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.
Romantic Lakeside Sunset with Seated Woman, Antique Oil Painting
Located in Stockholm, SE
Mary Kirschbaum, Sweden Woman by a Lake at Sunset, c. 1890 signed oil on canvas unframed 23 × 33 cm (9.1 × 13 in) framed 33 × 43 cm (13 × 16.9 in) Provenance: Private collection, ...
Canvas, Oil
"First Light" - Western Landscape and Skyscape, Oil Painting on Linen
Located in Denver, CO
This painting is framed at 16 x 18", wired and ready for hanging. Michael Magrin b.1978 Since moving to Colorado from New York in 2001, I have sought to capture the elements ubiqu...
Linen, Oil
Winter Pines
Located in Edinburgh, GB
The painting depicts a forest in winter. In the background, rays of the evening sun break through the snow-covered trees. In the foreground of the painting are young fir trees. The...
Oil
View from Il Cellese, Oil on Canvas Landscape Painting, Realism Style
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 f...
Canvas, Oil
Original Scottish Realist late 20thC oil painting of a wooded burn / stream
Located in Cirencester, GB
ARTIST: Peter Barker RSMA (1954-) British TITLE: "Low Autumn Light On The Dall Burn, Rannoch, Perthshire Scotland" SIGNED: lower right MEDIUM: oil on board SIZE: 47cm x 36cm inclus...
Oil
Figures by a Highland Stream, Romanticism
Located in Grand Rapids, MI
Daniel Sherrin (British, 1868-1940) Signed: D. Sherrin (Lower, Left) " Figures by a Highland Stream ", circa 1895-1915 Oil on Canvas 20" x 30" Housed in a 4" Period Carved Frame...
Canvas, 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...
"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
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
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
$3,849
Western Light-original modern landscape abstract oil painting-contemporary Art
Located in London, Chelsea
This exceptional artwork is currently on display and available for sale at Signet Contemporary Art Gallery and online. We offer complimentary worldwide shipping and cover all tariffs...
Canvas, 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
"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
"Kenosha Skies" - Western Landscape and Skyscape, Oil Painting on Linen
Located in Denver, CO
Artist Statement: This painting captures the luminous midday atmosphere above Colorados Kenosha Pass, where expansive skies stretch endlessly above the Continental Divide. Using a co...
Linen, Oil
$1,494Sale Price|25% Off
Impasto Oil Painting of River Tree Scene British Postwar & Contemporary Artist
Located in Preston, GB
Impasto Oil Painting of River Tree Scene British Postwar & Contemporary Artist, Terry Evans Terry Evans is a British Postwar & Contemporary Painter born in 1943, known for h...
Canvas, Mixed Media, Oil
"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
$7,600Sale Price|20% Off
Realistic Wildlife Landscape Painting Bald Eagle Michael Budden
Located in Chesterfield, NJ
Autumn Majesty, Bald Eagle oil/panel 1989 24 x 36 image unframed in an original Walter Skor handmade frame. 34.5 x 46.5 framed signed LL I found and purchased back one of my favorite...
Acrylic
Deepdale - original realism oil painting- contemporary landscape artwork
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
Tim Thompson, "J Class Fleet", 36x48 Maritime Boating Yacht Oil on Canvas
By Tim Thompson
Located in Saratoga Springs, NY
Tim Thompson captures the quiet drama of competitive sailing in this luminous marine scene. A fleet of racing yachts moves across calm blue water, their billowing white sails rising ...
Canvas, 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
Evening in Tuscany, Original realism lansdcape painting, Oil on Canvas, 122x91cm
Located in London, Chelsea
Gallery service: Complimentary worldwide shipping is offered, with Signet Contemporary Art covering all tariffs, customs duties and import taxes, making international collecting simp...
Canvas, Oil
$1,684Sale Price|50% Off
Oil Painting of Horses & Farmer in the English Countryside by British Artist
By James Wright
Located in Preston, GB
Oil Painting of Horses & Farmer in the English Countryside by 20th Century Modern British Artist, James Wright Art measures 24 x 18 inches Frame measures 29 x 23 inches Pres...
