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
Small Oil of Two Cavalier King Charles Basking in the Sun on Lush Green Grass
Located in Charleston, US
"King Charles, Junior & Senior" a charming dog painting of a father and son Cavalier King Charles in a lush green landscape is by renowned sporting artist...
Category
2010s Realist Portrait Paintings
Materials
Oil, Canvas
Contemporary portrait "California"
Located in Zofingen, AG
This artwork captures a vibrant Californian scene, with a sleek vintage black car set against a sun-drenched desert landscape and a bold "CALIFORNIA"...
Category
2010s Realist Portrait Paintings
Materials
Cotton Canvas, Acrylic
"Doctor"
Located in Edinburgh, GB
The 2019 pandemic served as inspiration for the creation of a portrait of a doctor who helped people during difficult times.
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Realist Portrait Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
Contemporary portrait "There was Life Here"
Located in Zofingen, AG
This artwork captures the essence of a time gone by, blending contemporary style with nostalgic Americana. A solitary figure in a loose white shirt and wide-legged jeans confidently ...
Category
2010s Realist Portrait Paintings
Materials
Cotton Canvas, Acrylic
Contemporary portrait "Poolside Party"
Located in Zofingen, AG
It's strange to paint frills and ruffles when all I have in my head are post-apocalyptic images. But I've never swum in a pool, nor have I been to a real party, even when I was in sc...
Category
2010s Realist Portrait Paintings
Materials
Cotton Canvas, Acrylic
"The Norwegian Madonna" Original realistic portrair. Large vertical oil painting
Located in Oslo, NO
This painting was created specifically for the New masculinity collection on Singulart.
The topic is very relevant and concerns many people .Gender roles have ceased to be as specifi...
Category
2010s Realist Portrait Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
Contemporary portrait "Near the Sea"
Located in Zofingen, AG
In this painting, I've aimed to capture a moment of sudden stillness and a muted connection between two figures against a coastal backdrop. Using acrylics, I have layered the realist...
Category
2010s Realist Portrait Paintings
Materials
Cotton Canvas, Acrylic
Contemporary portrait "New Look for an Old Jacket"
Located in Zofingen, AG
Sometimes you dig into the closet, find a long-forgotten item, and start trying it on in different ways. You try it on, and it seems pretty cool, but then you think: Where am I going...
Category
2010s Realist Portrait Paintings
Materials
Cotton Canvas, Acrylic
"Serenity' (2020) By Beth Sistrunk, Original Oil Painting
Located in Denver, CO
Beth Sistrunk's "Serenity" is an oil on panel featuring a model with pink petals.
About the artist:
Beth's interests in painting the figure, women’s fashion, flowers, landscape phot...
Category
2010s Realist Portrait Paintings
Materials
Oil, Panel
"Sweet adventures" Original oil painting on paper. Vertical large impressionism
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
Kazuya Ushioda "The Sound Of Prayer" - Oil On Panel Figurative Painting 2021
Located in Denver, CO
Kazuya Ushioda’s The Sound of Prayer (2021) is a striking figurative oil on panel that captures a moment of quiet reflection. Measuring 44.12 x 11.87 x 0.70 inches, this tall and slender composition features a single figure clothed in a white kimono adorned with delicate blue floral motifs and cinched by a vivid red sash. The woman’s eyes are closed, and her hands are gently positioned near her head, suggesting an intimate state of concentration or contemplation.
Painted in oil on a carefully prepared panel, this original, handmade work showcases Ushioda’s meticulous technique, evident in the rendering of subtle skin tones and nuanced folds of fabric. The vertical format accentuates the graceful poise of the figure, drawing the viewer’s gaze downward from her serene expression to the richly detailed kimono patterns. The neutral background highlights the subject’s form, creating a harmonious interplay of color and space.
Executed in 2021, The Sound of Prayer stands...
Category
2010s Realist Portrait Paintings
Materials
Oil, Panel
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
Oil Painting / Abstract versus Figurative Art / Figurative Art / Human Figure /
By Bruce Adams
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
1980s Realist Portrait Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
Mid-century oil on canvas portrait painting of a seated woman, by Sierk Schroder
Located in Oostende, BE
Sierk Schröder (1903-2002) is considered to be the most important and most requested Dutch portrait painter of the twentieth century. Many well-known fi...
Category
Mid-20th Century Realist Portrait Paintings
Materials
Canvas
Portrait of a Young Welsh Girl - Enid Richards - British Edwardian Staithes art
By Ernest Higgins Rigg
Located in London, GB
A fine portrait oil on canvas by noted British Staithes listed artist Ernest Higgins Rigg. It is a super Edwardian portrait of Enid Richards and was painted at Govilon in Wales in 1...
