Skip to main content

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.

3
to
13
131
50
43
15
105
58
39
54
46
32
35
38
Overall Height
to
Overall Width
to
2,829
2,179
572
229
188
98
94
87
87
82
32
12
12
2
75
66
54
49
33
29
27
24
22
21
19
17
16
16
15
15
14
14
11
11
1
23
181
2
1
5
7
4
7
5
5
4
3
202
153
75
69
45
Style: Realist
Color:  Blue
Lysander
Located in Nutfield, Surrey
Leigh Murphy This original work of art by the award-winning watercolour and oil painter Leigh Murphy wonderfully illustrates her super realist technique...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Pacific Sunset Waves, Contemporary Cyanotype on Paper, Navy Blue, Beach House
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...
Category

2010s Realist Paintings

Materials

Emulsion, Mixed Media, Watercolor, Photographic Paper, Lithograph, Monop...

Claudio D'Angelo, "Sunrise Over the Marsh", Winter Fox Landscape Oil Painting
Located in Saratoga Springs, NY
This piece, "Sunrise Over the Marsh", is a 20x20 winter oil painting on canvas by artist Claudio D'Angelo. Featured is an early sunrise over a snow covered marshland, the sun and moo...
Category

2010s Realist Paintings

Materials

Oil, Canvas

"Heliconia" Oil Painting D 20" inch by Sasha Sokolova
Located in Culver City, CA
"Heliconia" Oil Painting D 20" inch by Sasha Sokolova Bio Born in Moscow into a family of artists, Sasha Sokolova is an award winning contemporary realist painter, working across a range of traditional oil and water colour techniques. Her current works explore a variety of themes spanning the human figure and nature and feature many of the travel destinations from which she draws much of her inspiration. Following scholarships from the V. Spivakov fund and Young Talents Fund, Sasha graduated with honours from the Sergey Andriyaki School of Watercolour and Fine Arts in Moscow and went on to complete a Masters of Fine Arts at the Gerasimov Institute of Cinematography. Sasha was selected as the only Russian artist to work on the Oscar nominated "Loving Vincent", the first fully painted feature film. Sasha exhibits regularly in Russia and throughout Europe. In 2021 Sasha’s painting “The Last Portrait” was awarded Honourable Mention in ModPortrait 2021 and will be exhibited with other finalists in Zaragoza and Barcelona...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Umbrella and Two Chairs
Located in Fairfield, CT
John has shown and sold through George Billis Gallery in Connecticut and NYC. John Aquilino's paintings are architectural, bold in form, content, shape and color.
Category

2010s Realist Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Woman in Pink
Located in Fairfield, CT
John has shown and sold through George Billis Gallery in Connecticut and NYC. John Aquilino's paintings are architectural, bold in form, content, shape and color.
Category

2010s Realist Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Conversation (on beach)
Located in Fairfield, CT
John has shown and sold through George Billis Gallery in Connecticut and NYC. John Aquilino's paintings are architectural, bold in form, content, shape and color.
Category

2010s Realist Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Beach Chair and Shovel
Located in Fairfield, CT
John has shown and sold through George Billis Gallery in Connecticut and NYC. John Aquilino's paintings are architectural, bold in form, content, shape and color.
Category

2010s Realist Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Beach Cloud, Oil Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA

Artist Comments
A serene seascape with a glowing cloud delicately hovers over the tranquil shore. Artist Nancy Hughes Miller uses a variety of pastel colors to express the sk...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Paintings

Materials

Oil

Blue, Painting, Acrylic on Canvas
Located in Yardley, PA
This painting is included in the series "BLUE". I wanted a diagonal line composition for this work to balance the size of the Heron. I included the turtle and the Water Lily. As alw...
Category

2010s Realist Paintings

Materials

Acrylic

Estuary V, Oil Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA

Artist Comments
Artist Mandy Main paints a traditional old-world landscape of a peaceful estuary filled with warm greens and blues. Hazy and ivory-tinted clouds conceal the aft...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Paintings

