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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
"Touch"
Located in Edinburgh, GB
Portrait of a young girl in a delicate, light-colored dress, painted in soft pastel tones. The composition of the portrait focuses on the figure of the girl, who is located in the ce...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil, Acrylic

Throwing Shade, Oil Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA

Artist Comments
The sun pierces through the morning mist, casting a warm, golden glow on the fields and meandering stream below. The aerial view captures the scale, depth, and ...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Paintings

Materials

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...

Nude, Original Figurative Realist Woman Oil Painting by Simon Kozhin
Located in Zofingen, AG
The mystery of female beauty. Naked body beauty, its delicate shades and plastic lines. The image of the girl from the back echoes the classics. The product...
Category

Early 2000s Realist Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

"Fire Starter" – Nude Figure Oil Painting Artistry
Located in Denver, CO
Dave Seeley's "Fire Starter" is an exquisite example of nude figure oil painting artistry, masterfully rendered on canvas mounted on board. Cr...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil, Board

The ruines Undspunnen and the Jungfrau - Oil on cardboard 19th century
Located in Geneva, CH
Oil on cardboard sold with frame. The total size with frame is 21x23 cm. The work is unsigned but we can recognize the Ruine Undspunnen and the Jungfrau in Switzerland. Dated around...
Category

19th Century Realist Paintings

Materials

Oil

'Portrait of a Man', oil on canvas by Jozef Isräels
Located in London, GB
Jozef Isräels (1824-1911) 'Portrait of a Man' ‍ Oil on canvas 72 x 57 cm, 90 x 77 cm (framed) 1861 Signed and dated middle left 'J. Israels 1861' Jozef Israëls was considered the l...
Category

1860s Realist Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Fine Quality English late 20th century Still life of wild flowers in a vase
Located in Woodbury, CT
Bennett Oates, Fine Quality English late 20th century Still life of wild flowers in a vase. Oates was an English painter of flower subjects during the last half of the 20th centur...
Category

1990s Realist Paintings

Materials

Oil, Board

Autumn Roses
Located in Pasadena, CA
Acquired by the gallery directly from the artist UNFRAMED: 16" x 20" FRAMED: 19.75" x 23.75" x 1.5" Artist Statement "'Autumn Roses' encapsulates a haunting narrative, merging nature's poignant cycle. Within a softly lit room, where a glass pitcher, once filled with life, cradles a bouquet of withered roses. Amidst this tableau, a dance of warm candlelight weaves an intimate and reflective ambiance. I invite the viewer to discover solace within the delicate harmony of life and decay, symbolized through a visual tapestry of contrasts: a vibrant peach beside faded roses, radiant candles amidst subtle decay, and the whispered promise of untold stories held within a closed book." — Alex Tabet
Category

2010s Realist Paintings

Materials

Oil, Panel

"Timeless Dreamer" Whimsical Oil Painting of Mouse
Located in Denver, CO
Claudia Griesbach- Martucci's "Timeless Dreamer" is an original, handmade oil painting that depicts a mouse perched atop a clock with a crescent moon in the background. About the A...
Category

2010s Realist Paintings

Materials

Oil, Panel

Antique Painting, Oil on canvas, Winter Morning in the Alps Mountains, Zugspitze
Located in Berlin, DE
OTTO PIPPEL, Painting, Oil on canvas, Winter Morning in the Wetterstein Mountains, Zugspitze (Alps) Beautiful, large painting by the internationally known artist Otto Pippel. Snow...
Category

19th Century Realist Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

British Chalk Pencil Sketch of Two Dapper Gentleman Fishing On The Riverbank
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
John Rabone Harvey ( 1966 - 1922) graphic and chalk deep green artist paper , unframed artist paper : 7 x 5.5 inches Provenance: private collection Condition: very good condition Ha...
Category

Mid-19th Century Realist Paintings

Materials

Chalk, Graphite

19thC George Armfield Oil Painting Terrier with a Bowl Original Gold Leaf Frame
Located in Charleston, US
London painter, George Armfield's original oil painting "Untitled -Terrier with Bowl" is an excellent example of this wonderful 19th century artist who is highly sought after for his dog paintings of Terriers. Original's by the renowned 19th century dog painting...
Category

1850s Realist Paintings

Materials

Gold Leaf

Blood Moon, Oil Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA

Artist Comments
A blood moon glows softly against a brilliant night sky. A row of palm trees in the foreground reaches upward. Pale clouds drift and billow, adding a sense of c...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Paintings

Materials

Oil

Flight Path II, Oil Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA

Artist Comments
Sweeping, layered clouds fill the sky, creating a dramatic contrast between light and shadow. Gentle waves with soft white foam at their crest roll towards the ...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Paintings