Category
1910s Realist Portrait Paintings
Materials
Oil
"Portrait of the Head of a Calf" dated 1882, Henry Schouten (1857-1929)
Located in SANTA FE, NM
"Portrait of the Head of a Calf" dated 1882
Henry Schouten (Belgian, 1857-1929)
Oil on canvas
Inscribed "P.H. Schouten (18)82"
23 x 20 1/2 (28 3/8 x 25 1/4 frame) inches
Painted by ...
Category
1880s Realist Portrait Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
"Forest Whisper" (2024) By Andrada Trapnell, Original Oil Painting, Portrait
Located in Denver, CO
Andrada Trapnell's "Forest Whisper" is a captivating original artwork created in 2024. This piece measures 8 x 10 inches framed and features a masterful blend of oil paint on board. ...
Category
2010s Realist Portrait Paintings
Materials
Oil, Board
"Solitary", John Berry, Native American Indians, Realism, Oil/Canvas, 40x30 in
Located in Dallas, TX
John Berry is a well-known English artist who painted portraits of the royal family. During his career, he discovered Edward Curtis's photographs of Native Americans and became awestruck by the strength and power each portrait held. He studied them in-depth and became an expert in depicting the Native American lifestyle and portraits. This painting entitled "Solitary Figure" is an original oil on canvas painting measuring 40x30 in. In this painting a Native American chief with an Indian headdress...
Category
1990s Realist Portrait Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
State of Mind 14 - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative Portrait, Women
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
Shipping Procedure
FREE Shipping Worldwide
Ships in a well-protected tube from Nigeria
This work is unique, not a print or other type of copy.
Accompanied by a Certificate of Authent...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Realist Portrait Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
"Rustic Genre Scene"
Located in Edinburgh, GB
Antique Oil Painting – Rustic Genre Scene
Artist: Unidentified
Period: 19th Century (Attributed)
Medium: Oil on Panel
Dimensions: Framed: 44 x 38 cm Artwork: 27 x 20 cm
Style: Acade...
Category
19th Century Realist Portrait Paintings
Materials
Oil, Panel
African Beauty
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
Agwunwa Theophilus' "African Beauty" is a striking piece of artwork that celebrates the essence of African identity and individuality. Through the m...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Realist Portrait Paintings
Materials
Fabric, Canvas
March 9, 1998 (98-99 Series), Original Painting
By Mark Cudd
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
A woman glances sharply to her right, her expression poised between curiosity and caution. Rendered in stark black and white, the piece gives a timeless and cin...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Realist Portrait Paintings
Materials
Acrylic
[Bruce Sargeant (1898-1938)] Michael Hunting
By Mark Beard
Located in New York, NY
Oil on canvas
Signed in red, u.r.
14 x 11 inches, canvas size
14.5 x 11.5 inches in distressed gold leaf frame
This artwork is offered by ClampArt, located in New York City.
“Bruc...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Realist Portrait Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
![[Bruce Sargeant (1898-1938)] Michael Hunting](https://a.1stdibscdn.com/mark-beard-paintings-bruce-sargeant-1898-1938-michael-hunting-for-sale/a_9323/a_28833811527267299402/Beard_Sargeant_Michael_Hunting_with_frame_980_master.jpg?width=240 "bruce beard")
Untitled 021 (Cocktail dyptych)
By Bruce Adams
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 ...
Category
2010s Realist Portrait Paintings
Materials
Oil, Canvas
"Luster" (2024) Oil Painting by Karen Offutt, Female Portrait
By Karen Offutt
Located in Denver, CO
Karen Offutt's (US based) "Luster" is an original, handmade oil painting that depicts a portrait of a woman on an abstracted background. The painting is framed, with overall dimensio...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Realist Portrait Paintings
Materials
Oil, Panel
Resurrection
Located in Burlingame, CA
'Resurrection' features the head of a reclining young reddish blond haired women wearing a cloak of lady bugs. It is 6 x 8 inches, unframed, wired and ready to hang. Condition excell...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Realist Portrait Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Cotton Canvas, Oil
"Scarlet" (2023) by Suzy Smith, Original Oil Painting, Portrait
By Suzy Smith
Located in Denver, CO
Suzy Smith's "Scarlet" is an original, handmade oil painting that depicts a portrait of a feminine figure, in a red gown with a red background.
About the Artist:
Suzy Smith is a Wy...
Category
2010s Realist Portrait Paintings
Materials
Linen, Oil, Panel
Contemporary portrait "Everything Else Is Nothing"
Located in Zofingen, AG
This artwork depicts a solitary figure leaning against a large green sign with the bold text, "THE ONLY OTHER THING IS NOTHING." Set in a stark, desolate landscape, the scene exudes ...