Materials

Oil

Elegy to a Dead Tree - Kent Landscape - British 1950's art oil painting
Located in London, GB
This superb British 1950's landscape oil painting is by noted artist Laurence Henry Irving. Painted in 1952 it is entitled verso as Elegy to a Dead Tree. In the foreground, towering ...
Category

1950s Realist Paintings

Materials

Oil

Painted by the Breeze, Oil Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA

Artist Comments
Artist Andres Lopez captures a mesmerizing scene of glistening water with a vibrant orange reflection. The painting captures the play of light on the ocean's su...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Paintings

Materials

Oil

Reflections of Serenity, Oil Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA

Artist Comments
In this piece, artist Jose Luis Bermudez frames the afterglow into a visual sanctuary full of life. At sunset, the captivating setting is cast in a vibrant fusi...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Paintings

Materials

Oil

LIBERTY XIV, Painting, Oil on Canvas
Located in Yardley, PA
A large gallery wrapped canvas that can be hung vertically or horizontally. Linen canvas stretched over a robust composite stretcher (constructed with wood and aluminium). The painte...
Category

2010s Realist Paintings

Materials

Oil

Ewaoluwa (The Beauty of God)
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
Her name is Ewaoluwa (The Beauty of God). Meaning the beauty of God in Yoruba origin located in western Nigeria. God created beauty in the loveliness of his nature. The beauty of Go...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Paintings

Materials

Charcoal, Acrylic

"Splash 6" Oil Painting 55" x 33" inch by Sasha Sokolova
Located in Culver City, CA
"Splash 6" Oil Painting 55" x 33" inch by Sasha Sokolova SPLASH This series is about those sunny summer days in my dacha (country house) in a small village outside of Moscow, captur...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Paintings

Materials

Oil, Canvas

Discover – Original Painting on Canvas, Painting, Oil on Canvas
Located in Yardley, PA
One-of-a-kind Pop Art Original Painting on Canvas by Gardani, hand signed by the Artist front and back, comes with official Gardani Certificate of Authenticity with a unique dollar b...
Category

2010s Realist Paintings

Materials

Oil

Dirty Martini, Contemporary Still Life, Italian Food, Slate Gray, Beverage
Located in Barcelona, ES
This painting portrays a contemporary still-life Italian scene of a sleek classy Martini cocktail filled with clear, chilled liquid and garnished with coloured olives. The beverage s...
Category

2010s Realist Paintings

Materials

Acrylic, Oil, Watercolor

Landscape Impressionistic Oil Painting Springtime by Michael Budden
Located in Chesterfield, NJ
Springtime is an oil painting on canvas that showcases the beautiful light of a Spring day painted on location near my home. Painting image measures 18 x 14 and is being sold unframe...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Paintings

Materials

Oil

Sunrise Pines, Origingal Mixed Media Painting
Located in Denver, CO
"Sunrise Pines" by Tracy Wall (United States) is a handmade landscape painting that is framed and ready to hang.
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Paintings

Materials

Mixed Media

Pink mountain acrylic paint on board landscape
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Acrylic on paper laid board. Born in Valencia but with German and Mediterranean roots, his artistic work has been focused on exhibitions around the idea of ​​"landscape", within a f...
Category

2010s Realist Paintings

Materials

Board, Acrylic

Presque Isle (Day 95) June 24, 2022, Original Oil Painting
Located in Denver, CO
"Presque Isle (Day 95) June 24, 2022" by Primary Hughes (United States) is a handmade landscape painting that is unframed, and will require a frame.
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Paintings

Materials

Oil

Sun Kiss Ocean - water study realism seascape original modern oil painting photo
Located in London, Chelsea
This realist fractal study by Leavon Bowman involves an influence of the vibrant Caribbean landscape and an appreciation for the dynamic flow of nature. ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Chico Basin, San Luis Valley, Colorado, Original Oil Painting
Located in Denver, CO
"Chico Basin, San Luis Valley, Colorado" by David Shingler (United States) is a handmade landscape painting that is unframed, but ready to hang.
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Paintings