Materials

Oil

Coastal View of Penzance from Newlyn, Cornwall - British landscape oil painting
Located in Hagley, England
This lovely floral landscape oil painting is by artist Elsie Bye- Rawson. Painted circa 1960 the view is looking down from Newlyn and along the coast to Penzance in Cornwall. St Mary...
Category

1960s Realist Paintings

Materials

Oil

Golden Hour, Oil Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA

Artist Comments
The sea exudes an atmosphere of comfort and peace at sunset. The water mirrors the glorious colors of the sky, creating a captivating display of light. The re...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Paintings

Materials

Oil

NYC Study #64
Located in Fairfield, CT
Represented by George Billis Gallery, NYC & LA --The primary subjects of my paintings are 21st century man's working monuments, which represent our culture's dedication to production...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Paintings

Materials

Oil, Board

"Dust Storm" by Morgan Cameron, Oil painting Featuring Galloping Horse
Located in Denver, CO
Morgan Cameron’s (US based) “Dust Storm” is an oil painting on panel that depicts a red and white horse galloping with it's mane flowing. This painting is framed and ready to hang. ...
Category

2010s Realist Paintings

Materials

Oil, Panel

Spring Footpath - contemporary, realism, tree, landscape, oil on board
Located in Bloomfield, ON
‘Spring, glorious spring’ is celebrated in all its fresh, bright colour in this delightful painting by Ciba Karisik. A path invites the viewer to wander into the woods and experience...
Category

2010s Realist Paintings

Materials

Oil, Board

"King of the Barn"-Farmyard Rooster 19th century France
Located in SANTA FE, NM
"King of the Barn"-Farmyard Rooster 19th century France Oil on board Signature to be read 18 x 15 (19 3/4 x 23 3/4 frame) inches A very finely painted and expressive rendition of a...
Category

1890s Realist Paintings

Materials

Oil, Board

Reclining Nude Female Portrait - British 19th century Victorian art oil painting
Located in Hagley, England
This beautiful British mid 19th century oil on board painting is by Edward William Wyon. It was painted in 1843 when Wyon would have been in his early thirties. The composition is a ...
Category

1840s Realist Paintings

Materials

Oil

Venice Seascape Oil Painting Gondola Ride by Michael Budden Beautiful Light II
Located in Chesterfield, NJ
Beautiful Light II, Venice oil/panel 6 x 8 unframed, 12.5 x 14.5 framed Beautiful Light II, Venice is an oil painting on panel by award winning contemporary artist Michael Budden tha...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Paintings

Materials

Oil

A view of Sebastopol in the Crimea.
Located in Paris, FR
A view of Sebastopol in the Crimea. Oil on canvas. In a 19th century gild wood and plaster frame. This painting can be dated around 1830/1840 given the dresses worn by the women i...
Category

1830s Realist Paintings

Materials

Oil

Hubert Henrard - 19th Century Belgian Still Life of wildflowers
Located in London, GB
HUBERT HENRARD (Belgium 1816-1898) Still Life with Cornflower and Harebells Signed l.r.: Hubert Henrard Oil on canvas Framed 25 by 20.5 cm., 10 by 8 in. (frame size 41.5 by 36.5 c...
Category

Late 19th Century Realist Paintings

Materials

Oil

Yellow Cactus Flowers, Figurative Botanic Painting, Illustration Style on Paper
Located in Barcelona, ES
This illustration-style painting inspired by the wild blooms of the California desert. It features vibrant yellow cactus flowers, capturing the delicate beauty of the blooms against ...
Category

2010s Realist Paintings

Materials

India Ink, Acrylic, Watercolor

"Out Of Town" - Nocturne Oil Painting With Swamp Cabin and Cypress Trees
Located in Denver, CO
Mark Harrison’s "Out Of Town" is an original, handmade oil painting that captures the mysterious serenity of the Southern swamp at dusk. Painted in 2025, this atmospheric landscape i...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Paintings

Materials

Oil

Saint Mark's Basilica Interior Oil Painting
Located in Lake Worth Beach, FL
Saint Mark's Basilica Venice Oil Painting Signed, lower left dated, titled verso. Romanesque Bizantine Basilica. canvas 35"x45" framed 46.5 x56.5. Frank LeB...
Category

1910s Realist Paintings

Materials

Oil, Cotton Canvas

Pina. Animal Paintings
Located in Oslo, NO
This is a small yet impressive oil painting that imitates a wall with a snail on it. It's a part of the Series, yet each painting is unique. The snail left a glistening trail of slim...
Category

2010s Realist Paintings

Materials

Oil, Canvas

Strawberries in a Cup - original still life painting - 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

"Verde in View" a photorealist oil painting, overlooking a vibrant green boat
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 Realist Paintings

