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
French bulldog in Venice - XXI Century, Contemporary Figurative Oil Painting
Located in Warsaw, PL
Paintnig is on exhibition, please cuntact us for availability
Gabryela Wasowicz is a Polish painter born in 1947. She studied at the Academy of Fine Arts of Warsaw and then at the G...
Category
2010s Realist Portrait Paintings
Materials
Oil, Canvas
RMS Laconia, signed oil painting
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
RMS Laconia, 1921
by Louis Letouche (French 1924-2015)
oil painting on linen canvas, stretched over board
framed
Framed size: 14.25 x 22.75 inches
Superb oil painting by the well ...
Category
1990s Realist Portrait Paintings
Materials
Oil
"Classic Profile" 32x30", Acrylic and oil on board
By Ceravolo
Located in Southampton, NY
In this work titled "Classic Profile" Ceravolo has used one of his favorite New York models and has combine oil and acrylic with oil stick to create this timeless subtle and classic ...
Category
Early 2000s Realist Portrait Paintings
Materials
Oil Crayon, Varnish, Oil, Acrylic, Board
Adele
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
triptych of adele, oil on canvas
16 x 20 in size each
Christina Major was born in Concord, New Hampshire in 1982. She has lived all over the world including Hawaii, France, New York...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Realist Portrait Paintings
Materials
Oil Crayon
"Young Patriot" Portrait American Folk Figural Oil Painting Contemporary Flag
Located in Wellesley, MA
Charlotte Gibbs recently had the distinct honor of being awarded First Prize in The Roddy Compeition held at the Concord Center for Visual Arts in Concord, MA where she was singled ...
Category
2010s Realist Portrait Paintings
Materials
Oil
Blue Flowers by Jim Salvati, Realism Oil Painting, 2017
By Jim Salvati
Located in Naples, FL
Oil on canvas, 2017
Realist oil painter, Jim Salvati, utilizes texture to add emotion and depth to his panels. His paintings usually depict a lone figure, but are not so much portra...
Category
2010s Realist Portrait Paintings
Materials
Oil
Le Docteur Eddy et ses Intimates
By Louis Joseph Anthonissen
Located in Buffalo, NY
An original oil on canvas painting by Belgian artist Louis Joseph Anthonissen depicting a doctor and his family in a garden setting. This painting comes housed in its original grand...
Category
19th Century Realist Portrait Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
"Mystique" 49x67" Oil on Canvas
By Ceravolo
Located in Southampton, NY
This exquisite painting titled "Mystique"' is a large oil on canvas by Ceravolo that measures 49x67", it was painted in 1980 in Ceravolo's trademarked portrait / illusion style, feat...
Category
Early 2000s Realist Portrait Paintings
Materials
Oil, Canvas
Oil on Canvas Titled: Defines
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
oil on canvas-earlier work
Christina Major was born in Concord, New Hampshire in 1982. She has lived all over the world including Hawaii, France, New York and more currently Florida....
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Realist Portrait Paintings
Materials
Oil
Oil Painting on Canvas -- The "Three" of Life
Located in Troy, NY
In this oil painting on canvas, three generations of Latina women stand in front of a maroon tree-trunk with a pre-adolescent girl between the mother and grandmother. The grandmother...
Category
1990s Realist Portrait Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
Oil on Canvas Titled: “Nina”
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Nina, Oil on Canvas, Painting by Christina Major
Christina Major was born in Concord, New Hampshire in 1982. She has lived all over the world including Hawaii, France, New York an...
Category
2010s Realist Portrait Paintings
Materials
Oil
Mid Century Boy and His Dog Figurative
Located in Soquel, CA
Wonderful oil painting of artist's son, Ray Rogers, by Virginia Sevier Rogers (American, 1916-2015). Signed "VSR" 7/50 (July 1950) on verso. Unframed. Image: 34"H x 24"W.
Rogers stu...
Category
20th Century Realist Portrait Paintings
Materials
Oil, Linen
Untitled (Big Momma in Profile)
Located in Fairlawn, OH
Untitled (Big Momma in Profile)
Signed by the artist lower right: "Sedrick Huckaby III"
Tempera and gesso on book board
(Board size) 32 x 20 inches
Frame: 40...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Realist Portrait Paintings
Materials
Mixed Media
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
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
Ken Howard, 1932 - 2022, British Painter, 'The Mirror - South Bolton Garden'
By Ken Howard
Located in Bruges, BE
Ken Howard
London 1932 – 2022 Cornwall
British Painter
'The Mirror – South Bolton Garden'
Signature: Signed lower right and dated 1982
Medium: Oil on canvas
Dimensions: Image size 1...
Category
Mid-20th Century Realist Portrait Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
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
Realist Bay horse painting with a warm tan background with a 3 1/2" walnut frame
Located in Charleston, US
Valarie Wolf's traditional Bay horse painting standing against a warm tan background with a 3 1/2" handsome walnut frame is quite the statement. The hand...
