Realist 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
New York City Evening Theater Painting by Michael Budden Phantom of the Opera
Located in Chesterfield, NJ
Mystical Phantom
oil/canvas
14x20 unframed, 27.75 x 21.75 framed
signed LR
Mystical Phantom is an oil painting on canvas panel by award winning contemporary artist Michael Budden. I...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Realist Paintings
Materials
Oil
“Total Freedom” — Hyperrealistic Oil Painting of a Woman Underwater
Located in Zofingen, AG
The ocean holds endless mysteries — vast, untamed, and profoundly unknown. From childhood, we are taught to fear it: the currents, the waves, the unseen depths, and the creatures tha...
Category
2010s Realist Paintings
Materials
Oil, Canvas
Beach Ocean Impressionistic Seascape Oil Painting Oxford Md Boat Michael Budden
Located in Chesterfield, NJ
Oxford Light
11 x 14 unframed and 17.25 x 20.25 framed
signed LR
Oxford Light is an oil painting on panel by award winning contemporary artist Michael Budden that showcases a beauti...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Realist Paintings
Materials
Oil
"Future of Flight" (2025) Original Portrait of Young Girl, Oil Painting
Located in Denver, CO
"Future of Flight" (2025) by Denise Dambrackas is an original oil painting that depicts a young girl sending a plane into flight, amongst a vibrant and colorful sky, presented in a r...
Category
2010s Realist Paintings
Materials
Linen, Oil, Panel
The New Scene of Van Eyden
Located in Zofingen, AG
In The New Scene of Van Eyden, I reimagine a classical genre scene as a contemporary reflection on self-perception. Three figures — myself, my avatar, and the avatar’s companion — sh...
Category
2010s Realist Paintings
Materials
Cotton Canvas, Acrylic
New York City Brooklyn Bridge PLein Air Painting Michael Budden
Located in Chesterfield, NJ
Brooklyn Bridge
oil/panel
11 x 14 unframed, 16.63 x 19.63 framed
signed LL
Here is beautiful plein air painting done on location in Brooklyn of the Brooklyn Bridge back in 2011. It...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Realist Paintings
Materials
Oil
"Persian Cats with Flowers" Oil Painting Portrait of Two White Cats in a Garden
By Beno Boleradsky
Located in New York, NY
This piece depicts two white, long-haired Persian cats in a natural setting. The cats are positioned on a grassy patch adorned with small flowers, including clusters of pink blossoms...
Category
20th Century Realist Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
Portrait of a Young Boy Seen from Behind
Located in Stockholm, SE
This intimate oil painting presents a young boy viewed from a three-quarter rear angle, caught in a quiet, reflective moment. The child’s back is turned gently toward the viewer, ren...
Category
1890s Realist Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil, Board
«Eternal Pulse» – Ocean Wave Oil Painting in Refined Vert Bosphore Palette
Located in Zofingen, AG
The sea knows no rest.
It breathes, it lives, it calls — in every movement, in every shimmer of light.
This wave is a moment between calm and storm,
a breath that holds eternity with...
Category
2010s Realist Paintings
Materials
Oil, Wood Panel
What the F@ck Am I Looking At?
Located in Zofingen, AG
This artwork blends calm seaside serenity with an unexpected, dreamlike encounter. A solitary girl stands on the shore, dressed in timeless black-and-white attire, her posture compos...
Category
2010s Realist Paintings
Materials
Acrylic
Ballerinas at the dressing room
Located in Zofingen, AG
In this piece, I captured the quiet, tender moments before the performance, where anticipation and grace blend beautifully. Using oil, I brought warmth and life to the dancers’ delic...
Category
2010s Realist Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
Heels? Never Heard of Them
Located in Zofingen, AG
There is a pause between two worlds — and in that pause, she sits. Barefoot, dressed in black, the woman rests against a handmade wooden fence, surrounded by the quiet pulse of natur...
Category
2010s Realist Paintings
Materials
Cotton Canvas, Acrylic
19th Century British "On the Medway. Morning"
Located in San Francisco, CA
Masterfully executed 19th century British oil on canvas. This fabulous piece depicts a possible battle scene at Medway, which in the 1600s the Dutch had a huge victory against the Br...
