Photorealist Black and White Photography
PHOTOREALISM
A direct challenge to Abstract Expressionism’s subjectivity and gestural vigor, Photorealism was informed by the Pop predilection for representational imagery, popular iconography and tools, like projectors and airbrushes, borrowed from the worlds of commercial art and design.
Whether gritty or gleaming, the subject matter favored by Photorealists is instantly, if vaguely, familiar. It’s the stuff of yellowing snapshots and fugitive memories. The bland and the garish alike flicker between crystal-clear reality and dreamy illusion, inviting the viewer to contemplate a single moment rather than igniting a story.
The virtues of the “photo” in Photorealist art — infused as they are with dazzling qualities that are easily blurred in reproduction — are as elusive as they are allusive. “Much Photorealist painting has the vacuity of proportion and intent of an idiot-savant, long on look and short on personal timbre,” John Arthur wrote (rather admiringly) in the catalogue essay for Realism/Photorealism, a 1980 exhibition at the Philbrook Museum of Art, in Tulsa, Oklahoma. At its best, Photorealism is a perpetually paused tug-of-war between the sacred and the profane, the general and the specific, the record and the object.
“Robert Bechtle invented Photorealism, in 1963,” says veteran art dealer Louis Meisel. “He took a picture of himself in the mirror with the car outside and then painted it. That was the first one.”
The meaning of the term, which began for Meisel as “a superficial way of defining and promoting a group of painters,” evolved with time, and the core group of Photorealists slowly expanded to include younger artists who traded Rolleiflexes for 60-megapixel cameras, using advanced digital technology to create paintings that transcend the detail of conventional photographs.
On 1stDibs, the collection of Photorealist art includes work by Richard Estes, Ralph Goings, Chuck Close, Audrey Flack, Charles Bell and others.
Style: Photorealist
Color: Gray
Dove of peace. Limited edition no. I/V
Located in KRAKÓW, PL
"Peace Dove" is a limited edition of a black and white photograph by the contemporary artist Tadeusz Zych from the Black and White States series. The photo was taken during a trip to...
Category
2010s Photorealist Black and White Photography
Materials
Digital Pigment
Sant'Eufemia
Located in Milano, MI
Photo taken inside the Santa Eufemia church - Milan (Italy).
Marcelo Soulé (Buenos Aires, 1958) trained at the Artistic Lyceum and the Brera Academy in Milan. He lives and works bet...
Category
2010s Photorealist Black and White Photography
Materials
Black and White, Inkjet, Pigment
San Satiro Bramante
Located in Milano, MI
Photo taken inside the Santa Maria church - San Satiro.
Marcelo Soulé (Buenos Aires, 1958) trained at the Artistic Lyceum and the Brera Academy in Milan...
Category
2010s Photorealist Black and White Photography
Materials
Black and White, Inkjet, Pigment
San Carlo
Located in Milano, MI
Photo taken inside the San Carlo Church of Milan.
Marcelo Soulé (Buenos Aires, 1958) trained at the Artistic Lyceum and the Brera Academy in Milan. He l...
Category
2010s Photorealist Black and White Photography
Materials
Black and White, Inkjet, Pigment
San Maurizio
Located in Milano, MI
Photo taken inside the San Maurizio Church of Milan.
Marcelo Soulé (Buenos Aires, 1958) trained at the Artistic Lyceum and the Brera Academy in Milan. H...
Category
2010s Photorealist Black and White Photography
Materials
Black and White, Inkjet, Pigment
Milano Palazzo Reale
Located in Milano, MI
Photo taken inside the Royal Palace of Milan.
Marcelo Soulé (Buenos Aires, 1958) trained at the Artistic Lyceum and the Brera Academy in Milan. He lives...
Category
2010s Photorealist Black and White Photography
Materials
Black and White, Inkjet, Pigment
Centrale
Located in Milano, MI
Marcelo Soulé (Buenos Aires, 1958) trained at the Artistic Lyceum and the Brera Academy in Milan. He lives and works between Milan and Barcelona. He bega...
Category
2010s Photorealist Black and White Photography
Materials
Black and White, Inkjet, Pigment
San Pietro
Located in Milano, MI
Photo taken at San Pietro - Rome
Marcelo Soulé (Buenos Aires, 1958) trained at the Artistic Lyceum and the Brera Academy in Milan. He lives and works be...