Materials

Oil

Nymph Lake, Rocky Mountain Park, CO, Original Oil Painting
Located in Denver, CO
"Nymph Lake, Rocky Mountain Park, CO" by David Shingler (United States) is a handmade landscape painting that is unframed, but ready to hang.
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Paintings

Materials

Oil

Herd Rhythm, Original Oil Painting
Located in Denver, CO
"Herd Rhythm" by Emma Kalff (United States) is a handmade landscape oil painting that is framed and ready to hang.
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Paintings

Materials

Oil

Painting with Pinecone, Original Oil Painting
Located in Denver, CO
"Painting with Pinecone" by Lisa Lebofsky (United States) is a handmade landscape oil on paper painting that is framed and ready hang.
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Paintings

Materials

Mixed Media

Station Blue, Original Oil Painting
Located in Denver, CO
"Station Blue" by Mark Harrison (United Kingdom) is a handmade landscape oil painting that is framed and ready to hang.
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Paintings

Materials

Oil

Silver Ripples - seascape original summer original art vista panoramic landscape
Located in London, Chelsea
Contemporary artist Lenny Cornforth paints a vibrant seascape scene that joyfully conveys a summers day at the beach. Presenting an aerial perspective of a beach setting, this piece ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Paintings

Materials

Silver

Ascension Sky- butterfly blue contemporary realism negative space acrylic paint
Located in London, Chelsea
This original painting by Mandii Pope takes a unique painterly approach to the butterfly motif. Pope here contrasts the traditional painterly portrayal of the butterfly against a mod...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Spray Paint, Acrylic

Best-Ever 10 Cent
Located in Fairfield, CT
Richard Parker’s paintings are exquisitely rendered portraits of ephemeral objects more often used to create artworks than as the content. With a nod to Pop Art, Parker focuses on t...
Category

2010s Realist Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Deep Blue - water study realism seascape original modern oil painting photo real
Located in London, Chelsea
This realist fractal study by Leavon Bowman involves an influence of the vibrant Caribbean landscape and an appreciation for the dynamic flow of nature. ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Ocean. Regatta., Painting, Acrylic on Canvas
Located in Yardley, PA
Ocean. Regatta. The work is written with inspiration, positively. Nature: seascape, clear sky over the ocean, light reflected by oncoming waves, sun glare on the water, sea foam, sai...
Category

2010s Realist Paintings

Materials

Acrylic

Carina
Located in Paris, FR
Jean-Gabriel Domergue 1889-1962 French "Carina" Oil on panel Signed lower right Painting : 28 3/4" high x 23 5/8" wide Frame: 37 3/8" high x 32 1/4" wide Jean-Gabriel Domerg...
Category

Mid-20th Century Realist Paintings

Materials

Oil, Panel

Emerald Waves, Acrylic Seascape Painting, Contemporary Landscape Artwork
Located in Deddington, GB
"One of my favourite subjects to paint. Through careful observation I try to capture the anatomy of waves as they break and wash to shore. This banded composition in shades of turquoise and white makes me want to get my feet wet". Artwork by Jo Quigley...
Category

2010s Realist Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic

Forest Triptych, Looking Up Through The Trees, Blue Nature, Handmade Cyanotype
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 w...
Category

2010s Realist Paintings

Materials

Photographic Film, Photogram, Emulsion, Watercolor, Photographic Paper, ...

Australian Rolling Waves, Nautical Triptych of Vigorous Coast, Large Seascape
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...
Category

2010s Realist Paintings

Materials

Photographic Film, Photogram, Monotype, Lithograph, Color, C Print, Phot...