Category
19th Century Realist Paintings
Materials
Oil
Tigers Acrylic and oil on canvas painting
Located in Sitges, Barcelona
Author: Rodolfo Ramírez Cardo (Havana, Cuba)
Title: Version of “Tigress” by Karl Bang
Year: 2000
Technique: Acrylic and oil on canvas
Dimensions: 64 x 85 cm (25.2 x 33.5 in) (unframe...
Category
Early 2000s Realist Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
$1,069 Sale Price
25% Off
The Morning in Venice, Oil Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
The Venice Grand Canal and its iconic domed architecture bathe in the gentle morning light, revealing a timeless grandeur. Delicate brushwork captures subtle sh...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Realist Paintings
Materials
Oil
Pocket Strawberry - original realism still life fruit - contemporary art
Located in London, Chelsea
We offer complimentary worldwide shipping and cover all tariffs and import taxes for this artwork. This exceptional artwork is currently on display and available for sale at Signet C...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Realist Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
Still life with White Cat oil painting original fine art realism poetic artwork
Located in Oslo, NO
“White Cat” presents a quiet, contemplative moment centered on a simple porcelain cat figure. The artist uses soft, atmospheric brushwork and muted tones to evoke a sense of solitude...
Category
2010s Realist Paintings
Materials
Oil, Cardboard
British Chalk Pencil Sketch of a Young Calf's Face with Detailed Pink Features
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
John Rabone Harvey ( 1966 - 1922)
graphic and chalk deep green artist paper , unframed
artist paper : 5.5 x 7 inches
Provenance: private collection
Condition: very good condition
Ha...
Category
Mid-19th Century Realist Paintings
Materials
Chalk, Graphite
British Chalk Pencil Sketch of Small White Sheep Lying Down
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
John Rabone Harvey ( 1966 - 1922)
graphic and chalk deep green artist paper , unframed
artist paper : 5.5 x 7 inches
Provenance: private collection
Condition: very good condition
Ha...
Category
Mid-19th Century Realist Paintings
Materials
Chalk, Graphite
$94 Sale Price
30% Off
Portrait of an Edwardian Dandy (Man)
Located in Wilton Manors, FL
Portrait of an Edwardian Dandy Gentleman, 2003.
Acrylic on canvas, 16 x 20 inches.
Signed with monogram and dated lower right.
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Realist Paintings
Materials
Cotton Canvas, Acrylic
River Landscape Scene with Horses in the English Countryside by British Artist
Located in Preston, GB
River Landscape Scene with Horses in the English Countryside by British Contemporary Artist, David Morgan (Born 1964).
Art measures 24 x 16 inches
Frame measures 30 x 20 inches
Sig...
Category
Late 20th Century Realist Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
River Meadow Landscape with Children & Dog at a Picnic in English Countryside
Located in Preston, GB
River Meadow Landscape with Children & Dog at a Picnic in the English Countryside by British Artist, Andrew Grant Kurtis M.A.(Lon) B.Des.(Hons) L.S.I.A.D.
Art measures 30 x 20 i...
Category
20th Century Realist Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
Mountain Lake Forest Landscape Scene - Vintage 20th Century Oil Painting
Located in Preston, GB
Mountain Lake Forest Landscape Scene - Vintage 20th Century Oil Painting by J Bishop.
Art measures 17 x 14 inches
Frame measures 21 x 18 inches
Vintage painting, ornate gold frame
...
Category
20th Century Realist Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Cotton Canvas, Oil
$811 Sale Price
25% Off
Small Oil of Cottages beside a Lake in Mountains on the Antrim Coast in Ireland
Located in Preston, GB
Small Oil of Cottages beside a Lake in Mountains on the Antrim Coast in Ireland, by Contemporary Artist, Derek Quann
Art measures 10 x 8 inches
Frame measures 17.5 x 15.5 inches
Th...