Category
2010s Photorealist Black and White Photography
Materials
Black and White, Inkjet, Pigment
'SCIMPANZE' WITH EYES - Black and white photograph Italy 1970s
Located in Napoli, IT
Small Photograph on photographic paper titled "Chimpanzee with Glasses" on ivory paper passpartu' and a 1970s briar frame
Category
1970s Photorealist Black and White Photography
Materials
Photographic Paper
Richard Blair Photograph "Shipwrecked Boat - Tomales Bay" c.2000
Located in San Francisco, CA
Richard Blair Photograph "Shipwrecked Boat - Tomales Bay" c.2000
Tomales Bay is North or San Francisco. An absolutely beautiful and pristine area of remote wilderness.
Fine black a...
Category
Early 2000s Photorealist Black and White Photography
Materials
Photographic Paper
Kate Moss at 16
By Jake Chessum
Located in Austin, US
Signed limited edition print of Kate Moss by Jake Chessum, taken when she was an unknown 16 year old model, just starting her career.
Jake recalls, "I had heard of Kate as she was...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Photorealist Black and White Photography
Materials
Archival Pigment
Bridges. Chicago I
Located in KRAKÓW, PL
"Chicago I" is a limited-edition black & white photograph by contemporary artist Tadeusz Zych from the series entitled Black and white States. The photo was taken during a trip to th...
Category
2010s Photorealist Black and White Photography
Materials
Digital Pigment
Metro. Prague I
Located in KRAKÓW, PL
"Metro. Praga I" is a limited edition of a black and white photograph by the contemporary artist Tadeusz Zych from the Black and White Metro series. In the series of photographs, the...
Category
2010s Photorealist Black and White Photography
Materials
Digital Pigment
The Bee Gees 20th Anniversary Party, 1975
Located in White Plains, NY
'The Bee Gees 20th Anniversary Party,' 1975 by famed American photographer, Allan Tannenbaum. Archival pigment print, 10 x 15 inch photo on 17 x 22 inch on th...
Category
1970s Photorealist Black and White Photography
Materials
Archival Pigment
Apriel - underwater black & white nude photograph - archival pigment 35 x 43"
By Alex Sher
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
An underwater black and white photograph of a beautiful topless young woman, Apriel swimming in the pool.
Original gallery quality archival pigment print - signed by the artist.
Limited edition of 24
Paper size: 36x44...
Category
2010s Photorealist Black and White Photography
Materials
Archival Pigment, Archival Paper
Dolly Parton and Mick Jagger, 1977
Located in White Plains, NY
'Dolly Parton and Mick Jagger,' 1977 by famed photographer, Allan Tannenbaum. Archival pigment print, 15 x 10 inch photo on 20 x 16 inch paper, Ed. 8/50. This photograph captures a ...
Category
1970s Photorealist Black and White Photography
Materials
Archival Pigment
Signed Flag Raising at Iwo Jima, 1945
Located in Cliffside Park, NJ
Joe Rosenthal's photograph "Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima" was first published in Sunday newspapers on February 25th 1945. It became extremely popular and was ...
Category
1940s Photorealist Black and White Photography
Materials
Photographic Paper
Missouri Highway
Located in KRAKÓW, PL
"Missouri Highway" is a limited-edition black & white photograph by contemporary artist Tadeusz Zych from the series entitled Black and white States. The photo was taken during a tri...
Category
2010s Photorealist Black and White Photography
Materials
Digital Pigment
Jackie Onassis at the Metropolitan Museum Costume Gala, 1976
Located in White Plains, NY
'Jackie Onassis at the Metropolitan Museum Costume Gala,' 1976 by famed American photographer, Allan Tannenbaum. Archival pigment print, 15 x 10 inch ph...
Category
1970s Photorealist Black and White Photography
Materials
Archival Pigment
Muhammed Ali modeling a fur coat, 1977
Located in White Plains, NY
'Muhammed Ali modeling a fur coat,' 1977 by famed American photographer, Allan Tannenbaum. Archival pigment print, 15 x 10 inch photo on 20 x 16 inch on t...
Category
1970s Photorealist Black and White Photography
Materials
Archival Pigment
The Beatles 1963
Located in Austin, US
The Beatles, John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr at the President Hotel, Russell Square, London, 12 September 1963 by Norman Pa...
Category
Late 20th Century Photorealist Black and White Photography
Materials
C Print
The two booksellers, Roma 1968 - Full Framed Black & White Photography
Located in Brussels, BE
Artwork # 1 on 5 sold in perfect condition
Limited Edition of 5 + 2 AP
The artwork is mounted on dibond and fixed in American floating box (black metal frame)
The two booksellers, Rome (1968), both very elegant in jackets and ties, on their way to put their cart of books at the market.
