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.
A bouquet on my table
Located in Zofingen, AG
A quiet still life that transforms an everyday bouquet into a timeless presence. White flowers gathered in a small white porcelain vase become a single sculptural form, their lumino...
Canvas, Oil
Romantic Lakeside Sunset with Seated Woman, Antique Oil Painting
Located in Stockholm, SE
Mary Kirschbaum, Sweden Woman by a Lake at Sunset, c. 1890 signed oil on canvas unframed 23 × 33 cm (9.1 × 13 in) framed 33 × 43 cm (13 × 16.9 in) Provenance: Private collection, ...
Canvas, Oil
Circle of Life, Original Oil Painting on Canvas, Signed, 21st Century
Located in London, London
stain glass on commission any dimension the paintings on canvas are available: 94x672cm 6 canvases 9k each canvas original oil paintings on canvas hand signed one of a kind cert...
Canvas, Cotton, Oil
$3,249
The masquerade
Located in Paris, FR
BALS Wim (1973- ) 'The masquerade' Oil on wood. Signed. Certificate on the back signed by the artist. Willem Bals, known professionally as Wim Bals, is a contemporary Belgian paint...
Oil
Fine British Horse Portrait Equestrian Oil Painting Steeplechase Racehorse
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Bay Hunter Horse Standing in a Summer Meadow by Frances Mabel Hollams (British, 1877–1963) Signed and dated 50' Framed: 21 × 27 inches Canvas: 18 × 24 inches Medium: oil on canvas. P...
Oil, Wood Panel
"Patina" - Realist Still-Life, Oil Painting on Cradled Panel
Located in Denver, CO
Blair Atherholt is an award-winning contemporary realist oil painter whose creative focus and interest primarily lie in the Still Life genre. His love for painting is inspired and in...
Oil, Panel
The Green Lamp, Woman Reading a Book, Oil on Canvas Interior Painting
Located in Stockholm, Stockholm
In this painting, The Green Lamp, painted by Eva Bagge (1871-1964) presents an intimate interior scene imbued with silence and contemplation. A woman sits comfortably in an armchair,...
Canvas, Oil
Tim Thompson, "J Class Fleet", 36x48 Maritime Boating Yacht Oil on Canvas
By Tim Thompson
Located in Saratoga Springs, NY
Tim Thompson captures the quiet drama of competitive sailing in this luminous marine scene. A fleet of racing yachts moves across calm blue water, their billowing white sails rising ...
Canvas, Oil
Pacific Sunset Waves, Contemporary Cyanotype on Paper, Navy Blue, Beach House
By Kind of Cyan
Located in Barcelona, ES
This is an exclusive handprinted limited edition cyanotype. "Pacific Sunset Waves" is an original cyanotype that abstractly shows the sunset reflections on the sea. Details: + Titl...
Emulsion, Mixed Media, Watercolor, Photographic Paper, Lithograph, Monop...
"Patient Martyr" - Realist Male Portrait, Oil Painting on Aluminum Panel
Located in Denver, CO
"Patient Martyr" is a realist oil painting on aluminum panel by American painter Zack Zdrale, depicting a male model with his arms outstretched and intertwined above his head, leanin...
Oil, Panel
Two Daschounds. An antique painting of dogs framed and signed
Located in St. Albans, GB
Heinrich SPERLING German School Picture Size: 15 x 18" (38 x 46cm) Framed Size: 22 x 25" (56 x 64cm) Signed and framed Sperling was born March 23rd 1844 in Warnkenhagen, and died 2...
Canvas, Oil
Lovers Oil Painting on Canvas, Realist Style, Framed, 2010-
Located in London, London
original painting on canvas sold separately or together certificate of authenticity 40x50cm. 30x40cm 40cx50cm all framed
Canvas, Oil
Still life: Allure of blue
Located in Zofingen, AG
”Still Life: Allure of Blue” presents a quiet, contemplative arrangement centered on a Chinese porcelain vase with soft blue landscape mo...
Canvas, Oil
South Downs Oil Painting, Impressionist Landscape, 40x40 cm, Signed
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...
Canvas, Oil
$1,600
"Quimper Creamer and Strawberries" Still Life Oil Painting on Wood Panel
By Bert Beirne
Located in New York, NY
A luminous still life that borrows themes from Dutch 17th Century Masters, we are drawn to the very details that Beirne captures effortlessly. The subdued, yet boldness of the colors...
