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Photorealist Paintings

PHOTOREALISM

A direct challenge to Abstract Expressionism’s subjectivity and gestural vigor, Photorealism was informed by the Pop predilection for representational imagery, popular iconography and tools, like projectors and airbrushes, borrowed from the worlds of commercial art and design.

Whether gritty or gleaming, the subject matter favored by Photorealists is instantly, if vaguely, familiar. It’s the stuff of yellowing snapshots and fugitive memories. The bland and the garish alike flicker between crystal-clear reality and dreamy illusion, inviting the viewer to contemplate a single moment rather than igniting a story.

The virtues of the “photo” in Photorealist art — infused as they are with dazzling qualities that are easily blurred in reproduction — are as elusive as they are allusive. “Much Photorealist painting has the vacuity of proportion and intent of an idiot-savant, long on look and short on personal timbre,” John Arthur wrote (rather admiringly) in the catalogue essay for Realism/Photorealism, a 1980 exhibition at the Philbrook Museum of Art, in Tulsa, Oklahoma. At its best, Photorealism is a perpetually paused tug-of-war between the sacred and the profane, the general and the specific, the record and the object.

Robert Bechtle invented Photorealism, in 1963,” says veteran art dealer Louis Meisel. “He took a picture of himself in the mirror with the car outside and then painted it. That was the first one.”

The meaning of the term, which began for Meisel as “a superficial way of defining and promoting a group of painters,” evolved with time, and the core group of Photorealists slowly expanded to include younger artists who traded Rolleiflexes for 60-megapixel cameras, using advanced digital technology to create paintings that transcend the detail of conventional photographs.

On 1stDibs, the collection of Photorealist art includes work by Richard Estes, Ralph Goings, Chuck Close, Audrey Flack, Charles Bell and others.

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Style: Photorealist
Waves of Freedom
Located in Zofingen, AG
"Waves of Freedom" captures the moment when water washes away all constraints and expectations, allowing the soul to breathe freely. Each brushstroke symbolizes the journey toward in...
Category

2010s Photorealist Paintings

Materials

Oil, Wood Panel

CRYSTAL WAVE
Located in Zofingen, AG
"Crystal Wave" embodies the romantic beauty of nature. A majestic wave unfolds across the panel like a living crystal, its elegant curves gently caressing the shore. Within its trans...
Category

2010s Photorealist Paintings

Materials

Oil, Wood Panel

DIVE
Located in Zofingen, AG
"Be like water, my friend" by Bruce Lee. When Lee said "be like water," he called upon people to embrace flexibility and the ability to adapt to changing circumstances. He asserted ...
Category

2010s Photorealist Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Summer Solstice: Photo-Realist Figurative Oil Paining of Two Swimmers in Aqua
Located in Hudson, NY
"Summer Solstice", this photo-realist painting of a man and a woman swimming in a pool is painted by Hudson Valley artist, Samantha French made in 2024...
Category

2010s Photorealist Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

You Are My Home - Colorful Textural Floral Still Life Oil Painting
Located in Los Angeles, CA
With a contemporary perspective on still-life painting and inspired by paintings created by old masters, German artist Katharina Husslein paints in a representational manner to captu...
Category

2010s Photorealist Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Canadian Perennials -original realism oil painting for sale- contemporary art
Located in London, Chelsea
This exceptional artwork is currently on display and available for sale at Signet Contemporary Art Gallery and online. “Canadian Perennials” by Ann Goldberg is a masterful display o...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Photorealist Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Whatever our souls are made of - K.Husslein Hyperrealistic Still life
Located in DE
This is a beautiful oil painting of an array of flowers in a vase in front of dark background. Reminding us of old master paintings, this is a brand new painting full elegance and ti...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Photorealist Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Freedom and love
Located in Zofingen, AG
This piece captures the sublime sensation of freedom found beneath the surface of the water — a space where vulnerability and liberation coexist. In this raw, elemental environment, ...
Category

2010s Photorealist Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Happy, Nude, Contemporary art, Figurative, Original oil Painting, One of a Kind
Located in Granada Hills, CA
Artist: Varvarov Anatoly Viktorovich Title: Happy, Sise: 53x43.5 inches, (135x110 cm) Medium: Oil on Canvas Hand painted, original, one of a kind. Looking at the "Happy" oil paintin...
Category

2010s Photorealist Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Boat Spain oil on canvas painting seascape beach
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Signed Adolfo Perez Frame size 75x64 cm.
Category

