantic Seascape Sailboats in Storm Oil Panel Framed
Located in Stockholm, SE
Presented here is a fine example of a late 19th-century seascape, executed in oil on a metal panel in the traditions of the European marine school. At the centre of the dynamic compo...
Metal
$520Sale Price|20% Off
Original Oil Painting on canvas, Still Life, Flowers, Signed, Framed
Located in Palm Coast, FL
Up for sale is a beautiful original oil painting on canvas. This painting is a classical and elegant floral still-life composition, featuring a lush bouquet of vibrant flowers arrang...
Oil
"Amsterdam-Street" Realist Netherlands Cityscape Oil Painting on Canvas Framed
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...
Canvas, Oil
$3,600Sale Price|20% Off
American Impressionist Oil Painting Gustave Cimioti 1875-1969 Marine Monhegan
By Gustave Cimiotti Jr.
Located in Chesterfield, NJ
Gustave Cimioti Jr. Monhegan oil/canvas board signed LR 15.88 x 19.88 unframed, 21.19 x 25.07 framed Good original condition in period frame. Possibly original Biography: Gustave Ci...
Oil
$1,703
The Coriolanus Clipper Sailing Ship at Sea - Vintage 20th Century Oil Painting
By J Bishop
Located in Preston, GB
The Coriolanus Clipper Sailing Ship at Sea - Vintage 20th Century Oil Painting by J Bishop. Art measures 32.5 x 26.5 inches Frame measures 36.5 x 30.5 inches This impressive oil p...
Canvas, Cotton Canvas, Oil
"The Hendrick Hudson Steamboat on the Hudson River" Realist Oil Painting Canvas
Located in New York, NY
This vibrant painting depicts the historic sidewheel steamboat Hendrick Hudson majestically cruising across the Hudson River at sunset. The grand three-deck vessel, with its distinct...
Canvas, Oil
$1,200
Impressionistic Seascape Painting Michael Budden Beach Day People Boats Birds
Located in Chesterfield, NJ
Beach Day III oil/panel image 8 x 10 unframed, 14.5 x 16.5 framed signed LL Beach Day III is an oil painting on panel by award winning contemporary artist Michael Budden that showca...
Oil
$1,362Sale Price|20% Off
Children Fishing by a River with Wild Flowers & Farmhouse in English Countryside
By Les Parson
Located in Preston, GB
Children Fishing by a Riverside with Wild Flowers & Farmhouse in the English Countryside by British Artist, Les Parson Art measures 20 x 16 inches Fram...
Canvas, Oil
$1,703
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....
Canvas, Cotton Canvas, Oil
View from Il Cellese - original realism landscape artwork - oil painting
Located in London, Chelsea
We offer complimentary worldwide shipping and cover all tariffs and import taxes for this artwork. In View from Il Cellese, Jeanette Meehan expands on her exploration of interior fra...
Canvas, Oil
Moment of Serenity
Located in Zofingen, AG
From the series «Summer Memories “ This painting captures the serene setting of a pool at a villa in the Tuscan region of Italy. The tranquil blue water reflects the surrounding lan...
Canvas, Oil
Late 19th Century European Summer Pastoral Landscape Oil Painting Gilded Frame
Located in Stockholm, SE
This pastoral landscape, painted in oil on canvas by an unknown European artist in the late 19th century, conveys the atmosphere of a serene summer day. Through a highly skilled appl...
Canvas, Wood, Oil
Antique Italian Impressionist Venice Cityscape Framed Signed Watercolor Painting
Located in Buffalo, NY
Vintage Italian painting. Watercolor on paper. Signed. Framed. Measuring: 18 by 25 inches overall, and 14.5 by 21 painting alone. Excellent condition, ready to hang and enjoy.
Watercolor
"Last Light" - Oil on Canvas Winter Landscape with Sunset Mountains
Located in Denver, CO
Mark Harrison’s Last Light (2025) is an original, handmade oil painting on canvas that captures the fleeting beauty of twilight as it falls over a snow-covered plain and the rugged p...
Oil
$2,208
«Eternal Pulse» – Ocean Wave Oil Painting in Refined Vert Bosphore Palette
Located in Zofingen, AG
The sea knows no rest. It breathes, it lives, it calls — in every movement, in every shimmer of light. This wave is a moment between calm and storm, a breath that holds eternity with...
Oil, Wood Panel
Evening in Tuscany - original realism landscape artwork - oil painting
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, Oil
$960Sale Price|20% Off
Impressionistic Realistic Moonlight Landscape Oil Painting Michael Budden
Located in Chesterfield, NJ
Nightfall II, Moonlight Series oil/panel 8 x 10 unframed 13.50 x 15.50 x 1.5 framed. Signed LL Nightfall II is an oil painting on canvas by award winning contemporary artist Michae...
Oil
"Apricots are in bloom despite the frost"
Located in Edinburgh, GB
Spring. The apricot trees are in bloom even though there are still frosts.
Oil, Cardboard
$1,471Sale Price|20% Off
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 3...
Oil, Canvas
Seascape - Sunlit Waves Crashing against the Rocks on the British Isles
Located in Preston, GB
Seascape - Sunlit Waves Crashing against the Rocks on the British Isles Art measures 32 x 24 inches Frame measures 36 x 28 inches A commanding seascape where light wrestles with wa...
Canvas, Cotton Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
$1,036Sale Price|20% Off
Antique American Modernist Framed Dog Portrait Signed Large Oil Painting
Located in Buffalo, NY
Antique American dog portrait oil painting. Oil on board. Signed. Framed. Provenance from a Sag Harbor, NY collection. Handsomely framed in a wood molding. Excellent condition, rea...