Artwork printed on baryta paper 310 grs museum quality pigment inks, limited edition of 7 copies in total
Brussels Art Edition is the custodian of the archives of the great Italian photographer Fabrizio La Torre. For almost 10 years, long and meticulous work has been carried out to restore these negatives and present these photos to collectors and the public. This year, we have practically completed the "Rome" file, this city where Fabrizio was born in 1921, where he spent a large part of his life, and where he was passionate about the daily life of its inhabitants in this period. 1950s-60s. Like all the films of post-war Italian neorealist cinema, La Torre was able to capture these moments of sincerity and simplicity in a city that had not yet been transfigured by modernity. While a few streets away, world famous actors and sexy starlets met in the rhinestones and glitter of the Dolce Vita, Fabrizio gazed into our simplest feelings, friendship, love and envy. of humour, those which truly make life sweeter and more beautiful. As a preview, we present here a selection of these never seen before photos
Fabrizio La Torre (b. Rome 1921 d. Brussels 2014) was an Italian neo-realist photographer working during the period 1950-1960 who left behind a body of work focussing on three specific geographical areas: Italy, North America, which he spent several months visiting in 1955 and Asia where he lived for five years (1956-61).
Fascinated by the task of capturing moments of truth and intimacy which characterise the human condition all over the world, he gives us moments of insight into life which reach out to us bridging time and distance. He holds up to us an affectionate and benign mirror, always knowing, sometimes amused but never mocking.
In 1965, success came knocking at his door: he was offered the possibility of exhibitions and publication but he turned it down for reasons he never fully explained.
The most we can do is note that this was also the time when the immense talent and historical importance of the photographic works, produced a century earlier by his grandfather Enrico Valenziani, were discovered. This may have made him feel he could not compete, particularly as he came from a family which was possessed of multiple artistic talents but in which no-one claimed to be an artist. Perhaps he saw himself as “a photographer” who was just the grandson of one of the founding fathers of Italian photography...
Category
1960s Photorealist Black and White Photography
Materials
Archival Pigment
Perso nell'immensità - New York, 1955 - Full Framed Black & White Photography
Located in Brussels, BE
Perso nell'immensità, 1955. Men and hats, in the streets of New York.
Work sold in perfect condition, print on baryta paper 310 grs pigment inks of museum quality, limited edition of 5 copies
The artwork is mounted on dibond and fixed in American floating box...
Category
1950s Photorealist Black and White Photography
Materials
Archival Pigment
The Foundry - Black and White Photograph
Located in Soquel, CA
High contrast photo by Peter Stackpole (American, 1913-1997). The photo shows a hot bar of metal on a large machine, about to be worked. The metal is g...
Category
1930s Photorealist Black and White Photography
Materials
Silver Gelatin, Photographic Paper
El Puerto
Located in New York, NY
Steve Schlackman is a lawyer by profession and a photographer by choice. Fascinated by the magical world of photography since his youth, he honed this...
Category
2010s Photorealist Black and White Photography
Materials
Photographic Paper, Digital, Photogram, Archival Pigment, Digital Pigment
Apriel - underwater nude photograph - archival pigment 18 x 24"
By Alex Sher
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
An underwater black and white photograph of a beautiful topless young woman, Apriel swimming in the pool.
Original gallery quality archival pigment print signed by the artist.
Pap...
Category
2010s Photorealist Black and White Photography
Materials
Archival Paper, Archival Pigment
La Madre
Located in New York, NY
Steve Schlackman is a lawyer by profession and a photographer by choice. Fascinated by the magical world of photography since his youth, he honed this...
Category
2010s Photorealist Black and White Photography
Materials
Photographic Paper, Digital, Photogram, Archival Pigment, Digital Pigment
Ninos de la Calle 3
Located in New York, NY
Steve Schlackman is a lawyer by profession and a photographer by choice. Fascinated by the magical world of photography since his youth, he honed this...
Category
2010s Photorealist Black and White Photography
Materials
Digital, Photogram, Archival Pigment, Digital Pigment, Photographic Film...
The two booksellers, Roma 1968 - Contemporary Black & White Photography
Located in Brussels, BE
Artwork # 1 on 5 sold in perfect condition
Limited Edition of 5 + 2 AP
The two booksellers, Rome (1968), both very elegant in jackets and ties, on their way to put their cart of b...