1990s Photorealist Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Glass and Lemons - original realism still life 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. In Glass and Lemons, Irina Trushkova presents a luminous arran...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Photorealist Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

A man and his boat Spain oil on canvas painting seascape beach
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Signed Adolfo Perez Frame size 75x66 cm.
Category

1980s Photorealist Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Swimmer
Located in Zofingen, AG
With each dip into the water, the swimmer experiences a renewing sensation, as if every droplet washes away fatigue and brings forth strength. In this fluid motion, an almost etherea...
Category

2010s Photorealist Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

1870's Antique Italian Hunting Scene trompe l’oeil Oil Painting Birds Game Gold
Located in Buffalo, NY
This striking 19th-century painting signed "A. Malevolti 1877 Florence" is a fine example of the trompe l’oeil tradition, in which artists skillfully render imagery that "tricks the ...
Category

1870s Photorealist Paintings

Materials

Oil, Board

You May Love on Through Love's Eternity - Colorful Floral Still Life Painting
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Inspired by paintings created by old masters and the immersive nature she experienced in the Black Forest, German artist Katharina Husslein paints in a representational hyperrealisti...
Category

2010s Photorealist Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Fishing port Essaouira Morocco oil on canvas painting seascape
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Signed Adolfo Perez Frameless
Category

2010s Photorealist Paintings

Materials

Oil, Canvas

"Gummy Bears Love" Contemporary Photorealistic Still Life Framed Oil on Canvas
Located in Baltimore, MD
"Gummy Bears Love" is a framed oil painting on canvas by Alexander Sheversky, depicting highly detailed gummy bears arranged in a heart shape against a cream background. This piece...
Category

2010s Photorealist Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Paint, Oil

City - 4 , 1977 Large Painting
Located in Rochester Hills, MI
Artist: Hilo Chen Title: City - 4 Year: 1977 Painting oil on canvas Size 54 x 54 inches 137 x 137 cm Contemporary photo-realist painter Hilo Chen (Yee-Lum) was born in 1942 in Taiwan and later became an American citizen. He is noted for his paintings of nudes and flowers. Chen's as painter is nothing less than superb. The skin tones of his nudes seem more "real" than life itself. You feel as though you can almost touch these women who are so oblivious to being observed. Chen's work is held in public collections at: The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York, NY; San Jose Museum of Art, San Jose CA...
Category

1970s Photorealist Paintings

Materials

Oil

"Sky 61" Oil Painting
Located in Denver, CO
James Van Fossan's "Sky 61" is an original, handmade oil painting that depicts a skyscape of grey and white clouds arching through a blue sky and the sunlight dances through it.
Category

2010s Photorealist Paintings

Materials

Oil, Panel

"The Last" Citrus Elegance Still Life Oil Canvas
Located in Denver, CO
"The Last," a 2013 oil on canvas by Victoria Novak, is a testament to the timeless beauty and elegance of still life painting. Measuring 19.70 x 39.40 i...
Category

2010s Photorealist Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

"Ideal Conditions" sailors look out at the sea, the sky turning pink behind them
Located in Edgartown, MA
Michel Brosseau was born in Nantes and has lived in Bordeaux for many years. Both cities are on the Atlantic coast of France and have rich maritime histories, highlighted by prospero...
Category

2010s Photorealist Paintings

Materials

Linen, Oil

Farm in the English Countryside with Warm Golden Brown & Lush Green Colours
Located in Preston, GB
Farm in the English Countryside with Warm Golden Brown & Lush Green Colours by 20th Century British Artist, Christopher Osborne. Art measures 10 x 8 inches Frame measures 13 x 11 ...
Category

Late 20th Century Photorealist Paintings

Materials

Oil, Board

Portrait of the Artist's Mother as a Young Woman, in Oil on Board
Located in Soquel, CA
Portrait of the Artist's Mother as a Young Woman, in Oil on Board Elegant portrait by Russell R. Tripp (American, 1942-2025). This portrait, rendered in a warm, classical style, cap...
Category

1970s Photorealist Paintings

Materials

Oil, Board

Lime Juice - original modern realism still life 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. Irina Trushkova’s Lime Juice is a masterful still-life paintin...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Photorealist Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

"Ferrari Prancing Horse 2" (2021) by Shan Fannin, Acrylic Painting
Located in Denver, CO
"Ferrari Prancing Horse 2" by Shan Fannin is an original acrylic painting depicting a close up view of a Ferrari ornament on a red car. Born 1969 in California, artist Shannon “Sha...
Category