Canvas, Cotton Canvas, Oil
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
Sunset over the Sea; Crescent City, CA
Located in Pasadena, CA
Acquired by the gallery directly from the artist UNFRAMED: 9" x 12" FRAMED: 12.5" x 15.5" x 1" SIGNED: Lower Right Artist Statement "Sunset is the favorite subject I like to pain...
Canvas, Masonite, Oil, Panel
$4,720Sale Price|20% Off
New York City Winter Oil Painting Upper Fifth Avenue Flags Michael Budden
Located in Chesterfield, NJ
Upper Fifth Avenue Flags oil/canvas 24 x 20 unframed, 31.75 x 27.75 x 1.5 framed Signed LL Upper Fifth Avenue Flags is an oil painting on linen by award winning contemporary artist ...
Oil
$1,205Sale Price|55% Off
Castlewellan Lake in Northern Ireland by 20th Century British Landscape Artist
Located in Preston, GB
Castlewellan Lake in Northern Ireland by 20th Century British Landscape Artist, Spencer Coleman. Unique Vintage Original, Oil on Canvas...
Gesso, Canvas, Cotton, Paint, Cotton Canvas, Mixed Media, Oil
$1,000
"Remembering Today" - Western Landscape and Skyscape, Oil Painting on Linen
Located in Denver, CO
This painting is framed at 16 x 18", wired and ready for hanging. Michael Magrin b.1978 Since moving to Colorado from New York in 2001, I have sought to capture the elements ubiqu...
Linen, Oil
$960Sale Price|20% Off
New York City Flags Winter Cityscape Urban Oil Painting by Michael Budden
Located in Chesterfield, NJ
Flags Above the Avenue The image measures 12 x 9 unframed, 18.5 x 15.5 framed An oil painting on canvas panel by award winning contemporary artist Michael Budden that showcases the ...
Oil
"Cloud Composition 3" Original Realist Skyscape with Clouds
Located in Denver, CO
"Cloud Composition 3" 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
$3,600Sale Price|20% Off
New York City Winter Oil Painting Fifth Avenue Flags St Patricks Michael Budden
Located in Chesterfield, NJ
Winter On Fifth Avenue, St Patrick's, Flags 24 x 18 unframed. and 30.25 x 24.5 framed signed LL Winter On Fifth Avenue, St Patrick's, Flags is an oil painting on linen by award winn...
Oil
$1,043Sale Price|24% Off
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
"Cloud Composition 2" Original Realist Skyscape with Clouds
Located in Denver, CO
"Cloud Composition 2" 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 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
A seascape with waves III
Located in Zofingen, AG
In this painting, I poured my passion into capturing the relentless energy and beauty of the sea. The waves’ movement and light play embody both power and serenity, inviting you to f...
Canvas, Oil
$2,188Sale Price|35% Off
Peaceful Misty Riverside in the English Countryside with Cows & Tree Reflections
Located in Preston, GB
Peaceful Misty Riverside in the English Countryside with Cows & Tree Reflections by 20th Century British Artist. Unique Vintage Original, Oil on Canvas, Signed. Art measures 30...
Gesso, Canvas, Cotton, Paint, Cotton Canvas, Mixed Media, Oil
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
Ginny Williams, Botanical Still Life Painting, Blue and White Chinoiserie
Located in Atlanta, GA
Elegant and wonderfully restrained, Ginny Williams’ Lady Grace features a single sculptural bloom rising from a blue and white vessel against a dramatic black background. The simplic...
Oil, Board
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
$1,412
José María Marqués García Spanish Pastoral Landscape Oil Painting on Canvas
Located in Sant Celoni, ES
José María Marqués García Pastoral Landscape Oil Painting on Canvas. Oil on canvas. Signed by the artist in the lower right corner. Artwork: 68 × 97 cm (26.8 × 38.2 in.). Framed: 80 ...
