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Realist Paintings

7,034 Results
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
"Landscape with wooden bridge and figures"
"Landscape with wooden bridge and figures"

"Landscape with wooden bridge and figures"

Located in Edinburgh, GB

Attributed to Giuseppe Zola (1672-1743) – "Landscape with Wooden Bridge and Figures" Medium: Oil on canvas Dimensions (Flat): 190 x 301 cm Description: This monumental 18th-century ...

Category

17th Century Realist Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Bluebonnets, Oak, and Yucca
Bluebonnets, Oak, and Yucca

Bluebonnets, Oak, and Yucca

Located in Houston, TX

Willian A. Slaughter (1923-2003) William A. Slaughter was born in San Antonio, Texas in 1923 and died in Dallas, Texas December 2003. His first call was to the ministry and after ser...

Category

1970s Realist Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Camel beach sketch
Camel beach sketch

Camel beach sketch

By Juan Álvarez Cebrián

Located in CAMPO REAL, ES

In this sketch entitled “Camel Beach”, the artist transports us to the shores of Santander through carefully placed brushstrokes. With a palette of cold tones, the painting captures ...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Paintings

Materials

Linen, Oil, Wood Panel

Table top bottles still life painting
Table top bottles still life painting

Table top bottles still life painting

By Giorgio Morandi

Located in Wilton Manors, FL

Beautiful Italian Still Life painting by unknown artist in the style of Giorgio Morandi. Oil on panel, measuring 16 1/8 x 22 inches. ca. 1960s Artist board and fixtures are Italian.

Category

Mid-20th Century Realist Paintings

Materials

Oil, Wood Panel

Beach & Ocean Impressionistic Seascape Oil Painting with Dunes by Michael Budden
Beach & Ocean Impressionistic Seascape Oil Painting with Dunes by Michael Budden

Beach & Ocean Impressionistic Seascape Oil Painting with Dunes by Michael Budden

By Michael Budden

Located in Chesterfield, NJ

Dunes & Beach Path 11 x 14 unframed and 16.5 x 19.5 framed signed LL Dunes & Beach Path is an oil painting on panel by award winning contemporary artist Michael Budden that showcases...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Paintings

Materials

Oil

Sea  1989. Paper, watercolor, 15x20 cm

Sea 1989. Paper, watercolor, 15x20 cm

By Nikolai Uvarov

Located in Riga, LV

Sea 1989. Paper, watercolor, 15x20 cm Landscape with sea and clouds The watercolor painting depicts a serene seascape, showcasing the artist's interpretation of the sea and clouds. The artist skillfully uses watercolor...

Category

1980s Realist Paintings

Materials

Paper, Watercolor

"House Finch" - Oil Animal Painting on Wood
"House Finch" - Oil Animal Painting on Wood

"House Finch" - Oil Animal Painting on Wood

By Terra Novak

Located in Denver, CO

About the Artist: Terra Novak is a contemporary realist painter and art educator based in Colorado whose work explores the beauty, strength, and emotional depth found in both people ...

Category

2010s Realist Paintings

Materials

Wood, Oil

"Figures and horses by a country tavern"
"Figures and horses by a country tavern"

"Figures and horses by a country tavern"

Located in Edinburgh, GB

Unidentified Dutch Artist (17th Century) "Figures and Horses by a Country Tavern" (1618) Oil on canvas Framed: 69 x 82 cm Canvas: 52 x 64 cm No signatured This exquisite 17th-century Dutch painting masterfully depicts a bustling village scene with figures and horses gathered outside a country tavern. The composition is rich in detail, featuring travelers, merchants, and townspeople engaging in lively interactions, while a Dutch flag waves above the rustic inn, reinforcing the national identity of the scene. Executed in oil on canvas, the painting showcases warm earthy tones and delicate use of light and shadow, capturing the golden glow of a late afternoon or early evening setting. The finely rendered architecture, expressive figures, and atmospheric depth are reminiscent of the works of Isaac van Ostade, Jan Steen, or Adriaen van de Velde...

Category

17th Century Realist Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

"Baa-Relief" Aaron Bohrod, Pun Humor, Magic Realism, Sheep, Lamb
"Baa-Relief" Aaron Bohrod, Pun Humor, Magic Realism, Sheep, Lamb

"Baa-Relief" Aaron Bohrod, Pun Humor, Magic Realism, Sheep, Lamb

By Aaron Bohrod

Located in New York, NY

Aaron Bohrod Baa-Relief, 1986 Signed lower left Oil on gesso panel 8 x 10 inches Aaron Bohrod's work has not been limited to one style or medium. Initially recognized as a regionalist painter of American scenes, particularly of his native Chicago, Bohrod later devoted himself to detailed still-life paintings rendered in the trompe l'oeil style. He also worked for several years in ceramics and wrote a book on pottery. Born in 1907, Bohrod began his studies at Chicago's Crane Junior College in 1925, and two years later enrolled in the Art Institute of Chicago. But it was at the Art Students League in New York City, from 1930 to 1932, that he studied under the man believed to be his most significant early influence, John Sloan. Sloan's romantic realism is reflected in the many depictions of Chicago life...