Category
2010s Realist Portrait Paintings
Materials
Oil
Portrait of a Lady in a Landscape - British 19thC art oil painting
Located in London, GB
This stunning British 19th century Pre-Raphaelite portrait oil painting is attributed to famous Manchester born artist and elected associate of the Royal Academy, Annie Louisa Swynne...
Category
19th Century Realist Portrait Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
Academic nudes painter - 19th century figure drawing - Pencil paper Italy
Located in Varmo, IT
Italian painter (19th-20th century) - Academic male nude.
55 x 39 cm without frame, 63.5 x 46.5 cm with frame.
Pencil and white chalk drawing on p...
Category
Late 19th Century Realist Portrait Paintings
Materials
Pencil, Paper
Fine German Portrait of Elderly Man with Beard Enjoying a Smoke and Reading Book
By Fritz Muller
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
"A Quiet Smoke"
by Fritz Muller (German, 1913 - 1972)
signed
oil painting on board, framed
framed: 16 x 14 inches
board: 14 x 11.5 inches
provenance: private collection, England
cond...
Category
Mid-20th Century Realist Portrait Paintings
Materials
Oil
Spicy Rich Boi, Oil, Figurative Marfa, Texas, Real Character, 40 x 30
Located in Houston, TX
Spicy Rich Boi
INFO:
I pretty much paint my life, where I travel and the people I meet. The figure being my greatest muse, I cannot resist painting someone that really piques m...
Category
2010s Realist Portrait Paintings
Materials
Oil, Canvas
"Waiting for Birth" Oil Painting 20" x 16" inch by Dmitriy Krestniy
Located in Culver City, CA
"Waiting for Birth" Oil Painting 20" x 16" inch by Dmitriy Krestniy
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
Golden Labrador Dog Portrait Oil Painting British Oil Painting Listed Artist
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
"Jane"
by Frances Mabel Hollams (British 1877-1963), signed
titled to the upper corner
oil painting on wood panel: 14 x 17.75 inches
framed 15.5 x 19 in...
Category
Mid-20th Century Realist Portrait Paintings
Materials
Wood Panel, Oil
Self Isolation II
Located in New York, NY
A uniquely hand painted print from the original painting by the artist. The print feature a unique combination of lines, symbols, drawing and words painted by the artist on the surfa...
Category
2010s Realist Portrait Paintings
Materials
Paper, Archival Paper, Pencil, Canvas, Cotton Canvas, Archival Ink
Mirror S
Located in New York, NY
A uniquely hand painted print from the original panting by the artist. The print feature a unique combination of lines, symbols, drawing and words painted by the artist on the surfac...
Category
2010s Realist Portrait Paintings
Materials
Paper, Ink, Canvas, Pencil, Archival Ink, Archival Paper
"Fallen Goddess" Oil Painting 59" x 47" inch by Dmitriy Krestniy
Located in Culver City, CA
"Fallen Goddess" Oil Painting 59" x 47" inch by Dmitriy Krestniy
ATTENTION: Painting ships rolled in a tube.
A look through Dmitriy’s designs reveals a glamorous, feminine, provoc...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Realist Portrait Paintings
Materials
Oil, Canvas
"Elizabeth Anne" Abstract Portrait Painting
By Jeanne Billfaldt
Located in Houston, TX
Impressionist portrait painting of a woman. The work is signed by the artist in the bottom corner. The painting is framed in a dark wooden frame.
Dimensions Without Frame: H 24 in x...
Category
1940s Realist Portrait Paintings
Materials
Oil
Night Train
By Nemo Jantzen
Located in New York, NY
Glass spheres on wood
Unique glass spheres are arranged to create a dynamic portrait of a young woman. The glass spheres contain imagery of astronauts and space-related media, crea...
Category
2010s Realist Portrait Paintings
Materials
Glass, Resin, Wood, Plywood, Color
Doodle This
By Nemo Jantzen
Located in New York, NY
Glass spheres on wood
Unique glass spheres are arranged to create a dynamic portrait of a young woman. The glass spheres create a multi-layered composition.
Nemo’s hyper-realist ...
Category
2010s Realist Portrait Paintings
Materials
Glass, Resin, Wood, Plywood, Color
Non-Fungible
By Nemo Jantzen
Located in New York, NY
Glass spheres on wood
Unique glass spheres are arranged to create a dynamic portrait of a young woman. The glass spheres contain imagery to create a multi-layered composition.
Ne...
Category
2010s Realist Portrait Paintings
Materials
Glass, Resin, Wood, Plywood, Color
Pulp Fiction
By Nemo Jantzen
Located in New York, NY
Glass spheres on wood
Unique glass spheres are arranged to create a dynamic portrait of a young woman. The glass spheres contain imagery to create a multi-layered composition.
Ne...
Category
2010s Realist Portrait Paintings
Materials
Glass, Resin, Wood, Plywood, Color
Vogue
By Nemo Jantzen
Located in New York, NY
Glass spheres on wood
Unique glass spheres are arranged to create a dynamic portrait of a young woman. The glass spheres contain imagery of astronauts and space-related media, crea...