Oil, Wood Panel
Original Scottish Realist late 20thC oil painting of a wooded burn / stream
Located in Cirencester, GB
ARTIST: Peter Barker RSMA (1954-) British TITLE: "Low Autumn Light On The Dall Burn, Rannoch, Perthshire Scotland" SIGNED: lower right MEDIUM: oil on board SIZE: 47cm x 36cm inclus...
Oil
'Study of a Gray Horse', Rear View, Equine, Danish Realism
By Otto Bache
Located in Santa Cruz, CA
Initialed lower left, 'OB' for Otto Bache (Danish, 1839-1927) and painted circa 1910. Bache began his studies at the age of eleven under the painter Wilhelm Marstrand at the Royal D...
Canvas, Oil
$960Sale Price|20% Off
Impressionistic Seascape Painting Michael Budden Beach Sunrise
Located in Chesterfield, NJ
Morning Drama oil/panel image 8 x 10 unframed, 14.5 x 16.5 framed signed LL Morning Drama is an oil painting on panel by award winning contemporary artist Michael Budden that showca...
Oil
Ocean Beach Seascape Oil Painting Children Playing Michael Budden Summer Play
Located in Chesterfield, NJ
Summer Play, Sailboats and the Jetty 6 x 8 unframed, 9.75 x 11.75 framed Signed LR Summer Play is a study oil painting on canvas by award winning contemporary artist Michael Budden t...
Oil
Respite #2: Yellow Bird Among Books - Oil on Canvas, 37x28 cm
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...
Canvas, Oil
Deepdale - original realism oil painting- contemporary landscape artwork
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...
Canvas, Oil
$4,720Sale Price|20% Off
New York City Winter Oil Painting Upper Fifth Avenue Flags Michael Budden
Located in Chesterfield, NJ
Upper Fifth Avenue Flags oil/canvas 24 x 20 unframed, 31.75 x 27.75 x 1.5 framed Signed LL Upper Fifth Avenue Flags is an oil painting on linen by award winning contemporary artist ...
Oil
Horses in a Pastoral Landscape, Oil on Canvas by Ricard Arenys
Located in Sant Celoni, ES
RICARD ARENYS (Barcelona, 1914–1977). "Landscape with Horses." Oil on canvas. Signed lower right. Dimensions: 106.5 × 102 cm (41.93 × 40.16 in). ; 119 × 114 cm (46.85 × 44.88 in). (F...
Canvas, Oil
Cat Awaits the Apocalypse, Realist Acrylic Painting on Cotton Canvas
Located in Zofingen, AG
This refined interior scene captures a moment of psychological stillness, where presence and perception quietly intersect. The poised figure of a woman contrasts with the alert silho...
Cotton Canvas, Acrylic
$109Sale Price|20% Off
British Chalk Pencil Sketch of a Cow With Horns Facing Away
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...
Chalk, Graphite
"Hindsight" - Original Still-Life and Landscape, Oil Painting on Panel
By Emma Kalff
Located in Denver, CO
"This painting was made based off of a photo I took from a bus window in Mexico, near Puerto Vallarta. The image stuck with me as the idea of an idyllic hillside. It felt to me like ...
Oil, Panel
When We Stay Very Quiet
Located in Zofingen, AG
There is something almost peaceful about this room. A young woman sits in a black rocking chair, dressed in a white blouse, voluminous black wrap, striped socks and vivid red ankle b...
Lacquer, Cotton Canvas, Acrylic
"Kenosha Skies" - Western Landscape and Skyscape, Oil Painting on Linen
Located in Denver, CO
Artist Statement: This painting captures the luminous midday atmosphere above Colorados Kenosha Pass, where expansive skies stretch endlessly above the Continental Divide. Using a co...
Linen, Oil
Contemporary Seascape Oil Painting Sunrise Series by Michael Budden People Jetty
Located in Chesterfield, NJ
Sunrise Study Image is 6 x 8 unframed, and 11.75 x 13.75 framed. Signed LR Sunrise Study is a study oil painting on canvas by award winning contemporary artist Michael Budden that s...
Oil
View from Il Cellese, Oil on Canvas Landscape Painting, Realism Style
Located in London, Chelsea
We offer complimentary worldwide shipping and cover all tariffs and import taxes for this artwork. In View from Il Cellese, Jeanette Meehan expands on her exploration of interior f...
Canvas, Oil
An Artist Working in the Studio 1930
Located in Stockholm, SE
This intimate studio interior from 1930 belongs to the more psychologically engaging side of Carlo Hornung Jensen’s oeuvre. A seated woman has paused beside her easel and turned towa...