Category

1980s Realist Paintings

Materials

Oil, Board

Antique Oil Painting Signed Holly European Tavern Interior Genre Scene, Framed
Antique Oil Painting Signed Holly European Tavern Interior Genre Scene, Framed

Antique Oil Painting Signed Holly European Tavern Interior Genre Scene, Framed

Located in Palm Coast, FL

Original antique oil on canvas signed “Holly” depicting a lively Old World tavern interior with three gentlemen gathered around a table in animated conversation. Executed in the trad...

Category

Early 20th Century Realist Paintings

Materials

Oil

19th Century Italian Romantic Alpine Lake Village Landscape Oil Canvas Signed
19th Century Italian Romantic Alpine Lake Village Landscape Oil Canvas Signed

19th Century Italian Romantic Alpine Lake Village Landscape Oil Canvas Signed

Located in Stockholm, SE

This expressive landscape, painted in oil on canvas in the second half of the 19th century by an unidentified European artist, is a classic example of academic Romanticism. The paint...

Category

Late 19th Century Realist Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Wood, Oil

Oysters and Lemon Oil on Canvas Still Life, Contemporary, 50x50 cm
Oysters and Lemon Oil on Canvas Still Life, Contemporary, 50x50 cm

Oysters and Lemon Oil on Canvas Still Life, Contemporary, 50x50 cm

By Irina Trushkova

Located in Zofingen, AG

The bird’s eye view, strong light on the mother-of-pearl of oysters and folds create this image. The medium used is oil on canvas, which allows to capture the vibrant color, delicate texture, and the play of light on the subject matter. The iridescent oysters contrast on a black plate focusing the viewer's eye towards the center of the composition. Color palette in “Oysters and lemon...

Category

2010s Realist Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

The Port of Newcastle Upon Tyne - British 1914 marine art oil painting
The Port of Newcastle Upon Tyne - British 1914 marine art oil painting

The Port of Newcastle Upon Tyne - British 1914 marine art oil painting

By Joseph Henry Kirsop

Located in Hagley, England

This lovely historically interesting British marine oil painting is by Newcastle artist Joseph Henry Kirsop. Painted in 1914, the location of the painting is the port of Newcastle up...

Category

1910s Realist Paintings

Materials

Oil

British Chalk Pencil Sketch Sheep Roaming in and Munching In The Field
British Chalk Pencil Sketch Sheep Roaming in and Munching In The Field

British Chalk Pencil Sketch Sheep Roaming in and Munching In The Field

By John Rabone Harvey

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

Landscape painting, scenic depiction 'Within Everglades-Sunset' by Joseph McGurl
Landscape painting, scenic depiction 'Within Everglades-Sunset' by Joseph McGurl

Landscape painting, scenic depiction 'Within Everglades-Sunset' by Joseph McGurl

By Joseph McGurl

Located in White Plains, NY

'Within Everglades-Sunset' by Joseph Mcgurl. c. 1990-2008 oil on linen. 18 x 24 in. / Frame: 26 x 32 in. Signed bottom right and on verso. Joseph McGurl (b. 1958) is extensively reg...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Paintings

Materials

Linen, Oil

Winter in California 1927
Winter in California 1927

Winter in California 1927

Located in Pasadena, CA

Consigned to the gallery by H&N Fine Art as part of the Katherine A. Norris Legacy Collection, Newport Beach, California; 2006 Katherine A Norris, Newport Beach, CA; 2006 James D...

Category

Early 20th Century Realist Paintings

Materials

Oil, Panel

Slack Tide, Polperro, Cornwall, England, Summer, 1904
Slack Tide, Polperro, Cornwall, England, Summer, 1904

Slack Tide, Polperro, Cornwall, England, Summer, 1904

By Harry Neyland

Located in Philadelphia, PA

Harry A. Neyland (American, 1877–1958) Slack Tide, Polperro, Cornwall, England, Summer, 1904 Oil on canvas, 20 x 18 inches FRAMED: 26 1/2 x 23 1/2 inches (approx.) Signed at upper ...