Materials

Linen, Oil

"The color of the sky"
Located in Edinburgh, GB
The Color of the Sky. Poetry of Light Oleksandr Khrapachov, 2018 Canvas, oil • 50×70 cm --- The Color of the Sky is a meditative journey into a space where matter dissolves into t...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

British Chalk Pencil Sketch Of A Cow's Body With White 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

Nothing Gold Can Stay 5, Oil painting, portrait of woman
Located in Dallas, TX
Al Saralis – "Nothing Gold Can Stay 5" Oil on Canvas 39 x 39 inches - 100 x 100 cm) Al Saralis’s Nothing Gold Can Stay is a hauntingly beautiful meditation on impermanence, memory,...
Category

2010s Realist Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

A Yorkshire terrier in a favourite blue bow
By Thomas Earl
Located in London, GB
Attributed to Thomas William Earl (fl.1836-1890) A Yorkshire terrier in a favourite blue bow unsigned oil on card 7 ⅝ x 5 ⅝ in. (19.3 x 14.3 cm.) with frame 15 x 13 in. (38 x 33 cm...
Category

Late 19th Century Realist Paintings

Materials

Oil, Cardboard

"Spring Aspen, " Oil Painting
Located in Denver, CO
Stephen Day's (US based) "Spring Aspen" is an original, handmade oil painting that depicts a forest of Pine and Aspen trees coming to life with new green buds of leaves and the thicket of the forest floor beginning to grow. Stephen Day was born in Sheridan, Wyoming, and, while growing up he lived in Santa Fe, New Mexico, Aspen Colorado, and Durango, Colorado. He always felt the wonderfully unique beauty of the west but until he became an artist he really didn't know how to fully respond to that beauty. Day is now a full-time artist living in Taos, New Mexico. Working mainly in oil he paints various subjects from life but the landscape is his first love. He says of his working philosophy, "I paint almost exclusively from life trying to capture the feeling and the mood of the subject before me. This work philosophy forces me to paint quickly to get a spontaneous and fresh response, because everything around us (including ourselves) is in a constant state of change." Day frequently paints on location and uses these smaller paintings to create larger studio paintings. Artist's Background: 1976 - Bachelor of Arts Degree, McMurry College, Abilene, Texas 1980 - Master's Degree, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, Texas Studied at the Art Students League of Denver with Bruce Cody...
Category

2010s Realist Paintings

Materials

Oil

"Big Ben in Garden" Portrait of a Bulldog by Arthur Wardle (England, 1864-1949)
Located in SANTA FE, NM
"Big Ben in Garden" Antique Dog Portrait of a Bulldog Arthur Wardle (England, 1864-1949) Pastel on paper Circa 1900 13 x 9 (17 x 12) inches Though he made his reputation with large...
Category

Early 1900s Realist Paintings

Materials

Pastel

Morning Sun, Shark Harbor; Catalina Island
Located in Pasadena, CA
Provenance Acquired by the gallery directly from the artist Signed " J. PAQUET" on lower right corner. Artist Statement "This unique vantage point could only be accessed by jeep. I...
Category

2010s Realist Paintings

Materials

Oil, Panel

FLOWERS - Italian still life oil on canvas painting, Francesca Strino
Located in Napoli, IT
FLOWERS - Oil on canvas painting, Francesca Strino, Italy., 2005
Category

Early 2000s Realist Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Dina Brodsky, Tiny Yellow Bird, realist oil on mylar animal miniature, 2018
Located in New York, NY
Dina Brodsky's realist oil on mylar animal miniature, "Tiny Yellow," 2018, depicts a petit, black and yellow bird perched on a small branch. The bird's delicately textured black and ...
Category

2010s Realist Paintings

Materials

Mylar, Oil

Odalisque - Woman in a Harem - French 1900 Orientalist art portrait oil painting
By Lucien Laurent Gsell
Located in Hagley, England
This charming ex Christie's Victorian Orientalist oil painting is by noted French exhibited artist Lucien Laurent Gsell. The painting dates to around 1900 and portrays a beautiful yo...
Category

Early 1900s Realist Paintings

Materials

Oil

Dutch Winter landscape with children playing on the ice by Per Wickenberg, 1839
Located in Stockholm, SE
Per Wickenberg, was a Swedish maestro of the brush who left an indelible mark on the world despite his brief life, truncated by tuberculosis at the age of 34. A prodigy who dedicated...
Category

1830s Realist Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Quadtych of Pocket Upstar Tulip, Veronique Tulip, Snowdrop 2, Bluebells 2024 art
Located in Deddington, GB
This quadtych includes 4 pocket paintings from Dani Humberstone's spring collection: Pocket Upstar Tulip, Pocket Veronique Tulip, Spring Collection: Pocket Bluebells and Pocket Snowd...
Category