Bathers
Located in Fairfield, CT
Represented by George Billis Gallery. Margery Gosnell-Qua received an MFA in Painting and an MS in Art History from Pratt Institute in 1996, where she traveled to Italy to study Pai...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Grand Tetons Winter Mountain Landscape
Located in Soquel, CA
Gorgeous landscape oil painting of snow-capped Grand Teton mountains winter scene by B. Silva (American, 20th century). Signed "B. Silva" and dat...
Category

1980s Realist Paintings

Materials

Oil, Canvas

Vila Olivos, David Hockney Style Art, Original Architectural Landscape Painting
Located in Deddington, GB
This is a painting from my modernist pool series of paintings. In this particular painting I loved the shape of the kidney shaped pool and I placed the olive trees surrounding the architectural modern home in a group of three. Painting and landscaping the garden with cacti and hedges give the painting its unique colourful landscape. Contrasting the straight lines of the architecture to the soft lines of the plants and fauna give this painting an interesting focus. Karen Lynn is available at Wychwood Art. Karen is an increasingly collectable figurative artist whose work is inspired by the glamour and appeal of the 40's, 50's and 60's; an era that Christian Dior described as the 'Golden Age' of fashion. Stylistically, Lynn's work has been compared to Hopper and Hockney. Initially training as a fashion designer, Lynn worked as a costumier for the English National Opera before successfully switching into set design, working for many years on a number of iconic feature films, before moving into television and commercials. In 2001, Lynn turned her attentions to painting in oils. Her wide experience of designing for film, television and theatre provides her with a unique and contemporary viewpoint; not surprisingly, her work has been snapped up by collectors both here and in the US. Lynn's detailed drawing is complemented by the use of bold strokes, often consisting of colourful and varied characters. Vila Olivos...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Girls Just Wanna Have Fun 6 - Contemporary Figurative Oil Painting, Sea View
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 Realist Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

waves on the beach Spain oil on canvas painting seascape
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Oil on canvas. Frame size 34x34 cm. Born in Valencia but with German and Mediterranean roots, his artistic work has been focused on exhibitions around the idea of ​​"landscape", wit...
Category

2010s Realist Paintings

Materials

Oil, Canvas

"New York City, Times Square" Oil Painting
Located in Denver, CO
Christopher Clark's "New York City, Times Square" is an original, hand made oil painting that depicts a night scene of a bustling cityscape.
Category

2010s Realist Paintings

Materials

Oil, Acrylic, Wood Panel

Waves, Painting, Oil on Canvas
Located in Yardley, PA
Lyrical painting of the ocean, perfect for a coastal home or any one who loves water. Painted on stretched canvas and ready to hang. Frame is not includ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Paintings

Materials

Oil

"Beach Bunnies II" Large Orig. Oil Painting by Robert White, Frameless Display
Located in Encino, CA
Beach Bunnies II,” an original oil on canvas by Robert K. White, is a piece for the true collector. White’s careful attention to detail and vivid use of g...
Category

2010s Realist Paintings

Materials

Oil

Solstice, Painting, Acrylic on Canvas
Located in Yardley, PA
The swimmer cuts through the cool depths. Above her a kaleidoscope of colour erupts over the water's surface. This work is painted on a gallery-wrapped, deep-edge canvas and there...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Paintings

Materials

Acrylic

"Otter Cove" Original Oil Painting by Robert White, Frameless Display
Located in Encino, CA
“Otter Cove,” an original oil on canvas by Robert K. White, is a piece for the true collector. White’s careful attention to detail and vivid use of blues, whites, browns, and greens project from the painting, immediately capturing the viewer's attention and highlighting the artist's keen ability to capture emotion, nature, and life - all in a brushstroke. White's talent for depicting light and shadow provides the foundation for him to deliver subjects and scenes to the viewer's eye. This masterful and playful work would make a great addition to an art collection and enhance most any home, perfect for those who have an affinity for seascapes, waves, animal scenes, otters, and nature. In the artist’s own words, “I don’t paint what is inside of me; I paint what I see outside of me. I’m an observer. If I see something and I feel an affinity for it, something just clicks in my head. I’ll make the decision right then and there to paint that particular subject during that particular moment. It’s a perfect moment. Once something has caught my eye and I’ve heard the “perfect” click, it’s like a photograph has been taken in my mind’s eye. I only have a few days of clarity with that image. I have to start the painting quickly or else it will be gone and I will lose that image forever.” Artist: ROBERT KENNETH WHITE...
Category