Category

Early 1900s Realist Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Emergence, Woman in Floral Robe, Oil on Panel with Gold and Silver Leaf
Emergence, Woman in Floral Robe, Oil on Panel with Gold and Silver Leaf

Emergence, Woman in Floral Robe, Oil on Panel with Gold and Silver Leaf

By Brian O'Neill

Located in Denver, CO

“Emergence” is a contemporary figurative oil painting from 2019, created on panel with white gold and silver leaf. The composition depicts a woman viewed from behind, her arms extended and her face turned upward. Her black floral...

Category

2010s Realist Paintings

Materials

Silver, Gold Leaf

Basket Of Red Cherries Still-Life Oil Painting With Gilt Frame
Basket Of Red Cherries Still-Life Oil Painting With Gilt Frame

Basket Of Red Cherries Still-Life Oil Painting With Gilt Frame

Located in Frederiksberg C, DK

This still life painting depicts a woven basket brimming with ripe cherries, delicately arranged on a tabletop against a subdued background. The cherries are rendered with a sheen, t...

Category

Late 19th Century Realist Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

"Holy Communion of the apostles"
"Holy Communion of the apostles"

"Holy Communion of the apostles"

Located in Edinburgh, GB

Unidentified Austrian Artist (18th Century) "Holy Communion of the Apostles" Medium: Oil on canvas Dimensions (Framed): 133 x 193 cm Dimensions (Canvas): 120 x 179 cm No signatured Provenance: [If available, insert details] This grand 18th-century Austrian religious painting, titled "Holy Communion of the Apostles", presents a dramatic and deeply spiritual interpretation of one of the most sacred moments in Christian tradition. The composition is filled with expressive figures, capturing Christ as He offers communion to His apostles, enveloped in a warm and divine glow. The scene is set in an elaborate architectural background with classical columns, reliefs, and statuary, reinforcing the solemnity and grandeur of the occasion. Executed in the Baroque tradition, the painting showcases rich contrasts of light and shadow, dynamic movement, and intricate detailing. The use of chiaroscuro heightens the emotional depth, while the finely rendered garments, architectural elements, and the presence of cherubs add a theatrical yet reverential atmosphere. The inclusion of background figures engaged in various activities contributes to the narrative complexity, a hallmark of 18th-century Austrian religious art influenced by Italian and Flemish masters. Encased in an elegant gilded frame, this museum-quality work is an exceptional acquisition for collectors of Old Master religious paintings...

Category

18th Century Realist Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

The harbor
The harbor

The harbor

Located in San Francisco, CA

This artwork "The Harbor" c.1990, is an acrylic painting on canvas by noted American artist Robert (Bob) Logrippo, 1947-2021. It is signed at the lower left corner by the artist. The canvas size is 24 x 36 inches, framed size is 31 x 43 inches. Framed in a wooden gold frame, with fabric liner and gold color bevel. It is in excellent condition. About the artist: Bob LoGrippo's paintings have appeared on magazine, book and album covers, as well as calendars, greeting cards and puzzles. The New York Times Sunday Magazine, Readers Digest, Six Flags...

Category

Late 20th Century Realist Paintings

Materials

Acrylic

"The Rose"
"The Rose"

"The Rose"

Located in Edinburgh, GB

The tea rose has a lovely scent and delights us with its beauty; it also makes delicious tea and jam.

Category

2010s Realist Paintings

Materials

Oil, Fiberboard

Au studio de danse
Au studio de danse

Au studio de danse

By Serghei Ghetiu

Located in Zofingen, AG

In this painting, I sought to capture the quiet grace and dedication of these ballerinas bathed in soft morning light. The delicate interplay of shadow and the elegance of their pose...

Category

2010s Realist Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

"Genre Scene"
"Genre Scene"

"Genre Scene"

By Unidentified

Located in Edinburgh, GB

Unidentified Artist (German, 19th Century) Oil on Board Framed: 41 × 52 cm Flat: 30 × 40 cm This dramatic and vividly detailed 19th-century oil painting captures the chaotic momen...

Category

19th Century Realist Paintings

Materials

Oil, Board

Fruits hidden from autumn
Fruits hidden from autumn

Fruits hidden from autumn

By Irina Trushkova

Located in Zofingen, AG

The painting was created after a September trip to Alsace. During a walk, I noticed beautiful green fruits — not yet ripe, framed by dark leaves. They seemed to have been taken from ...

Category

2010s Realist Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

European painter - 19th century still life painting red flowers
European painter - 19th century still life painting red flowers

European painter - 19th century still life painting red flowers

Located in Varmo, IT

European painter (19th–20th century) - Still Life with Flowers. 30 x 36 cm (without frame) - 45.5 x 51.5 cm (with frame). Oil on canvas, in carved and gilded wooden frame (not sign...

Category

Late 19th Century 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.