Oil, Board
Bulldog with a Food Bowl-oil on board, early 20th century, French.
Located in SANTA FE, NM
Bulldog with a Food Bowl French, early 20th century Oil on board Illegibly signed, lower left 9 1/2 x 12 1/2 (15 x 18 frame) inches A tender and thoughtful portrayal of a seated bul...
Oil, Panel
“Portrait of a North African Man, 1872” Orientalist Portrait Black Model 19th C.
Located in Yardley, PA
“Portrait of a North African Man, 1872” by August Holmberg (1851-1911) This striking oil painting by the German painter, August Holmberg, depicts a richly detailed and intimate port...
Canvas, Paper, Oil
India Madras Painting on board Portrait of Serving Girl with Pot c 1910
Located in Norfolk, GB
Madras School C 1910 Acrylic on board 11.5" x 8" Address on verso This painting dating to the early 20th century, c 1910, shows a young woman, possibly from Madras (see info on reverse), The colours follow the conventions of a genre of art called Company School painting...
Mixed Media, Board
Realist Coastal Seascape with Sailing Boats by Ramón Martí Alsina
Located in Sant Celoni, ES
RAMÓN MARTÍ ALSINA (Barcelona, 1826–1894). "Coastal Seascape with Sailing Boats." Circa 1860 Oil on canvas. Signed lower right. Dimensions: 137 × 97 cm (53.94 × 38.19 in). ; 154 × 1...
Oil
Antique 19th Century British Oil Painting by G. Wylle Rural Landscape Gilt Frame
Located in Palm Coast, FL
Up for sale is an antique British oil painting on canvas, signed “G. Wylle” in the lower area, depicting a picturesque riverside village scene with historic stone buildings, a tower ...
Oil
$1,500Sale Price|25% Off
Impasto Oil Painting of River Tree Scene British Postwar & Contemporary Artist
Located in Preston, GB
Impasto Oil Painting of River Tree Scene British Postwar & Contemporary Artist, Terry Evans Terry Evans is a British Postwar & Contemporary Painter born in 1943, known for h...
Canvas, Mixed Media, Oil
"Cloud Composition 7" Original Realist Skyscape with Clouds
Located in Denver, CO
"Cloud Composition 7" is a realistic capturing of a golden skyscape, created with oil paint on panel. This piece is framed at 9.5 x 9.5 inches and is ready to hang. Jesse Mangerson ...
Oil, Panel
$109Sale Price|20% Off
British Chalk Sketch of A Young Horse with White Markings
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...
Chalk, Graphite
$960Sale Price|20% Off
Chicago River Wrigley Clock Tower Cityscape Urban Painting by Michael Budden
Located in Chesterfield, NJ
Along the Chicago River, Wrigley Clock Tower oil/panel 8 x 10 unframed, 14.5 x 16.5 framed signed LL Along the Chicago River, Wrigley Clock Tower is an oil painting on canvas panel...
Acrylic
British Chalk Pencil Sketch of a Cow With Horns Resting on The 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...
Chalk, Graphite
$2,018Sale Price|25% Off
Castlewellan Lake in Northern Ireland by 20th Century British Landscape Artist
Located in Preston, GB
Castlewellan Lake in Northern Ireland by 20th Century British Landscape Artist, Spencer Coleman. Unique Vintage Original, Oil on Canvas...
Gesso, Canvas, Cotton, Paint, Cotton Canvas, Mixed Media, Oil
$109Sale Price|20% Off
British Chalk Pencil Sketch of A Bull 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...
Chalk, Graphite
After American Painter Hugh Bolton Jones 1848-1927 New England Landscape
By Hugh Bolton Jones
Located in Chesterfield, NJ
In the style of Hugh Bolton Jones 1848-1927 New England Landscape oil/canvas board signed LR 16 x 24 unframed, 21 x 29 framed Painting looks and feels lined and in good condition in...
Oil
$2,040Sale Price|20% Off
Boy From Hood - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative, Hyperealism, Africa
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
Shipping Procedure 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 Authenticity. About Artist Fal...
Canvas, Oil
"Oranges #3" realist, still life, citrus, framed & signed
Located in Sag Harbor, NY
A realist painting of three plump oranges hanging from a nail amidst their own leaves, against a blue backdrop. A round panel, aka tondo, is framed in a gold Italian custom made fram...