Category
1960s Photorealist Black and White Photography
Materials
Archival Pigment
Aspettando il fumo bianco, Roma 1968 - Contemporary Black & White Photography
Located in Brussels, BE
Artwork # 1 on 5 sold in perfect condition
Limited Edition of 5 + 2 AP
Artwork printed on baryta paper 310 grs museum quality pigment inks, limited edition of 7 copies in total
Br...
Category
1960s Photorealist Black and White Photography
Materials
Archival Pigment
Taglia corta, Roma 1962 - Contemporary Black & White Photography
Located in Brussels, BE
Artwork # 1 on 5 sold in perfect condition
Limited Edition of 5 + 2 AP
Taglia corta. Around the Castel Sant'Angelo, the winter pruning of the trees.
Artwork printed on baryta pape...
Category
1960s Photorealist Black and White Photography
Materials
Archival Pigment
The Beatles Shea Stadium 1965
Located in Austin, US
The Beatles, approaching the stage at Shea Stadium by Robert Whitaker.
The Beatles walking onto the field at Shea Stadium in New York City. This show ...
Category
Late 20th Century Photorealist Black and White Photography
Materials
C Print
Willie Nelson
Located in Austin, US
Willie Nelson, taken outside the Pedernales Studio's in 1983 by Austin Texas based photographer Scott Newton
Signed limited edition print, printed on hea...
Category
Late 20th Century Photorealist Black and White Photography
Materials
Archival Pigment
Dolly Parton
By Ed Caraeff
Located in Austin, US
Signed limited edition print by Ed Caraeff of Dolly Parton taken during the cover session for her album ‘Here You Come Again’ in Los Angeles, CA, US, July ...
Category
Late 20th Century Photorealist Black and White Photography
Materials
Archival Pigment
The Rolling Stones backstage by Bill Wyman
Located in Austin, US
The Rolling Stones, featuring Keith Richards, Ronnie Wood and Charlie Watts, taken backstage before a show at the Fox Theatre in Atlanta, Georgia. June 12t...
Category
Late 20th Century Photorealist Black and White Photography
Materials
C Print
Black_and_White_Ver4
By Bob Tabor
Located in New York, NY
Bob Tabor is a well-established, New York based, photographer best known for his exquisite large scaled portraits of subjects ranging from horses to seascapes. It is his unique appro...
Category
2010s Photorealist Black and White Photography
Materials
Photographic Film, Photographic Paper, Digital, Photogram, Archival Pigm...
Italian Contemporary Photography by Luca Battaglia - Folding Cities #72
Located in Paris, IDF
Photographic Fine Art Paper 325 g, ed. 2/7. Artwork can be shipped in a tube or in a crate if frame is requested
Luca Battaglia is an Italian architect and photographer born in 1970...
Category
2010s Photorealist Black and White Photography
Materials
Photographic Paper
Italian Contemporary Photography by Luca Battaglia - Folding Cities #24
Located in Paris, IDF
Photographic Fine Art Paper 325 g, ed. 4/7. Artwork can be shipped in a tube or in a crate if frame is requested
Luca Battaglia is an Italian architect and photographer born in 1970...
Category
2010s Photorealist Black and White Photography
Materials
Photographic Paper
Italian Contemporary Photography by Luca Battaglia - Honfleur
Located in Paris, IDF
Photographic Fine Art Paper 325 g, ed. 2/7. Artwork can be shipped in a tube or in a crate if frame is requested
Luca Battaglia is an Italian architect and photographer born in 1970...
Category
2010s Photorealist Black and White Photography
Materials
Photographic Paper
Italian Contemporary Photography by Luca Battaglia - Folding Cities #11
Located in Paris, IDF
Photographic Fine Art Paper 325 g, ed. 3/7. Artwork can be shipped in a tube or in a crate if frame is requested
Luca Battaglia is an Italian architect and photographer born in 1970...
Category
2010s Photorealist Black and White Photography
Materials
Photographic Paper
Italian Contemporary Photography by Luca Battaglia - Folding Cities #70
Located in Paris, IDF
Photographic Fine Art Paper 325 g, ed. 3/7. Artwork can be shipped in a tube or in a crate if frame is requested
Luca Battaglia is an Italian architect and photographer born in 1970...
Category
2010s Photorealist Black and White Photography
Materials
Photographic Paper
Italian Contemporary Photography by Luca Battaglia - Folding Cities #15
Located in Paris, IDF
Photographic Fine Art Paper 325 g, ed. 2/7. Artwork can be shipped in a tube or in a crate if frame is requested
Luca Battaglia is an Italian architect and photographer born in 1970...