Category
2010s Realist Portrait Paintings
Materials
Cotton Canvas, Acrylic
"Dawn" oil on canvas figurative painting, stippled lake and mountain landscape
Located in Sag Harbor, NY
"Dawn" is a contemporary oil painting on canvas. Orsolic is known for her melodic landscapes and precise attention to detail, however, in this painting, she branches away from realis...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Realist Portrait Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
Young Girl in a Pink Dress Leaning on a Table with a Vase of Pink Roses, English
Located in Grand Rapids, MI
Stephen Pearson (English, 1931 - 2003)
Signed: S. Pearson (Lower, Right)
" Young Girl in a Pink Dress Leaning on a Table with a Vase of Pink Roses ", circa 1979
Acrylic on Canvas
...
Category
Mid-20th Century Realist Portrait Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Acrylic
"Champagne" (2022) by Emma Kalff, Original Oil Painting of Cityscape
Located in Denver, CO
"Champagne" by Emma Kalff (United States) is a handmade landscape oil painting depicting a night time city scene with a blurry figure on the right side.
Emma Kalff is a Dutch-born p...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Realist Portrait Paintings
Materials
Oil, Panel
"Pink" (2023) by Suzy Smith, Original Oil Painting, Portrait
By Suzy Smith
Located in Denver, CO
Suzy Smith's "Pink" is an original, handmade oil painting that depicts a portrait of a feminine figure, in a formal dark pink gown with a pink background.
About the Artist:
Suzy Sm...
Category
2010s Realist Portrait Paintings
Materials
Linen, Oil, Panel
Contemporary portrait "Вlack Leather Gloves"
Located in Zofingen, AG
This is a partial homage to David Hockney's art. In this painting, I explored the interplay of realism and symbolism through the figurative use of acrylic. The central figure, clad i...
Category
2010s Realist Portrait Paintings
Materials
Acrylic
"Sebastian" (2014) By John Tarantola, Realist Portrait Oil Painting
Located in Denver, CO
John Tarantola's original nude portrait "Sebastian" (2014) is a beautiful realist painting done with oil on panel, which depicts a young red-haired man looking down and forward, in a...
Category
2010s Realist Portrait Paintings
Materials
Oil, Panel
French Religious Painting 19th White Fathers Missionnaries Africa LAVIGERIE
Located in PARIS, FR
French school around 1880
Oil on canvas
46 x 38 cm (57 x 64.5 cm with frame)
Unsigned
Beautiful carved wooden frame
Portrait of the Archbishop of Algiers and future Cardinal Charles...
Category
Late 19th Century Realist Portrait Paintings
Materials
Oil
Contemporary portrait "Photo for Memory"
Located in Zofingen, AG
Sometimes I wonder, was it even there - that past life?
If there are no photos, there is no evidence. In this artwork, I've captured a moment suspended in time, where nostalgia meets...
Category
2010s Realist Portrait Paintings
Materials
Cotton Canvas, Acrylic
"Cactus Wren" (2022) By J. Adam McGalliard, Original Pastel Illustration
Located in Denver, CO
"Cactus Wren" (2022) by J. Adam McGalliard is an original, handmade pastel illustration on paper that depicts a small bird standing on a bloomed cactus.
J. Adam McGalliard is a Co...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Realist Portrait Paintings
Materials
Paper, Pastel
The Backside
Located in Zofingen, AG
A splash of nostalgia meets modern flair. A figure with a platinum pixie cut and a cool black crop top stands casually with their back to us, seemingly lost in thought. They’re facing a stunning red vintage car...
Category
2010s Realist Portrait Paintings
Materials
Cotton Canvas, Acrylic
Contemporary portraits "Relax"
Located in Zofingen, AG
This artwork presents a vivid poolside scene, blending luxury and introspection through two central figures. The composition contrasts serene blue skies, palm trees, and a sparkling ...
Category
2010s Realist Portrait Paintings
Materials
Cotton Canvas, Acrylic
"Seeing Shadows" Oil Painting by Karen Offutt, Female Portrait
By Karen Offutt
Located in Denver, CO
Karen Offutt's (US based) "Seeing Shadows" is an original, handmade oil painting that depicts a female portrait with her face in profile wearing a fur coat with a blue background. Th...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Realist Portrait Paintings
Materials
Oil, Panel
Portrait of a Girl, 1887 by Danish Realist Painter Peder Mørk Mønsted
By Peder Mørk Mønsted
Located in Stockholm, SE
This painting titled "Portrait of a Girl" by the Danish realist painter Peder Mørk Mønsted captures an enigmatic young woman whose identity remains unknown. The girl, elegantly posed...
Category
1880s Realist Portrait Paintings
Materials
Oil, Wood Panel
Contemporary portrait "A Terrace with a View of the Sea"
Located in Zofingen, AG
This artwork portrays a serene poolside scene with two young women on a sunlit terrace overlooking the ocean. Balancing modern minimalism and natural beauty, one exudes elegance in a...