Oil, Panel
$2,367Sale Price|30% Off
Oil Painting of Horses & Farmer in the English Countryside by British Artist
By James Wright
Located in Preston, GB
Oil Painting of Horses & Farmer in the English Countryside by 20th Century Modern British Artist, James Wright Art measures 24 x 18 inches Frame measures 29 x 23 inches Pres...
Canvas, Cotton Canvas, Oil
$3,426
Hyperrealistic Acrylic Painting 'The Missing Move', 90x120 cm, Signed
Located in Zofingen, AG
Certain works of art do not describe an event—they preserve its emotional residue. They remind us that the most profound transformations rarely occur in moments of visible drama, but in the quiet intervals that divide life into what existed before and everything that follows. This painting inhabits precisely that elusive territory. The composition presents an interior of remarkable stillness. A young woman, dressed in white and seen only from behind, stands before expansive panoramic windows. Beside her, a black cat quietly shares the moment. In the foreground, an antique billiard table...
Cotton Canvas, Acrylic
High Country Sanctuary
By Tammy Medlin
Located in Colorado Springs, CO
Original Oil Painting signed by the Artist in the lower right corner.
Oil
$880
Realist Skyscape Triptych in Blue Tones of Serene Cloudy Sky, Handmade Cyanotype
By Kind of Cyan
Located in Barcelona, ES
This series of cyanotype triptychs showcases the beauty of nature scenes, including stunning beaches and oceans, as well as the intricate textures of water, forests, and skies. These...
Paper, Emulsion, Lithograph
Spring Has Arrived. Stillife, Spring flowers, Oil on Canvas, Horizontal
Located in Oslo, NO
Spring Has Arrived (A Small Spring Bouquet) The bright orange Tulips, yellow and white Daffodils, purple Hyacinth, sky blue Puschkinia flowers, and bright yellow Forsythia branches...
Canvas, Oil
Impressionistic Realistic Moonlight Landscape Oil Painting Michael Budden
Located in Chesterfield, NJ
Moon Sliver oil/panel 8 x 10 unframed 13.50 x 15.50 x 2 framed. Signed LR Moon Sliver is an oil painting on canvas by award winning contemporary artist Michael Budden that showcase...
Oil
$960Sale Price|20% Off
Impressionistic Seascape Painting Michael Budden Beach Play V
Located in Chesterfield, NJ
Beach Play V oil/panel image 8 x 10 unframed, 13 x 15 framed Beach Play V is an oil painting on panel by award winning contemporary artist Michael Budden that showcases a beach full...
Oil
"The Dark Waters" Painting, Acrylic on Canvas, Signed
Located in Zofingen, AG
This refined contemporary painting combines narrative elegance with a strong visual signature. The striking red boat immediately anchors the composition, floating against richly text...
Cotton Canvas, Acrylic
$960Sale Price|20% Off
Impressionistic Seascape Painting Michael Budden Beach Day People Boats Birds
Located in Chesterfield, NJ
Beach Day III oil/panel image 8 x 10 unframed, 14.5 x 16.5 framed signed LL Beach Day III is an oil painting on panel by award winning contemporary artist Michael Budden that showca...
Oil
British Chalk Pencil Sketch of a Cow Posed Lying On The 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...
Chalk, Graphite
“Manchester Terrier, 1854” George Armfield Dog Portrait in Landscape Oil 19th C.
Located in Yardley, PA
A fantastic example of George Armfield’s renowned portraits of dogs. This work depicts a Manchester Terrier excitedly standing outside a rabbit hole on the edge of a forest. The ter...
Canvas, Oil
A flat tire
Located in Paris, FR
BALS Wim 'A flat tire' Oil on wood. Signed. A certifcate on the back signed by the artist. Willem Bals, known professionally as Wim Bals, is a contemporary Belgian painter born in 1...
Oil
"Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" Realist Acrylic Painting, Signed
Located in Zofingen, AG
This sophisticated narrative painting presents a contemporary allegory rooted in timeless symbolism. A woman dressed in black faces seven black cats seated formally at a long white t...
Cotton Canvas, Acrylic
"Orange Garland" Oil Painting, Framed Still Life, Signed, Italian Art
Located in Sag Harbor, NY
An original Oil painting by Daniela Astone (b. 1980 Pisa, Italy) of a wreath of oranges against a blue backdrop. A red ribbon adorns the top of the wreath, matching the berries hidd...
Oil, Panel
A hyperrealist canvas by Heinz Schönhammer transforms a café classic into an unforgettable still life.
With a solo show at the Denver Art Museum and a commission from the Met, the Cree Canadian painter has become an international sensation.