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Realist Portrait 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
Lady in Blue
Located in Scottsdale, AZ
Well-known Soviet master from Minsk, Belarus. Beautifully painted portrait of a young lady in a blue dress. Framed in a 22-k gold frame.
Category

1960s Realist Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil

Grandpa by Hannes Fritz-München - Oil on canvas 77x91 cm
Located in Geneva, CH
Oil on canvas sold with frame Total size with frame 89x102 cm Hannes FRITZ-MÜNCHEN is an artist born in 1886 and died in 1981
Category

1920s Realist Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil

Young boy by Hannes Fritz-München - Oil on canvas 64x73 cm
Located in Geneva, CH
Oil on canvas sold with frame Total size with frame 78x87 cm Hannes FRITZ-MÜNCHEN is an artist born in 1886 and died in 1981
Category

1920s Realist Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil

My Peregrinations 3
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 Portrait Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic

Oil Painting / Photorealism / Figurative Art / Human Figure /
Located in Buffalo, NY
Bruce Adams was a painter, art educator, and writer. Born in Buffalo, N.Y., in 1952, he received a B.S. in 1976 and an M.A. in 1983 from Buffalo State College. Adams’s work is included in numerous private and museum collections, among them the Burchfield-Penney Art Center, the Albright-Knox Art Gallery, the Castellani Art Museum of Niagara University, and the UB Anderson Gallery (all of which are located in Western New York...
Category

Early 2000s Realist Portrait Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Oil painting / Portrait / Figurative/ Museum/ Interior/ Expressive/ Text
Located in Buffalo, NY
Bruce Adams was a painter, art educator, and writer. Born in Buffalo, N.Y., in 1952, he received a B.S. in 1976 and an M.A. in 1983 from Buffalo State College. Adams’s work is includ...
Category

Early 2000s Realist Portrait Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

"The Last Remaining Light, " Oil Painting
Located in Denver, CO
Daire Lynch's "The Last Remaining Light" is an original, handmade oil painting that depicts a blonde haired feminine figure clasping her hand while cast in...
Category

2010s Realist Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil, Panel

"Hand 1" Acrylic Painting
Located in Denver, CO
Matthew Alfonso Durante's "Hand 1" is an original, handmade acrylic painting that depicts a pink hued hand in an unusual gesture with a dark background.
Category

2010s Realist Portrait Paintings

Materials

Acrylic, Panel

"Diana" Oil painting
Located in Denver, CO
Jodie Herrera's (US based) "Diana" is an original, handmade oil painting that depicts a dark haired woman with green and blue patterning that merges her form with the background. A...
Category

2010s Realist Portrait Paintings

Materials

Wood, Oil

He Knows
Located in Burlingame, CA
'He Knows' features the beautiful face of a boy with down syndrome encircled with lace and shrouded in dignified mystery. The small painting is 7 x 5 1/2 inches, framed 8 3/4 x 7 1/4...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil, Wood

"Georgia No 1" Acrylic Painting
Located in Denver, CO
Rebecca Mason Adams (US based) "Georgia No 1" is a black and white acrylic painting that depicts a female figure in a white sweater distorted by shadows and projected patterning. Rebecca Adams is an artist based out of Providence, RI. She graduated from RISD in 2006 with a BFA in photography. Her paintings focus on black and white portraiture referencing stylized and graphic photography...
Category

2010s Realist Portrait Paintings

Materials

Acrylic

Addict
Located in Sofia, BG
Painting's name "Addict" (The painting is unframed!) “The impressions of Diana's paintings on the viewer is so mighty, mesmerizing, grand, that it paralyzes the imagination with ...
Category

2010s Realist Portrait Paintings

Materials

Acrylic, Panel

Antique Dog Painting of a Terrier- "The Shah" George Earl (England, 1824-1908)
By George Earl
Located in SANTA FE, NM
Antique Dog Painting of a Terrier: “The Shah” George Earl (England, 1824-1908) Circa 1870 Oil on canvas. 12 ¾ x 12 ¾ (21 x 21 frame) inches. Orig...
Category