Category
2010s Realist Portrait Paintings
Materials
Cotton Canvas, Acrylic
Untitled
Located in Barcelona, BARCELONA
The painting is being offered with a work and authenticity certificate
Category
1990s Realist Portrait Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
Portrait of George Hopkinson - British 20's male oil painting Russian Jewish art
By Jacob Kramer
Located in London, GB
This superb portrait oil painting is by noted Russian Jewish artist Jacob Kramer. The sitter is a friend of the artist, George Hopkinson, proud Yorkshireman and textile businessman w...
Category
1920s Realist Portrait Paintings
Materials
Oil
Portrait of a Gentleman in Crimson Coat - British 19th century art oil painting
Located in London, GB
This fine portrait oil painting is attributed to the circle of Joshua Reynolds. Painted circa 1800 it is a half portrait of a fine young man in a crimson velvet coat. The detail in h...
Category
Early 19th Century Realist Portrait Paintings
Materials
Oil
"Beyond Reality #2" Portrait Oil Painting 47" x 39" inch by Dmitriy Krestniy
Located in Culver City, CA
"Beyond Reality #2" Portrait Oil Painting 47" x 39" inch by Dmitriy Krestniy
ATTENTION: Painting ships rolled in a tube.
A look through Dmitriy’s designs reveals a glamorous, femin...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Realist Portrait Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
Below Deck
By Tom Lovell
Located in Miami, FL
Charles Martignette
Heritage Auctions, This is a Wonderfully rendered work with high level of detail and color saturation. Norman Rockwellesqu...
Category
1950s Realist Portrait Paintings
Materials
Gouache
Contemporary portrait "Meeting"
Located in Zofingen, AG
In this piece, I aimed to capture a serene yet introspective moment under a summer night sky. The figure blends realism and symbolism, with dark hues against a twilight backdrop evok...
Category
2010s Realist Portrait Paintings
Materials
Cotton Canvas, Acrylic
MIRADA GOYO DOMINQUEZ contemporary Spanish artist Realist Romantic
Located in Pollenca, Illes Baleares
Goyo Dominguez, Spanish-born painter, is a romantic realist who paints figuratively with a unique sense of vision, beauty and imagination. His compositions, depicted with great techn...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Realist Portrait Paintings
Materials
Acrylic
State of Mind 15 - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative Portrait, Women
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
Shipping Procedure
FREE Shipping Worldwide
Ships in a well-protected tube from Nigeria
This work is unique, not a print or other type of copy.
Accompanied by a Certificate of Authent...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Realist Portrait Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
Antonio Lopez Garcia - red, blue, male, figurative, portrait, oil on canvas
Located in Bloomfield, ON
Canadian realist painter Dan Hughes pays homage to fellow painter and member of the "New Spanish Realists," Antonio Lopez Garcia. The glowing hyper-realis...
Category
2010s Realist Portrait Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
Sadhu wise indian oil on board painting India
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Fernando Fernandez - Sadhu - Oil panel
Oil measurements 24x16 cm.
Without frame.
Category
Early 2000s Realist Portrait Paintings
Materials
Oil, Board
"Pretty In Pink", Hans Amis, Realistic Portrait, Flowers, Original Oil, 40x30 in
By Hans Amis
Located in Dallas, TX
"Pretty in Pink" by Hans Amis, also known as An He, is an original oil on canvas portrait painting that measures 40x30 in. in a gold ornate frame. This period portrait depicts a carefree young woman with brown hair picking...
Category
Early 2000s Realist Portrait Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
Contemporary portraits "Coordinates: Nowhere"
Located in Zofingen, AG
The artwork portrays a vast, empty desert beneath a stormy sky. A vintage brown car stands alone, its sleek design contrasting with the barren landscape. Two figures, separated yet s...
Category
2010s Realist Portrait Paintings
Materials
Cotton Canvas, Acrylic
Contemporary portrait "Inhabitants"
Located in Zofingen, AG
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
Cotton Canvas, Acrylic
Soldier Beats Up Muggers on Subway - Stag Magazine story illustration
Located in Miami, FL
Hand-signed by artist, sticker label, Signed (as Emmett Kaye) lower right it was Mort Kunstler's pseudonym, unframed
Category
1960s Realist Portrait Paintings
Materials
Gouache
One Way
Located in Zofingen, AG
This surreal artwork portrays a solitary figure in a dark coat standing on a desert road, evoking mystery and introspection. A red phone booth to the l...
Category
2010s Realist Portrait Paintings
Materials
Cotton Canvas, Acrylic
"San Juan Mountains" (2023) Limited Edition Poster Print, Portrait of Woman
Located in Denver, CO
"San Juan Mountains" is a limited edition poster print by the acclaimed UK artist Ed Fairburn. This captivating piece, released in 2023, is reproduced onto 100% 290gsm cotton rag pre...
Category
2010s Realist Portrait Paintings
Materials
Paper, Archival Pigment
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.