Realist Paintings
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.
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1880s Realist Paintings
Oil
Artist Comments
Artist Jose Luis Bermudez presents a tranquil lake bathed in a radiant golden light. "The atmosphere envelops this setting, providing a sense of stability and connection to the earth," says Jose Luis. The water reflects a magical and captivating effect as the sun sits low in the sky, just above the trees. Plants reach for the last rays, vibrant and full of life, while the atmosphere glows with deep yellow hues. Jose Luis invites the viewer to contemplate nature's fleeting beauty and appreciate the magic that can exist in a single moment. The painting arrives with a thin white floating frame.
About the Artist
Artist Jose Luis Bermudez brings to life natural sceneries with breathtaking detail. His realistic oil paintings invite the viewer into a captivating, serene world of golden sunsets and peaceful wetlands. “I offer a fragment of my existence, where you can escape from daily life, visit beautiful scenes and moments, or simply recall a fond memory,†says Jose Luis. Graduating in 2008 with a BA from the San Alejandro School of Fine Arts in Havana, Cuba, he later shared his expertise as a painting teacher at his alma mater. In 2014, he took the leap and moved to Miami, Florida, seeking better opportunities. The decision did not come easy for Jose Luis to leave his home country. Yet, he encountered career obstacles that made him feel artists lacked the resources and opportunities for broader impact, access to more information, and improved working conditions. These challenges became the catalyst for his bold decision to make the move. Today, he paints in a spacious, well-lit studio, which he keeps clean and organized, always accompanied by piano or instrumental music. When he is not painting, he loves connecting with nature. He travels outside the city to places removed from everyday life, breathing fresh air and listening to self-improvement audio books to charge him with energy and continue.
Words that describe this painting: nature, lake, sunset, sun, water, realism, oilpaint, reflection, large, warm, grass, foliage, woods, evening, nature, realism, oil painting, yellow
Golden Glow...
21st Century and Contemporary Realist Paintings
Oil
Early 20th Century Realist Paintings
Pastel
1880s Realist Paintings
Oil, Board
Late 20th Century Realist Paintings
Oil, Board
21st Century and Contemporary Realist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Realist Paintings
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Realist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
1910s Realist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Realist Paintings
Oil, Panel
2010s Realist Paintings
Oil, Panel
Late 19th Century Realist Paintings
Oil, Panel
2010s Realist Paintings
Acrylic
2010s Realist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
Artist Comments
A breaking wave surges forward in a crystal blue sea, capturing a moment of raw energy near the shore. Water spray scatters through the air, emphasizing its pow...
21st Century and Contemporary Realist Paintings
Oil
Early 1900s Realist Paintings
Linen, Cardboard
21st Century and Contemporary Realist Paintings
Archival Paper, Pencil, Etching
2010s Realist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
19th Century Realist Paintings
Oil
17th Century Realist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Realist Paintings
Oil, Board
2010s Realist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
1980s Realist Paintings
Watercolor, Laid Paper
1930s Realist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Realist Paintings
Oil
2010s Realist Paintings
Oil
Early 20th Century Realist Paintings
Gouache, Board
2010s Realist Paintings
Oil
1930s Realist Paintings
Paper, Gouache
2010s Realist Paintings
Acrylic
21st Century and Contemporary Realist Paintings
Oil
Late 20th Century Realist Paintings
Oil
2010s Realist Paintings
Oil, Panel
2010s Realist Paintings
Oil, Canvas
2010s Realist Paintings
Canvas, Oil, Panel
Artist Comments
Lush green palms border a lake, creating a serene afternoon scene. Lavender shades blend with coral and pink clouds, reflecting the warm glow of the setting sun...
21st Century and Contemporary Realist Paintings
Oil
Late 19th Century Realist Paintings
Watercolor
1970s Realist Paintings
Canvas, Cotton Canvas, Oil
2010s Realist Paintings
Linen, Oil
2010s Realist Paintings
Cotton Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Realist Paintings
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Realist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
1970s Realist Paintings
Watercolor, Archival Paper
Artist Comments
As the sun rises, the world undergoes a magical transformation. The sky turns vivid and saturated, lending its breathtaking colors to the water below. Smooth ...
21st Century and Contemporary Realist Paintings
Oil
19th Century Realist Paintings
Oil
2010s Realist Paintings
Oil, Panel
21st Century and Contemporary Realist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
Early 20th Century Realist Paintings
Cotton Canvas, Oil
Mid-20th Century Realist Paintings
Cardboard, Oil
Artist Comments
The setting sun transforms an evening walk in an average neighborhood into a vibrant light show. Whispy clouds spread across the sky, reflecting the soft yellow...
21st Century and Contemporary Realist Paintings
Oil
2010s Realist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
1940s Realist Paintings
Oil, Board
1940s Realist Paintings
Oil, Board
Late 19th Century Realist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Realist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
1990s Realist Paintings
Canvas, Mixed Media, Oil
2010s Realist Paintings
Cotton Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Realist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
1980s Realist Paintings
Canvas, Oil
2010s Realist Paintings
Oil