Oil, Board
«Explosion of Feelings» – Hyperrealistic Seascape Oil Painting
Located in Zofingen, AG
Through the warm sunset sky, the ocean soars toward the light. A single wave, igniting, bursts into a thousand sparkling droplets, each seemingly holding the last glimmers of the dep...
Oil, Cardboard
Rowboat, Oil Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
A lone rowboat rests on a lake, securely tied to a post and anchored underwater. Ripples gently disturb the reflection of the vessel, adding movement to the sce...
Oil
Lively square by François Kieserman - Watercolor
Located in Geneva, CH
Work on paper Light brown wooden frame with glass pane 70 x 94 x 1,5 cm
Watercolor
"Calle Tipica, Aragon, Spain" Landscape Painting of Calm Mountain Village Scene
Located in Austin, TX
Oil on board Board Size: 16 x 20 in. Frame Size: 22 x 26.5 in. Signed, bottom right. In this oil painting Jose Vives-Atsara captures the rugged, sun-drenched essence of the Spanish ...
Oil, Board
"Astana. Expo Plaza"
Located in Edinburgh, GB
Astana. Expo Plaza When architecture becomes a dream come true Before you is evidence of the meeting of classical painting with the futuristic genius of architecture. In 2018, Alex...
Oil
Photorealistic Ocean Painting, Surf and Sand by Todd Kenyon
Located in Laguna Beach, CA
Todd Kenyon "Surf and Sand" Giclee Print on Canvas 40 x 67 inches 42 x 69 inches framed size __________________________ JoAnne Artman Gallery is pleased to present Endless Blue, a c...
Canvas, Archival Pigment
$1,910Sale Price|20% Off
River Landscape with Highland Cows & Sheep in the Scottish Mountains
By Wendy Reeves
Located in Preston, GB
River Landscape with Highland Cows & Sheep in the Scottish Mountains by 20th Century British Artist, Wendy Reeves. Original, Oil on canvas, Signed Art measures 24 x 14 inches Frame measures 30 x 20 inches This painting depicts a serene landscape featuring a river flowing through a valley surrounded by majestic mountains. The scene is bathed in soft, natural light, with clouds partially covering the peaks, creating a misty atmosphere. In the foreground, three cows are grazing near the riverbank, adding a pastoral element to the tranquil setting. The lush greenery and rocky outcrops contribute to the overall idyllic and peaceful ambiance. The painting is framed in a vintage gold-colored frame, enhancing its classic and timeless appeal. Wendy Reeves garnered acclaim for her Scottish Highland and Lakeland paintings. Born in 1944 in Ewell, Surrey, she took to her father Gordon’s craft, deciding early on that she would be a painter. Prior to her famous paintings of the British Isles, artist Wendy Reeves painted scenes from a trip she made to Spain when she was 21. It was during this time that her dream of following in her father’s footsteps became a reality, and when she returned to England she cemented her name as an artist. Wendy Reeves' paintings showcase her talent with natural landscapes and the wildlife that inhabits them. Her work often features ochre and pink lights...
Canvas, Oil
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 ...
Canvas, Oil
$975Sale Price|20% Off
Impressionist Oil Painting of Figures on Parisian Street, 20th Century Art
By Tony Mercier
Located in Preston, GB
Figures on Parisian Street Paris in Impressionist Style by British Artist, Tony Mercier (Born 1945) Art measures 8 x 10 inches Frame measures 11 x 13 inches This evocative Parisian...
Canvas, Cotton Canvas, Oil
$1,250Sale Price|28% Off
Floral Still Life of Pink Roses
Located in Plano, TX
Floral still life of pink roses in a red vase with two figures, set against a dark background. Oil on canvas measures 15 3/4 x 11 7/8; frame dimensions measure 20 1/2 x 16 1/2 x 2 3/...
Oil
$2,251
Vintage Lakeland Landscape Painting with Sheep by 20th Century British Artist
By Peter McKay
Located in Preston, GB
Vintage Lakeland Landscape Painting with Sheep by 20th Century British Artist, Peter McKay Art measures 20 x 16 inches Frame measures ...
Canvas, Oil
$2,000Sale Price|20% Off
New York City Nocturne Oil Painting Michael Budden Times Square
Located in Chesterfield, NJ
The Evening Show, Times Square oil/panel 16 x 12 image unframed, 22.5 x 18.5 framed, is an oil painting on canvas by award winning contemporary artist Michael Budden that showcases t...
Oil
Hidden Treasure, Oil Painting
By Jo Galang
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
Artist Jo Galang paints a tranquil river tucked in the middle of the woods. "One of the joys of life is finding unexpected treasure in the midst of nowhere," ...
Oil
Nature's Bounty, Oil Painting
By Jo Galang
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
The vibrant colors in this piece highlight a dynamic interplay of orange and green hues, evoking freshness and vitality. It captures the essence of abundance ...
Oil
$1,000Sale Price|20% Off
New York City Painting Michael Budden Evening On Broadway St James & Sardis
Located in Chesterfield, NJ
Evening On Broadway, St. James & Sardi's Image is 10 x 8 unframed, 15.5 x 13.5 framed. An acrylic painting on canvas panel by award winning contemporary artist Michael Budden that...
Acrylic
$11,622
"A coastal landscape with figures and ruins"
Located in Edinburgh, GB
"A Coastal Landscape with Figures and Ruins" Medium: Oil on canvas Dimensions (Framed): 75 x 100 cm Dimensions (Canvas): 48 x 74 cm No signatured This striking 18th-century oil paint...
Canvas, Oil