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
$1,563Sale Price|35% 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
"Sailing at Sunset" Realist Oil Painting on Canvas Board of Sailboat in Open Sea
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 and nurtured his passion for miniature sailboats...
Oil, Board, Canvas
Realist Coastal Seascape with Sailing Boats by Ramón Martí Alsina
Located in Sant Celoni, ES
RAMÓN MARTÍ ALSINA (Barcelona, 1826–1894). "Coastal Seascape with Sailing Boats." Circa 1860 Oil on canvas. Signed lower right. Dimensions: 137 × 97 cm (53.94 × 38.19 in). ; 154 × 1...
Oil
$350
"Presque Isle (Day 108) May 30, 2024" by Primary Hughes, Original Oil Painting
Located in Denver, CO
"Presque Isle (Day 108), May 30, 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 ...
Oil
"From Page to Zion" - Original Western Landscape Pastel Painting
Located in Denver, CO
Artist Statement: I've been working in pastel full-time for the last twenty-nine years and have been teaching workshops for the past fifteen. My artistic influences range from Paleol...
Pastel
Cliff Side Dining; Above Canon Acres, Laguna Beach
Located in Pasadena, CA
Provenance Acquired by the gallery directly from the artist. Signed "Obermeyer" on lower right FRAMED: 20.375" x 32.25" x 1.5" UNFRAMED: 12" x 24" Artist Statement "Each year, La...
Canvas, Oil, Panel
$1,205Sale Price|35% 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
$960Sale Price|20% Off
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
High Country Sanctuary
By Tammy Medlin
Located in Colorado Springs, CO
Original Oil Painting signed by the Artist in the lower right corner.
Oil
Venice at Dusk, Oil Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
The artwork captures the quiet majesty and solemn atmosphere of Venice. The church bells seem to linger in the air, while the fading light glides across the wat...
Oil
Large Mid 20th Century Austrian Panoramic Alpine Landscape Oil Painting J Kugler
Located in Stockholm, SE
This impressive panoramic oil painting, created in the mid-twentieth century by the renowned Austrian artist Josef Kugler (1913–2011), celebrates the rugg...
Canvas, Oil
$1,203Sale Price|30% 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
1897 Antique European Winter Landscape Forest Road Oil Canvas Signed Framed
Located in Stockholm, SE
This winter landscape, painted in the late 19th century by an unidentified, yet talented European artist, reveals to us the ringing silence of a snow-covered forest in the anticipati...
Canvas, Wood, Oil
Arroyo Vista; Trabuco Creek, Orange County
Located in Pasadena, CA
Provenance Acquired by the gallery directly from the artist Signed "Obermeyer" on lower right FRAMED:18" x 21.25" x 1.875" UNFRAMED: 11" x 14" Artist Statement "This beautiful open space in South Orange County...
Linen, Oil, Panel
Flower Market at Rockford Tower
Located in Greenville, DE
Wonderful representation of historic Delaware scene. 29.5" x 35.5" framed Signed lower right
Canvas, Oil
"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
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
$1,094Sale Price|20% Off
Cottages by the Sea in Ireland Vintage Oil Painting by 20th Century Irish Artist
Located in Preston, GB
Cottages by the Sea in Ireland Vintage Oil Painting by 20th Century Irish Artist, Louis Humphrey. Humphrey was born in 1955 in Belfast, Nort...
Oil, Board
$11,600Sale Price|20% Off
After American Painter Hugh Bolton Jones 1848-1927 New England Landscape
By Hugh Bolton Jones
Located in Chesterfield, NJ
In the style of Hugh Bolton Jones 1848-1927 New England Landscape oil/canvas board signed LR 16 x 24 unframed, 21 x 29 framed Painting looks and feels lined and in good condition in...
Oil
Sailboat; Newport, California
By Calvin Liang
Located in Pasadena, CA
Provenance Acquired by the gallery directly from the artist Signed "Calvin Liang" on lower left Exhibited Fleeting Moments 2nd Biennale: Works en Plein Air, American Legacy Fine Ar...
Canvas, Oil