2010s Realist Paintings

Materials

Oil

Cadaques Spain oil on canvas painting seascape
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Josep Maria Vayreda Canadell (Gerona 1932-2001) - Cadaques - Oil on canvas Oil measures 50x61 cm. Frame measures 61x72 cm. Josep Maria Vayreda Canadell Year of birth: 1932 Biography...
Category

1990s Realist Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Shimmering Light, Westminster
Located in Deddington, GB
Shimmering Light, Westminster [2022] original Acrylic Image size: H:76cms cm x W:76cms cm Complete Size of Unframed Work: H:76cms cm x W:76cms cm x D:4cmscm Frame Size: H:84cms c...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic

A Boat and a Bird
Located in Boston, MA
Artist Commentary: The pelican couldn't figure out how to start the motor so time to leave... Keywords: Caribbean, water, boat, pelican Artist Biography: Robert Crooker was born in Massachusetts in 1951. A life long Red Sox fan, he saw the likes of Frank Malzone, Yaz, George Scott, Rico, Jim Lonborg all play in years gone by. He has been married for over 27 years with 4 children, and 2 grandchildren. In the Mid-1970’s, Robert started collecting Vintage Disney Collectibles...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic

Whale Tail, Painting, Oil on Canvas
Located in Yardley, PA
In seafaring cultures, the whale tail is a symbol of strength and power and has been a popular motif for centuries. This an oil on canvas painting that is framed, varnished and read...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Paintings

Materials

Oil

Tennis Lesson
Located in Park City, UT
Lisa Golightly's initial focus was photography, the influence of which can be seen in her paintings. Her work revolves around memory and how snapshots shape, influence, change and even create memory. She works with acrylic and high gloss enamel, using found photos...
Category

2010s Realist Paintings

Materials

Acrylic

Fiona Smith, Three in a Row, Original Ceramic Painting, Still Life Artwork
Located in Deddington, GB
Fiona Smith, Three in a Row Signed by the artist Original Acrylic painting on board Framed dimensions 69cm x 38.5 cm x 3.5 cm Three in a Row is an original painting by artist and pa...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Paintings

Materials

Acrylic, Board

"Pool and Forest" Small landscape with blue swimming pool in bottom half
Located in Wellesley, MA
"Pool and Forest" Oil on Canvas, 18 x 14 Inches, is a small landscape with lush green foliage in the top half and a bright blue swimming pool dominating the bottom half. Reminisc...
Category

1980s Realist Paintings

Materials

Oil

On the beach. 1976. Cardboard /mixed media. 50x59cm
Located in Riga, LV
On the beach. 1976. Cardboard /mixed media. 50x59cm Marina landscape with beach, boats and people relaxing on the seashore.
Category

1970s Realist Paintings

Materials

Cardboard, Oil

Aqua Bailer Shell - Single Bailer Sea Shell on Brown Table w/ Watered Backdrop
Located in Chicago, IL
The simplicity of "Aqua Bailer Shell" is deceptive. The upturned pale yellow shell has a beautiful light emanating from its center revealing the delicacy of the shell. It sits upon a deep, rich brown table with its reflection seen in the highly polished surface. The background is delicate aqua colored moiré pattern to give an even more opulent feel while adding to the meditative quality of the painting. The bailer shell can be found in Southeast Asia, from Burma, Thailand and Malaysia, to the South China Sea and the Philippines. This large, prehistoric sea snail shell could traditionally be used by native fishermen to bail out their leaking fishing vessels. This artwork is framed in a simple walnut frame measuring 25 x 25 inches. Helen Oh...
Category

2010s Realist Paintings

Materials

Oil, Panel

Marimekko Ducks, Oil Canvas, American Art, Realism, Tchotskes Quirky Objects
Located in Houston, TX
Marimekko Ducks is 20 x 20 inches oil on canvas. .Maureen likes to use Marimekko fabrics in many of her paintings. Randi Hopkins, former assistant curator at Boston’s Institute of Contemporary Art, has called O’Connor “a masterful painter of some of our favorite things.” A pair of ceramic ducks...
Category

2010s 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.

Recently Viewed

View All