1860s Realist Portrait Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Goddess Hera - 19th Century Neoclassical Oil Painting of Ancient Greek Mythology
Located in Gerrards Cross, GB
‘Hera’ by Eduard Niczky (1850-1919). The painting - which depicts the Greek queen of the gods in golden diadem and yellow robe - is signed by the artist and hangs in a newly commissioned, bespoke gold metal leaf frame...
Category

Late 19th Century Realist Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil

Antique Dog Painting: "Hunting Dogs at the Kennel, 1901" Jules-Bertrand Gélibert
Located in SANTA FE, NM
Antique Dog Painting: "Hunting Dogs at the Kennel, 1901" Jules-Bertrand Gélibert (France, 1834-1916 Oil on canvas Signed lower left 24 x 19 inches, frame Jules-Bertrand Gélibert w...
Category

Early 1900s Realist Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil, Canvas

Montenegrin Girl - 19th Century Portrait Oil Painting of Orientalist Beauty
Located in Gerrards Cross, GB
‘A Montenegrin Girl’ by Nathaniel Sichel (1843-1907). This large fine 19th century oil on canvas is signed by the artist and hangs in a superb quality carved and gilded Orientalist f...
Category

Late 19th Century Realist Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil

Regina dei Fiori - 19th Century Society Oil Painting Portrait of Italian Beauty
Located in Gerrards Cross, GB
‘Regina dei Fiori’ by Frédéric Soulacroix (1858-1933). The painting – which depicts an aristocratic Italian beauty sitting beside a porcelain vase full of peonies – is signed by th...
Category

Late 19th Century Realist Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil

"One More Day in Swarga" Oil Painting 35.5" x 31.5" inch by Dmitriy Krestniy
Located in Culver City, CA
"One More Day in Swarga" Oil Painting 35.5" x 31.5" inch by Dmitriy Krestniy ATTENTION: Painting ships rolled in a tube. A look through Dmitriy’s designs reveals a glamorous, femi...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil, Canvas

"ZEUS" Acrylic on canvas 36" x 26" inch painting by Tom Barnabi
Located in Culver City, CA
"ZEUS" Acrylic on canvas 36" x 26" inch painting by Tom Barnabi Tom Barnabi is a part of the modern generation of artists, who managed to absorb several ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Portrait Paintings

Materials

Paper, Acrylic

"Question" Oil painting 47" x 47" inch by Dmitriy Krestniy
Located in Culver City, CA
"Question" Oil painting 47" x 47" inch by Dmitriy Krestniy 2020 ATTENTION: Painting ships rolled in a tube. A look through Dmitriy’s designs reveals a glamorous, feminine, provocative yet sensual style influenced by his natural Ukrainian exuberance. He understands and respects the art’s body which continuously is at the center of his paintings. His preference goes by drawing with pastels, oil and charcoal to create innovative paintings among which are such style as photorealism where the artist writes such paintings as the pictorial art...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil, Canvas

"The Bronze Mask" Acrylic on canvas 36" x 26" inch painting by Tom Barnabi
Located in Culver City, CA
""The Bronze Mask" Acrylic on canvas 36" x 26" inch painting by Tom Barnabi Full name of the work: The Bronze Mask of Emperor Marcus Auerelius Antoninus A...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Portrait Paintings

Materials

Paper, Acrylic

"NIKE. Improvisation 2" Acrylic on canvas 36" x 26" inch painting by Tom Barnabi
Located in Culver City, CA
"NIKE. Improvisation 2" Acrylic on canvas 36" x 26" inch painting by Tom Barnabi Tom Barnabi is a part of the modern generation of artists, who managed t...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Portrait Paintings

Materials

Paper, Acrylic

"The Necklace" Oil on board by Telopa
Located in Carmel, CA
Telopa, the father and son of artists, paints women in an elegant Mannerist style that combines classic beauty and mythological, symbolic allegory. A...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil, Board