2010s Realist Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

British Chalk Pencil Sketch of A Young Boy In His Fishing Gear
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
John Rabone Harvey ( 1966 - 1922) graphic and chalk deep green artist paper , unframed artist paper : 7 x 5.5 inches Provenance: private collection Condition: very good condition Ha...
Category

Mid-19th Century Realist Paintings

Materials

Chalk, Graphite

Vintage European Impressionist Seascape Coastal Mediterranean Sea Town Painting
Located in Buffalo, NY
Vintage European impressionist coastal town oil painting. Oil on board. Framed. Signed. In excellent original condition. Handsomely framed in a wood molding. Excellent condition...
Category

1950s Realist Paintings

Materials

Oil, Board

Portrait of Mrs William Tisdall Elsie Gardiner - British Edwardian oil painting
Located in Hagley, England
This superb large British Edwardian exhibited portrait oil painting is by noted artist George Spencer Watson. It was painted in 1909 and exhibite...
Category

Early 1900s Realist Paintings

Materials

Oil

Winter in Aschaffenburg
Located in Oslo, NO
This artwork depicts a cozy corner of the ancient German city of Aschaffenburg. A winter day with such a rare phenomenon for Europe as snow. Snow falls and covers the old paving ston...
Category

2010s Realist Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Old Teapot, Still life, Oil painting, Impasto, Canvas on panel, Vertical
Located in Oslo, NO
This still life was painted in 2024. Vertically composed, oil on canvas on panel. The main subject is the Old black Teapot, accompanied by a cup and a red apple on a golden-yellow ...
Category

2010s Realist Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

In dialogue with Morandi
Located in Oslo, NO
This still life was painted under the impression of the work of the 20th century Italian still life master Giorgio Morandi. However, it is not a literal imitation of his style, but r...
Category

2010s Realist Paintings

Materials

Canvas, 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

Seashell Still Life
Located in Soquel, CA
Gorgeous watercolor of seashells by Northern California artist Barbara I. Gibson (American, 20th Century).Signed "Barbara Gibson" and dated "1990" lower right. Presented in mat. Unfr...
Category

1990s Realist Paintings

Materials

Paper, Watercolor

Realist Coastal Countryside Scene - Antique Original Oil Painting
Located in Soquel, CA
Realist Coastal Countryside Scene - Antique Original Oil Painting Early 20th century oil painting of a countryside scene, potentially the British Isles. A sandy path leads through a...
Category

Early 20th Century Realist Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil, Stretcher Bars

Mountain Landscape (Pyrenees) 1928
Located in Stockholm, SE
Fritz Lindström (1874–1962) Mountain Landscape (Pyrenees), 1928 oil on panel unframed 15.5 × 24 cm (6.1 × 9.4 in) framed: 26 × 34 cm (10.2 × 13.4 in) signed on the reverse Frame by...
Category

1920s Realist Paintings

Materials

Oil, Wood Panel

"Christmas trees. Transcarpathia"
Located in Edinburgh, GB
“Fir trees.Transcarpathia” - the melody of mountain peaks Oleksandr Khrapachov, 2014 The canvas “Fir trees.Transcarpathia” invites the viewer to a journey through the breathtaking ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Paintings

Materials

Oil, Canvas

Chinese Contemporary Art by Su Yu - Travel Through Time 6
Located in Paris, IDF
Oil on canvas Su Yu is a Chinese artist born in 1987 who lives & works in Beijing in China. He was an old student of prestigious art teachers as Shi Liang & Chen Danqing at Oil Pain...
Category

2010s Realist Paintings

Materials

Oil, Canvas

Western Lands, Oil Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA

Artist Comments
Sunset reveals the vast grandeur of the Grand Canyon. The rugged cliffs glow with deep amber and violet hues beneath a sky brushed with luminous pastel clouds. ...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Paintings

Materials

Oil

Vintage Oil Painting of River Sunset in the Woods of the English Countryside
Located in Preston, GB
Vintage Oil Painting of River Sunset in the Woods of the English Countryside by 20th Century British Artist. Painted using warm orange and green colours creating a unique atmosphere....
Category

20th Century Realist Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

British Chalk Pencil Sketch of A Cow and Their Calf 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

Summer afternoon on the banks of the Main
Located in Oslo, NO
The painting was painted from life. The composition of the motif is stretched horizontally. In the foreground we see the near bank, which is in the shadow, and tree trunks on the sid...
Category

2010s Realist Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Summer Afternoon, Inspiration Point
Located in Pasadena, CA
Provenance Acquired by the gallery directly from the artist Signed "Mirich" on lower left Artist Statement "A light, breezy day along the coast of Palos Verdes with Catalina Island...
Category

2010s Realist Paintings

Materials

Canvas, 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.

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