2010s Photorealist Paintings

Materials

Cotton Canvas, Acrylic

The Walk - Contemporary Figurative Oil Painting, Sea, Beach View, Realism, Woman
Located in Salzburg, AT
Artodyssey "Julita Malinowska's paintings belong to those, which once seen - are never forgotten. The open spaces, sometimes cool and bright, at other times heavily saturated with co...
Category

2010s Photorealist Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Wisteria Bouquet in the Style of William Hubacek Original California Still Life
By William Hubacek
Located in Soquel, CA
Wisteria Bouquet in the Style of William Hubacek Original California Still Life Exceptionally well painted and framed painting of a Bouquet of ...
Category

1890s Photorealist Paintings

Materials

Linen, Oil, Stretcher Bars

Tennis Shoes - Framed Contemporary Pink Figurative Fashion Shoes Diptych Artwork
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Born in 1982 in Manzanillo, Cuba, artist Darwin Estacio Martinez honed his artistic skills at the Professional Academy of Fine Arts "El Alba" in Holguin, and furthered his education ...
Category

2010s Photorealist Paintings

Materials

Oil, Canvas

Meditation on Water I -original modern realism water painting-contemporary Art
Located in London, Chelsea
"Meditation on Water II" is a mesmerizing original lake water painting by the accomplished Irina Cumberland. This captivating artwork, born from the realm of contemporary realism, be...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Photorealist Paintings

Materials

Wood, Oil

Girl in a Chair, Large Painting by Bill Wiman
Located in Long Island City, NY
Artist: Bill Wiman, American (1940 - ) Title: Girl in a Chair Year: 1978 Medium: Oil on Canvas, signed Size: 82 x 83.5 in. (182.88 x 212.09 cm) Frame: 83 x 84.5 inches
Category

1970s Photorealist Paintings

Materials

Oil, Canvas

"Goddess of Mercy, " Oil Painting
Located in Denver, CO
David Cheifetz's "Goddess of Mercy" is an original, handmade oil painting that depicts a nude woman floating above several burning boats at sea. About the Artist: David is an inter...
Category

2010s Photorealist Paintings

Materials

Oil

Candy Crush
Located in Atlanta, GA
This painting is in excellent condition and has only been shown in a gallery setting. Jesús Navarro was born in Jerez, (Cadiz), located in southern Spain, in 1952. By the age of tw...
Category

2010s Photorealist Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Harmony / oil on canvas
Located in Burlingame, CA
Sophisticated shades of grey and white still life with vases, shell, box and marble. Wonderful complex patterns throughout the oil painting on canvas. In excellent condition. Signed ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Photorealist Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Over The Beach - Landscape Ocean Original Painting
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Kathleen Keifer's original artworks represent one of the most significant expressions of New California Realism. Keifer brings a fresh perspective to her colorful scenes of everyday ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Photorealist Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic

Oporto Portugal oil on canvas painting seascape boats Porto
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Signed Adolfo Perez Frameless
Category

2010s Photorealist Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Pastoral Landscape, Ian Hornak - Painting
Located in Fairfield, CT
Artist: Ian Hornak (1944-2002) Title: Pastoral Landscape Year: 1970 Medium: Acrylic on canvas Size: 50 x 72 inches Condition: Good Inscription: Unsigned, estate stamped, verso. Prove...
Category

1970s Photorealist Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic

Yours in every Moment by K. Husslein Impasto Landscape Mountain Painting
Located in DE
Katharina Husslein's textural and abstract paintings vividly encapsulate the vibrancy and movement found in a bouquet of flowers. This series differs from Husslein’s more controlled...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Photorealist Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

White Bubble Framed Contemporary Oil Painting in Pale Tonalities
Located in FISTERRA, ES
White Bubble is a framed contemporary oil painting by María Magán, part of her Chicles series. Executed with refined technique, the work presents a pale inflated form resembling a tr...
Category

2010s Photorealist Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Still life with citrus-original realism oil painting for sale- contemporary art
Located in London, Chelsea
This exceptional artwork is currently on display and available for sale at Signet Contemporary Art Gallery and online. Step into a moment frozen in time with "Still Life with Citrus...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Photorealist Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Pears (Small Contemporary Still Life Oil Painting)
Located in New Orleans, LA
Rich, lush super-realist still life of a pair of pears. Imported from a super-talented Russian painter I have gotten things from before. Sensational realism, down to the little flaw...
Category