Category
Late 20th Century Realist Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
"Cruising Altitude" (2025) Original Portrait of Young Girl, Oil Painting
Located in Denver, CO
"Cruising Altitude" (2025) by Denise Dambrackas is an original oil painting that depicts a young girl sending a plane into flight, amongst a vibrant and colorful sky, presented in a ...
Category
2010s Realist Paintings
Materials
Linen, Oil, Panel
British Chalk Pencil Sketch of Cows Resting In the Meadow
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
John Rabone Harvey ( 1966 - 1922)
graphic and chalk deep green artist paper , unframed
artist paper : 5.5 x 7 inches
Provenance: private collection
Condition: very good condition
Ha...
Category
Mid-19th Century Realist Paintings
Materials
Chalk, Graphite
$94 Sale Price
30% Off
British Chalk Pencil Sketch of a Horse Patiently Waiting at The Wooden Fence
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
John Rabone Harvey ( 1966 - 1922)
graphic and chalk deep green artist paper , unframed
artist paper : 5.5 x 7 inches
Provenance: private collection
Condition: very good condition
Ha...
Category
Mid-19th Century Realist Paintings
Materials
Chalk, Graphite
British Chalk Pencil Sketch of a Horse Munching On Grass
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
John Rabone Harvey ( 1966 - 1922)
graphic and chalk deep green artist paper , unframed
artist paper : 5.5 x 7 inches
Provenance: private collection
Condition: very good condition
Ha...
Category
Mid-19th Century Realist Paintings
Materials
Chalk, Graphite
$94 Sale Price
30% Off
Train to Sunset, Oil Painting
By Nick Savides
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
Set on a winter evening at the 4th Avenue/9th Street station in Brooklyn, this painting captures a vivid sunset framed by the converging diagonals of the train ...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Realist Paintings
Materials
Oil
«Free, Weightless, Brave. No.1»— Hyperrealistic Oil Underwater Nude Woman
Located in Zofingen, AG
There is so much unknown, undiscovered, and mysterious about the ocean. Much of what we are taught encourages fear—we learn about rips and currents, big waves and sharks, hear of dro...
Category
2010s Realist Paintings
Materials
Oil, Canvas
SOUNDS OF THE DEEP
Located in Zofingen, AG
shipped in roll
Between the energetic rush of the waves and the silent depths, I wanted to capture a moment of transition—a visual metaphor for the journey inward. The surface, with...
Category
2010s Realist Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
“Whisper of the Tides» — Hyperrealistic Oil Painting of Ocean Sunset and Waves
Located in Zofingen, AG
The gentle light of the sunset dissolves into the foamy surf, tinting the waves with shades of rose and gold. In this moment, the ocean seems to whisper its eternal secrets, flowing ...
Category
2010s Realist Paintings
Materials
Oil, Wood Panel
“Blue Horizons” — Hyperrealistic Seascape Acrylic Painting on Canvas
Located in Zofingen, AG
Where the sea meets the sky, infinity is born.
The horizon dissolves into shades of blue, promising freedom and new paths.
Unstretched
Category
2010s Realist Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Acrylic
Wikiva Basin, Oil Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
This oil painting captures the quiet beauty of a Florida marsh. Palm trees and billowing clouds add depth and balance to the composition. Artist Kent Sullivan u...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Realist Paintings
Materials
Oil
“Pulse of the Ocean” — Hyperrealistic Oil Seascape Painting of Sunset Waves
Located in Zofingen, AG
The ocean pulses like a heart in love with the sunset. Its waves are gentle touches, holding the secrets of endless love.
Category
2010s Realist Paintings
Materials
Oil, Wood Panel
Impressionistic Cityscape Nocturne Oil Painting Michael Budden American Flags
Located in Chesterfield, NJ
Evening On Dover Street
16 x 20 unframed and 23.75 x 27.75 framed
signed LL
Evening On Dover Street is an oil painting on panel by award winning contemporary artist Michael Budden t...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Realist Paintings
Materials
Oil
A Summer Night. Ukraine
Located in Zofingen, AG
A contemplative scene of a woman and a black cat observing devastation beyond the window — burning homes against a twilight sky. The untouched dinner table becomes a silent witness t...