Antique Austrian Signed Classical Muscular Male Nude 19th Century Framed Drawing
Located in Buffalo, NY
Antique Austrian classical drawing by August Gerasch (1822-1908). Super fine quality. Framed. Signed.
Category

1890s Realist Portrait Paintings

Materials

Pencil

Contemporary portrait "Inhabitants"
Located in Sempach, LU
Once I lived in a private house. We had four cats, and then we accidentally found the fifth. Where he came from and how long he lived with us is unknown). For texture on the primed c...
Category

2010s Realist Portrait Paintings

Materials

Acrylic, Cotton Canvas

Antique Painting of a Hunting Dog Jules Chardigny (1849-1892) Circa 1870
Located in SANTA FE, NM
Antique Painting of a Hunting Dog Jules Chardigny (1849-1892) Circa 1870 Oil on paper. 8 x 6 (18 1/2 x 15 1/4 frame) inches The dog, possibly a Grand Griffon Vendéen, is depicted wi...
Category

1860s Realist Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil, Laid Paper

Antique Dog Painting: Pair of Grand Griffon Vendéen Hunting Dogs, circa 1870
Located in SANTA FE, NM
Antique Dog Painting: Pair of Grand Griffon Vendéen Hunting Dogs Jules Chardigny (France, 1842-1892) circa 1870 Oil on canvas, signed 21 3/4 x 18 1/3 (29 1/8 x 24 3/4 frame) inches ...
Category

1870s Realist Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil, Board

Contemporary portrait "Cat Country"
Located in Sempach, LU
In this creation, I've endeavored to capture a moment that speaks both to the harmony of nature and the enigmatic kinship between humans and felines. The serene backdrop contrasts wi...
Category

2010s Realist Portrait Paintings

Materials

Acrylic, Cotton Canvas

Young Gentleman Portrait by American Samuel Morse inventor of Telegraph Code 19C
Located in Stockholm, SE
Signed at the back of canvas the painting "Samuel F. B. Morse", revealing the full name of the artist, Samuel Finley Breese Morse (1791 - 1872). The portrait in question is a strikin...
Category

Early 19th Century Realist Portrait Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Wood, Oil

"Departure" 19th century style Realist self portrait by the Croatian artist
Located in Sag Harbor, NY
"Departure" is as 19th century style Realist self portrait by the Croatian artist, Tina Orsolic Dalessio. Tina Orsolic Dalessio is a figurative painter born and raised in Zagreb, C...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Portrait Paintings

Materials

Linen, Canvas, Oil

Portrait of Old Woman 1893 by Famous Russian Master Oil Painting on Canvas Frame
Located in Stockholm, SE
Attributed by Nikolay Alekseyevich Kasatkin (1859 - 1930). In this touching artwork, the artist perfectly conveyed the character of the old woman, who has seen a lot in her life. The...
Category

Late 19th Century Realist Portrait Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Wood, Oil

Portrait of a Man with Architectural Drawing by a European Artist
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Unknown (European, nineteenth century) Man Holding an Architectural Drawing Oil on canvas, 30 3/4 x 25 1/4 inches Framed: 35 1/2 x 30 inches (approx.) Original frame.
Category

Mid-19th Century Realist Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil, Canvas

The Cardinal Fine Antique Portrait Oil Painting in Ornate Gilt Frame
By Otto Eichinger
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
The Cardinal's Letter Otto Eichinger (1922 - 2004) signed oil painting on board, framed framed: 15 x 12 inches board: 12.5 x 10 inches provenance: private collection, UK condition: v...
Category

Mid-20th Century Realist Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil

Holy Family with St Elizabeth and Young John Baptist 19th century Oil Painting
Located in Stockholm, SE
This tender depiction of the Holy Family represents a subject which was central to Raphael's oeuvre. The painting is based on the famous panel by Giulio Romano, called Madonna della ...
Category

Late 19th Century Realist Portrait Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Wood, Oil

Israeli Oil Painting Ruth Schloss Child, Doll, Wagon, Kibbutz Social Realist Art
Located in Surfside, FL
Large magnificent colorful Ruth Schloss oil painting of a child with a wagon with a doll or a baby in a carriage stroller.. Signed in Hebrew size measures 31x43 with frame , 23x35.25...
Category