2010s Photorealist Paintings

Materials

Oil

Lilies & Mushrooms with my Parrot Kouka
Located in Fairfield, CT
Artist: Ian Hornak (1944-2002) Title: Lilies & Mushrooms with my Parrot Kouka Year: 1985 Medium: Acrylic on Panel, with Artist Painted Frame Size: 65.50 x 52.50 inches Condition: Exc...
Category

1980s Photorealist Paintings

Materials

Acrylic

A kite - 21st century, Young art, Figurative painting, Photorealism, A cat
Located in Warsaw, PL
KAMIL LISEK (born in 1980) Studied under the guidance of prof. Maciej Świeszewski at the faculty of painting at the Academy of Fine Arts in Gdansk. He graduated with distinction obtaining scholarships from both the Ministry of Culture and the Mayor of the city of Gdańsk. In 2006 he won the Grand Prix (ex...
Category

2010s Photorealist Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Peaches II, Photorealist Oil Painting on Canvas by Gustavo Schmidt
Located in Long Island City, NY
Artist: Gustavo Schmidt Title: Peaches II Year: 2007 Medium: Oil on Canvas with Varnish, signed l.r. Size: 36 x 28 inches
Category

Early 2000s Photorealist Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Varnish, Oil

"1959 Red BMW Isetta 300" (2022) By Shan Fannin, Original Acrylic Painting
Located in Denver, CO
Shan Fannin's (US based) "1959 Red BMW Isetta 300" is an acrylic painting that depicts a red 1959 Red BMW Isetta 300. Born 1969 in California, artist Shannon “Shan” Fannin brings v...
Category

2010s Photorealist Paintings

Materials

Acrylic, Wood, Board

Whatever felt for thee - K.Husslein Hyperrealistic flower sunflower Still life
Located in DE
This is a beautiful oil painting of an array of flowers in a vase in front of dark background. Reminding us of old master paintings, this is a brand new painting full elegance and ti...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Photorealist Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Under the cover of a Crane Contemporary art Original oil Painting, One of a Kind
Located in Granada Hills, CA
Artist: Varvarov Anatoly Viktorovich Title: Under the cover of a Crane, Sise: 35.5x43.5 inches, (90x110 cm) Medium: Oil on Canvas Hand painted, original, one of a kind. This oil pai...
Category

2010s Photorealist Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Autumn Gift - Seasonal Harvest Still Life with Flowers
Located in Soquel, CA
Autumn Gift - Seasonal Harvest Still Life with Flowers by Albin Kern. This still life by Austrian-American painter Albin Kern (b. 1884, d. 1975) depicts a seasonal spread of gourds...
Category

1950s Photorealist Paintings

Materials

Oil, Masonite

Weightless, Timeless: Oil Painting of Two Women Swimming in Pool
Located in Hudson, NY
Horizontal figurative photo-realist painting of women swimming in an aqua blue pool "Weightless, Timeless," painted by Hudson Valley artist, Samantha French, is 2019 oil on canvas, 48 x 60 inches Sides are cleanly painted white so additional framing is optional Excellent condition and ready to hang as is This photorealist figurative painting captures a peaceful water scene of a women leisurely floating in a crisp, aqua blue pool. The sunlight reflecting off their sun kissed skin complements the cool color palette, making for a serene visual experience. The brush work is highly detailed with little texture (impasto) on the surface. The horizontal painting on canvas is currently unframed and has clean, white painted sides, so additional framing is optional. About the Artist: Born and raised in north central Minnesota, Samantha French graduated from the Minneapolis College of Art and Design in 2005. French’s current body of work explores the idea of escape, the tranquility and nostalgia for the lazy summer days of her childhood. The series is inspired by Samantha’s own reflections and memories of her childhood summers spent in the lakes of Northern Minnesota. French actively exhibits her paintings and is included in many private and public collections throughout the country while her work has garnered extensive international and national press. She is a full-time painter and keeps a studio in New York’s Hudson Valley. "My current body of work is focused on swimmers underwater and above. Using vague yet consuming memories from my childhood summers spent immersed in the tepid lakes of northern Minnesota, I attempt to recreate the quiet tranquility of water and nature; of days spent sinking and floating, still and peaceful. These paintings are a link to my home and continual search for the feeling of the sun on my face and warm summer days at the lake. They are my escape, a subtle reprieve from the day-to-day. At the same time, I am drawn to an idealistic time before my own, where swim caps and wool swimsuits were commonplace. This combination of memory, observation and photography has allowed me to preserve the transitory qualities of water and remembrance." Artist Resume: 2019 Winter Swim, Rubine Red...
Category