Category
2010s Realist Paintings
Materials
Acrylic
BE WATER
Located in Zofingen, AG
She floats where silence begins — just beneath the skin of the water.
Her form is neither here nor gone, dissolving into rhythm and light.
There is no past, no edge, no name — only t...
Category
2010s Realist Paintings
Materials
Oil, Wood Panel
«Evening Symphony of the Sea» — Hyperrealistic Painting of Ocean Sunset and Wave
Located in Zofingen, AG
This painting depicts a magical moment between day and night at the seaside. The sand still holds the warmth of the fading sun, while waves dance along the shore, composing a gentle ...
Category
2010s Realist Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
British Chalk Pencil Sketch of Cows Resting In The Grass Meadows
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
John Rabone Harvey ( 1966 - 1922)
graphic and chalk deep green artist paper , unframed
artist paper : 5.5 x 7 inches
Provenance: private collection
Condition: very good condition
Dou...
Category
Mid-19th Century Realist Paintings
Materials
Chalk, Graphite
“Amber Light” — Hyperrealistic Seascape Oil Painting of Sunset Ocean Wave.
Located in Zofingen, AG
«Amber Light» is a fleeting and rare moment when the sea glows from within, filled with warm golden light. A wave sparkles like a drop of amber, inviting us into the slow, quiet rhy...
Category
2010s Realist Paintings
Materials
Oil, Wood Panel
Church & Cottage by a River in the English Countryside by British Artist
Located in Preston, GB
Church & Cottage by a River in the English Countryside by British Artist, Peter J Greenhill
Art measures 30 x 20 inches
Frame measures 35 x 25 inches
Peter J. Greenhill (b.1939, Br...
Category
20th Century Realist Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
Impressionistic Moonlight Seascape OilPainting Michael Budden Mystical Monlight
Located in Chesterfield, NJ
Mystical Moonlight
oil/panel
8 x 10 unframed 13.25 x 15.25 framed.
An oil painting on canvas by award winning contemporary artist Michael Budden that showcases a beautiful moonlit ...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Realist Paintings
Materials
Oil
Renewal
Located in Zofingen, AG
"Renewal" is the gentle touch of the ocean where water and soul meet, merging in a dance of light and motion. The waves envelop and carry away into a realm of quiet magic, where ever...
Category
2010s Realist Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
Purple Drops - original realism still life oil painting - contemporary art
Located in London, Chelsea
This exceptional artwork is framed & currently available for sale at Signet Contemporary Art Gallery.
With its moody elegance and striking composition, Purple Drops invites the vie...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Realist Paintings
Materials
Oil, Board
Echo of the Black Cat
Located in Zofingen, AG
This striking, contemporary painting invites the viewer into a space of quiet mystery and irony. A young woman with auburn hair, dressed in a dark, structured dress, stands confide...
Category
2010s Realist Paintings
Materials
Acrylic
Reflections
Located in Zofingen, AG
Light shimmers across the river’s surface, casting fleeting patterns over smooth stones beneath. The gentle motion of the water contrasts with the quiet permanence of the riverbed, c...
Category
2010s Realist Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
On the Border of Worlds
Located in Zofingen, AG
This painting is a rich, sophisticated piece that tells a universal story — a story of renewal, transformation, and the hope that lies within change. At its center, the modern “Venus...
Category
2010s Realist Paintings
Materials
Cotton Canvas, Acrylic
British Chalk Pencil Sketches Of A Flock Of Sheep Standing and Lying Down
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
John Rabone Harvey ( 1966 - 1922)
graphic and chalk deep green artist paper , unframed
artist paper : 5.5 x 7 inches
Provenance: private collection
Condition: very good condition
Ha...
Category
Mid-19th Century Realist Paintings
Materials
Chalk, Graphite
Seashore
Located in Zofingen, AG
The ocean is a mystery, full of secrets and deep emotions. Its power can be frightening, yet it beckons and offers freedom. In every wave lies a story of fear and love, intertwined i...