Mid-20th Century Realist Portrait Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

La Vie en Rouge, 1892. Brussels Bruxelles Respectable Society Portrait.
Located in Sutton Poyntz, Dorset
Léon Herbo. Belgian ( b.1850 - d.1907 ). La Vie en Rouge, 1892. Oil on Panel. Signed lower left. Dated lower right. Image size 15.6 inches x 12.4 inches ( 39.5cm x 31.5cm ). Frame si...
Category

Late 19th Century Realist Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil, Wood Panel

Vineyard
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
I will sing for the one I love a song about his vineyard: My loved one had a vineyard on a fertile hillside. He dug it up and cleared it of stones and planted it with the choicest vi...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Portrait Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Charcoal, Mixed Media, Acrylic

Portrait of a Gentleman, 1913, by Danish Artist Heinrich Dohm
By Heinrich Dohm
Located in Stockholm, SE
"Portrait of a Gentleman, 1913" by Heinrich Dohm is a striking example of the Danish artist's mastery in capturing the essence and character of his subje...
Category

1910s Realist Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil, Canvas

Sighthound Dog Painting of an Italian Greyhound with a Beautiful Collar
Located in Charleston, US
Valarie Wolf's sighthound dog painting is of an Italian Greyhound with a beautiful collar. The Italian Greyhound, a sighthound dog, has the poise of a model with a glamorous collar w...
Category

2010s Realist Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil

Denim series.From the life of Bastian .Ice cream.
Located in Oslo, NO
In this piece, I've woven layers of acrylic and ink to capture a joyful moment in time, where youthful exuberance shines through a child's delighted expression. Marvel at the fine ar...
Category

2010s Realist Portrait Paintings

Materials

Fabric, Acrylic

"First Steps" Oil Painting
Located in Denver, CO
Austin Howlett's "First Steps" is an original, handmade oil painting that depicts a tall female figure walking through a snow covered landscape. Artis...
Category

2010s Realist Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil, Panel

Coral Veil-original impressionism female figurative painting-contemporary Art
Located in London, Chelsea
"Coral Veil" by Kelly-Anne Cairns transports viewers into a world of ethereal beauty and quiet elegance. This original still figurative painting, rendered in the artist's signature i...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Portrait Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Sweet adventures
Located in Oslo, NO
In this painting, I've poured my fascination with life's simple pleasures onto paper, capturing the innocent wonder of a child's first encounter with a world of delightful sweets. Th...
Category

2010s Realist Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil, Acrylic, Bamboo Paper

ENOCH SEEMAN (circle of) PORTRAIT OF SIR FRANCIS SEYMOUR AS A BOY
By Enoch Seeman
Located in York, GB
ENOCH SEEMAN (circle of) PORTRAIT OF SIR FRANCIS SEYMOUR AS A BOY A very fine 18th century portrait of Sir Francis Seymour as a boy,oil on canvas housed in a gilt frame, circle of En...
Category

18th Century Realist Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil

Golden Slumber-original impressionism figurative oil painting-contemporary art
Located in London, Chelsea
"Golden Slumber" by Kelly-Anne Cairns is an enchanting portrayal captured in the delicate strokes of impressionistic style. Set against a backdrop of serene blue and golden hues, thi...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Portrait Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

The Goddess Hera - 19th Century Neoclassical Oil Painting Ancient Greek Myth
Located in Gerrards Cross, GB
‘Hera’ by Eduard Niczky (1850-1919). The painting - which depicts the Greek queen of the gods in golden diadem and yellow robe - is signed by the artist and hangs in a newly commissioned, bespoke gold metal leaf frame...
Category

Late 19th Century Realist Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil

"Untitled, " Oil Painting
Located in Denver, CO
Rebecca Venn's (US based) "Untitled" is an original, handmade oil painting on canvas paper that depicts a nude female model laying on her back. This is ...
Category