2010s Photorealist Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Acrylic Painting in Hyperrealism "Just Bananas..." by Nataliya Bagatskaya, 2020
Located in Zofingen, AG
The painting shows a few large green-yellow bananas lying on a white surface. The weight of the fruit is emphasized by the lightness of the white color in the background. The black b...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Photorealist Paintings

Materials

Acrylic, Varnish

Sunkissed Peaches -original hyper-realism fruit 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. “Sunkissed Peaches” by Ann Goldberg is a radiant example of co...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Photorealist Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Hannah’s Mirror, Rembrandt’s Three Trees Transformed Into The Expulsion fr/Eden
Located in Fairfield, CT
Artist: Ian Hornak (1944-2002) Title: Hannah’s Mirror, Rembrandt’s Three Trees Transformed Into The Expulsion From Eden Year: 1978 Medium: Acryli...
Category

1970s Photorealist Paintings

Materials

Acrylic

Echo Loses Narcissus, Ian Hornak
Located in Fairfield, CT
Artist: Ian Hornak (1944-2002) Title: Echo Loses Narcissus Year: 1978 Medium: Acrylic on Canvas Size: 36 x 48 inches Condition: Excellent Inscription: Signed, dated, and titled by th...
Category

1970s Photorealist Paintings

Materials

Acrylic

Window to My Soul
Located in Burlingame, CA
'Window To My Soul' - depicts a San Francisco building with warm sunlight and shadows cascading across the facade of the white building with blue inset window and trim. A tree and bi...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Photorealist Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic

Fishing port France oil on canvas painting seascape boats
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Signed Adolfo Perez Frameless
Category

2010s Photorealist Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Anticipation
Located in Burlingame, CA
Mimi Jensen uses bold colors to depict theatrically lit objects. Her paintings invite speculation into possible metaphors – California Home+Design magazine Ms. Jensen is a Still Li...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Photorealist Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Black Bubble Framed Contemporary Oil Painting with Glossy Latex Illusion
Located in FISTERRA, ES
Black Bubble is a framed oil painting by María Magán that transforms a familiar object—a used condom—into a sculptural form suspended on a dark monochrome background. Painted in oil ...
Category

2010s Photorealist Paintings

Materials

Oil, Canvas

Porsche 993. Contemporary figurative acrylic painting, Realistic car, Polish art
Located in Warsaw, PL
Acrylic on canvas contemporary figurative painting by Michal Wojtysiak. Artwork depicts porsche car in realistic style. Colors are mostly grey. MICHAŁ WOJTYSIAK (ur. 1984) Graduate...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Photorealist Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic

Ain't no Mountain high enough by K. Husslein Impasto Landscape Mountain Painting
Located in DE
Katharina Husslein's textural and abstract paintings vividly encapsulate the vibrancy and movement found in a bouquet of flowers. This series differs from Husslein’s more controlled...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Photorealist Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

"Elegance" (2023) by Pegah Samaie, Oil Painting, Partial Nude Female
Located in Denver, CO
Pegah Samaie's captivating original artwork, "Elegance," is a stunning testament to the artist's mastery of oil painting. This 2023 piece, offered directly by the artist, showcases S...
Category

2010s Photorealist Paintings

Materials

Oil, Panel

Leap Of Faith (Jaguar Hood Ornament) - Acrylic Automotive Painting 2024
Located in Denver, CO
“Leap of Faith (Jaguar Hood Ornament)” is an original acrylic on canvas completed in 2024 by artist Shan Fannin. This striking 12 x 12 x 1.50-inch painting spotlights the iconic leap...
Category

2010s Photorealist Paintings

Materials

Cotton Canvas, Acrylic

Photorealist paintings for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a wide variety of authentic Photorealist 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 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, green, pink and other colors. Many Pop art paintings were created by popular artists on 1stDibs, including Gregory Block, James Zamora, Ian Hornak, and Kathleen Keifer. 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 Photorealist paintings, so small editions measuring 3.5 inches across are also available. Prices for 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 $125 and tops out at $585,000, while the average work sells for $3,772.

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