Category
2010s Realist Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
"On the Horizon" (2025) Oil Painting, Colorado Landscape
Located in Denver, CO
Michael Magrin's ( US based) "On the Horizon" is an original, handmade oil painting of a sunset above Colorado plains. This piece is framed in a "barn wood" frame and is ready to han...
Category
2010s Realist Paintings
Materials
Linen, Oil, Wood Panel
"Reign" (2024) By Michele Kortbawi Wilk, Oil Painting with Silver Leaf
Located in Denver, CO
Michele Kortbawi Wilk's "Reign" is a 2024 oil on linen with silver leaf, measuring 12 x 12 inches, that depicts a white horse mid jump with a crown dangling from a string in its mout...
Category
2010s Realist Paintings
Materials
Silver
Young Girl Watering Flowers – Intimate 19th Century Genre Scene
Located in Stockholm, SE
This tender scene by German artist Georg Buchner captures a quiet, intimate moment: a young girl carefully watering a potted plant on a windowsill. The warm light gently illuminates ...
Category
Late 19th Century Realist Paintings
Materials
Oil, Wood Panel
Painting Portrait Soldier in armor Circel of MESSONIER Wood panel 19th
Located in PARIS, FR
French school of the 19th century
Ernest MESSONIER (Circle of)
Portrait of a soldier in armor
27.5 x 17.5 cm (31 x 21 cm with the frame)
Beautiful pitch pine wood frame
Good condition
Category
Mid-19th Century Realist Paintings
Materials
Oil
Large Scale Winter Twilight Landscape Painting by Artist Mauritz Lindström
Located in Stockholm, SE
This stunning winter landscape by Mauritz Lindström captures the serene yet striking beauty of a snow-laden scene illuminated by the warm glow of twilight. The interplay between the soft, colorful hues of the evening sky and the intricate, frost-covered branches creates an almost three-dimensional effect, drawing the viewer into the composition. The detailed rendering of the snow and the trees evokes a profound sense of coldness, making the atmosphere almost palpable. Measuring an impressive 101 x 152 cm (39 3/4 x 59 7/8 in) with the frame, this large-scale work is a testament to Lindström's mastery of light and texture.
Arvid Mauritz Lindström...
Category
Late 19th Century Realist Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
New York City Painting Michael Budden Evening On Broadway St James & Sardis
Located in Chesterfield, NJ
Evening On Broadway, St. James & Sardi's
Image is 10 x 8 unframed, 15.5 x 13.5 framed.
An acrylic painting on canvas panel by award winning contemporary artist Michael Budden that...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Realist Paintings
Materials
Acrylic
$1,000 Sale Price
20% Off
'Golden Tranquility' Forest Lake Scene by American Postwar 20th Century Artist
Located in Preston, GB
'Golden Tranquility' Forest Lake Scene by American Postwar 20th Century Artist, Phillip Cantrell, born in 1922. Original, Signed, Landscape, Vintage Oil Painting.
Art measures 16 x...
Category
20th Century Realist Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
"In Repose" (2025) By Matt Talbert, Original Oil Painting, Portrait
By Matt Talbert
Located in Denver, CO
Matt Talbert's "In Repose" (2025) is an original, handmade oil painting on panel that depicts a portrait of a brunette seated at a table in deep contemplation.
Artist bio/statement...
Category
2010s Realist Paintings
Materials
Oil, Panel
Fish. 2016. Oil cardboard. 40x35 cm
Located in Riga, LV
Born 1963
Category
2010s Realist Paintings
Materials
Oil, Cardboard
Winter Snow Scene Landscape Oil Painting by Michael Budden Beautiful Light
Located in Chesterfield, NJ
Afternoon Transitions
oil/canvas
14 x 18 unframed, 19.5 x 23.5 framed
Afternoon Transitions is an oil painting on canvas by award winning contemporary artist Michael Budden that show...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Realist Paintings
Materials
Oil
Realist paintings for sale on 1stDibs.
Find a wide variety of authentic Realist 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, orange, red and other colors. Many Pop art paintings were created by popular artists on 1stDibs, including Michael Budden, Su Yu, Olga Antonova, and Mark Hunter. 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 paintings, so small editions measuring 0.5 inches across are also available.