2010s Realist Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil

Poetry -original impressionism figurative female oil painting-contemporary Art
Located in London, Chelsea
"Poetry" by Kelly-Anne Cairns is a mesmerizing exploration of serenity and introspection, captured in the ethereal strokes of impressionistic style. This original still figurative p...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Portrait Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Cool Breeze-original impresionism figurative landscape painting-contemporary Art
Located in London, Chelsea
"Cool Breeze" by Kelly-Anne Cairns captures the essence of summer leisure and seaside tranquility in a mesmerizing tableau. This original still figurative painting, executed with the...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Portrait Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Contemporary portrait "Don't Tell Me what to Do"
Located in Sempach, LU
In this piece, I capture the spirit of independence and defiance. The central figure stands poised yet resolute, a silent assertion of self in a structured environment. The cats, wi...
Category

2010s Realist Portrait Paintings

Materials

Cotton Canvas, Acrylic

'Portrait of a Boy' by Arthur Bésengez, 1867 - 1947, Belgian Painter
Located in Bruges, BE
Arthur Bésengez 1867 – 1947 Belgian Painter 'Portrait of a Boy' Signature: Signed lower right and dated 1913 Medium: Oil on canvas Dimensions: Image size 168 x 103, frame size 186 ...
Category

Early 20th Century Realist Portrait Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Malé- contemporary striped portrait painting- original abstract Artwork
Located in London, Chelsea
Montana Engels: "Malé is painted with sand and shells from the Maldives. Hence the name Malé, referring to the capital of the Maldives. From up close the painting looks abstract with...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Portrait Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic, Mixed Media

Helping Dad Lovely Family Scene 19th century Scottish Oil Painting Framed
Located in Stockholm, SE
Signed "R. Guard". This beautifully painting captures a heartwarming moment between a father and daughter, as she helps him fix a button or collar by sewing it on, and their little ...
Category

Late 19th Century Realist Portrait Paintings

Materials

Wood, Oil, Wood Panel

Cuban Dancer (Female Portrait Cuba)
Located in Wilton Manors, FL
Moses Soyer (December 25, 1899 – September 2, 1974. Cuban Dancer, ca. 1950s. Oil on panel measuring 15.25 x 18 inches. Signed upper right. Two original ACA Galleries labels affixed o...
Category

Mid-20th Century Realist Portrait Paintings

Materials

Oil, Panel

Blueminescence- original abstract portrait painting- contemporary Artwork
Located in London, Chelsea
Montana Engels: "This Blue work with blue and green accent, is inspired by the neon blue or green sparkles of the sea called bioluminescence. The ocean can glow and glitter like star...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Portrait Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic

Nuya-original abstract modern portrait painting-Artwork-contemporary Art
Located in London, Chelsea
Montana Engels: "This pink, purple, blue painting is inspired by a sunset in the Mountains of Switserland. Dawn light hitting the mountains in an ever so delicate way that reflects t...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Portrait Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic

Portrait Sleeping Girl by Danish German Genre Painting Master 19th century
Located in Stockholm, SE
Johann August Frederik Carl‏ Lorange (1833 - 1875) was highly skilled Danish artist of German roots. Not much known on his biography, unfortunately, but most of his works were produc...
Category

19th Century Realist Portrait Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Wood Panel, Oil, Wood

Pablo Picasso (+ quote says believe in your imagination and it’s real) - Artwork
Located in London, Chelsea
Peter Engels' "Pablo Picasso" is a compelling acrylic on canvas that serves as a profound homage to the creative genius of Picasso. The monochrome palette chosen by Engels is strikin...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Portrait Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic

Realist portrait paintings for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a wide variety of authentic Realist portrait 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 portrait 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, orange, red and other colors. Many Pop art paintings were created by popular artists on 1stDibs, including Matt Talbert, Chikako Okada, Mark Beard, and Bruce Adams. 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 portrait paintings, so small editions measuring 0.5 inches across are also available. Prices for portrait paintings made by famous or emerging artists can differ depending on medium, time period and other attributes. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $180 and tops out at $885,000, while the average work sells for $3,600.

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