Category
2010s Realist Portrait Paintings
Materials
Glass, Resin, Wood, Plywood, Color
Hello
By Nemo Jantzen
Located in New York, NY
Glass spheres on wood
Unique glass spheres are arranged to create a dynamic portrait of a young woman. The glass spheres contain imagery to create a multi-layered composition.
Ne...
Category
2010s Realist Portrait Paintings
Materials
Glass, Resin, Wood, Plywood, Color
BOOM
By Nemo Jantzen
Located in New York, NY
Glass spheres on wood
Unique glass spheres are arranged to create a dynamic portrait of a young woman. The glass spheres contain imagery to create a multi-layered composition.
Ne...
Category
2010s Realist Portrait Paintings
Materials
Glass, Resin, Wood, Plywood, Color
"Old Photo" Oil Painting 59" x 47" inch by Dmitriy Krestniy
Located in Culver City, CA
"Old Photo" Oil Painting 59" x 47" inch by Dmitriy Krestniy
ATTENTION: Painting ships rolled in a tube.
A look through Dmitriy’s designs reveals a glamor...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Realist Portrait Paintings
Materials
Oil, Canvas
Green Pastel Toned Realistic Tao Woman Portrait in a White Ruband
Located in Houston, TX
Pastel green toned realistic portrait of a Tao woman by Pasadena, CA artist, Charles Kern Fiedler. Signed by the artist at the bottom. Framed and matted in a black and gold wooden frame.
Dimensions Without Frame: H 19.75 x W 15.88
Artist Biography: Charles Kern Fiedler was born in Ohio in 1885. Fiedler studied at the Cleveland School of Art and University of Pennsylvania. After settling in Pasadena in 1919, he studied with Jean Mannheim. During WWII he taught art for two years at Occidental College. His studio in Pasadena was formerly that of Benjamin Brown. and it's likely that Fiedler was exposed to some of the early landscape oils of Benjamin Brown which show similarities to Fiedlers own early works. Fiedler was also influenced by the more traditional early Plein Air eucalyptus landscape...
Category
1930s Realist Portrait Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
Woman with Dog
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Size with frame: 34 x 28 Inches
Reza begun studying art seriously at age 15 and was studying at the institute of art in Iran where he graduated with highest honors.
He also studied...
Category
Early 2000s Realist Portrait Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
Blue Blood II
By Nemo Jantzen
Located in New York, NY
Nails & Thread on wood, Comes in plexiglass box
Thread is expertly wrapped around embedded nails to create a beautiful portrait of a woman. The medium of thread necessitates the use...
Category
2010s Realist Portrait Paintings
Materials
Thread, Plexiglass, Wood, Plywood
Space Odyssey
By Nemo Jantzen
Located in New York, NY
Glass spheres on wood
Unique glass spheres are arranged to create a dynamic portrait of a young woman. The glass spheres contain imagery of astronauts and space-related media, crea...
Category
2010s Realist Portrait Paintings
Materials
Glass, Resin, Wood, Plywood, Color
Blue Blood
By Nemo Jantzen
Located in New York, NY
Nails & Thread on wood, Comes in plexiglass box
Thread is expertly wrapped around embedded nails to create a beautiful portrait of a woman. The medium of thread necessitates the use...
Category
2010s Realist Portrait Paintings
Materials
Thread, Plexiglass, Wood, Plywood
Like A Star
By Nemo Jantzen
Located in New York, NY
Nails & Thread on wood, Comes in plexiglass box
Thread is expertly wrapped around embedded nails to create a beautiful portrait of a woman. The medium of thread necessitates the use...
Category
2010s Realist Portrait Paintings
Materials
Thread, Plexiglass, Wood, Plywood
Fauste and Margarite Leaving Church
Located in Austin, TX
"Fauste and Margarite Leaving Church", a 19th century oil painting by French Realist painter Adolphe-René Lefevre (1834 - 1886).
The painting mea...
Category
Mid-19th Century Realist Portrait Paintings
Materials
Oil, Archival Paper
Napoleon
Located in Missouri, MO
KPM Style German
"Napoleon" c. late 19th c.
Signed "Bock"
Original Hand-Painted Porcelain
Marked Verso
approx 7 x 5 inches/approx 10 x 8 framed
Category
Late 19th Century Realist Portrait Paintings
Materials
Porcelain, Oil
Africa
By Jessica Rice
Located in West Hollywood, CA
Presenting a just discovered original painting by one of the contemporary masters of Belgian avante-garde painting, Jessica Rice (1941-2016.)
Africa, is an original oil on canvas, s...
Category
1970s Realist Portrait Paintings
Materials
Oil
Frank O'Hara and Stevie Rivers
By John Button
Located in New York, NY
Oil on canvas
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 California, Berkeley. After moving to New York City in the early 1950s, he became friends with Fairfield Porter and Frank O’Hara...
Category
1950s Realist Portrait Paintings
Materials
Oil, Canvas
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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