Category
2010s Photorealist Black and White Photography
Materials
Photographic Paper
Raquel Welch
By Eva Sereny
Located in Austin, US
Modern edition, C-Type print estate stamped and authenticated on reverse by a representative of the Eva Sereny archive.
American film star and sex symbol Raquel Welch...
Category
Late 20th Century Photorealist Black and White Photography
Materials
C Print
5S5A6039
By Bob Tabor
Located in New York, NY
Bob Tabor is a well-established, New York based, photographer best known for his exquisite large scaled portraits of subjects ranging from horses to seascapes. It is his unique appro...
Category
2010s Photorealist Black and White Photography
Materials
Photographic Film, Photographic Paper, Digital, Photogram, Archival Pigm...
Contemporary photograph by Hunter Barnes of boy with horse at local rodeo
Located in New York, NY
This work is an artist proof, archival silver gelatin, handprinted by the artist and signed on verso.
Directly acquired from the artist.
The framing is 100% archival, with the use of only acid frame materials.
Glazing, Optium non glare museum plexi.
Hand carved wooden hand finished frame.
Hunter Barnes is a documentary photographer whose work captures aspects of culture and communities ignored by the mainstream and often misrepresented in the modern American narrative.
Hunter trained in photochemistry and traditional photographic techniques. At a young age, he began a nomadic life on the road. In his early twenties, Hunter self published his first book, Redneck Roundup, documenting the dying communities of the Old West. Other projects followed: four years spent with the Nez Perce tribe; months with a serpent handling congregation in the Appalachain mountains; bikers, lowriders, and street gangs...
Category
Early 2000s Photorealist Black and White Photography
Materials
Silver Gelatin
David Bowie holds a cassette player, 1974 by Terry O’Neill
Located in Austin, US
Never before printed, a rare image from the Terry O’Neill archive, available now for the first time.
An outtake from the iconic Freddie Burretti suit photoshoot in Los Angeles, 1974...
Category
Late 20th Century Photorealist Black and White Photography
Materials
Silver Gelatin
Steve Martin, “Let’s Get Small Sequence” 1974
By Norman Seeff
Located in Austin, US
As a renowned graphic designer (with 5 Grammy nominations), Norman Seeff has designed a number of large-scale composites and sequences. Signed limited edition sequence print of comedian Steve Martin...
Category
Late 20th Century Photorealist Black and White Photography
Materials
Archival Pigment
Mick Jagger and his Aston Martin DB6, London 1966 by Gered Mankowitz
Located in Austin, US
Mick Jagger of the Rolling Stones with his beloved Aston Martin DB6, taken outside his London apartment in 1966 by Gered Mankowitz.
"I shot a series of photographs of each member of...
Category
Late 20th Century Photorealist Black and White Photography
Materials
C Print
Ninos de la Calle 1
Located in New York, NY
Steve Schlackman is a lawyer by profession and a photographer by choice. Fascinated by the magical world of photography since his youth, he honed this...
Category
2010s Photorealist Black and White Photography
Materials
Photographic Paper, Archival Paper, Digital, Archival Pigment, Digital P...
David Bowie at The Dorchester Hotel 1972
Located in Austin, US
Signed limited edition print of David Bowie by Alec Byrne, taken at the Dorchester Hotel, July 1972
Alec Byrne signed limited edition prints are available ...
Category
Late 20th Century Photorealist Black and White Photography
Materials
Silver Gelatin, Archival Pigment
Kate Moss at 16
By Jake Chessum
Located in Austin, US
Signed limited edition print of Kate Moss by Jake Chessum, taken when she was an unknown 16 year old model, just starting her career.
Jake recalls, "I had heard of Kate as she was...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Photorealist Black and White Photography
Materials
Archival Pigment
John Lee Hooker
By Guido Harari
Located in Austin, US
Signed limited edition print of John Lee Hooker by Guido Harari, taken in Redwood City, California, 1991.
Available in the following sizes:
A. 11” x 16” - Edition 50
B. 16” x 20” - Edition 50
C. 20” x 28” - Edition 25
D. 32” x 44” - Edition 10
E. 44” x 59” - Edition 5
Guido Harari has photographed many music legends in his prolific career in Italy.
Lou Reed said about him: "I'm always happy when Guido takes my picture because I know it will be a musical picture...
Category
Late 20th Century Photorealist Black and White Photography
Materials
Archival Pigment
Antonio Lopez with Jerry Hall Vogue fashion shoot
Located in Austin, US
Famed fashion illustrator Antonio Lopez with Jerry Hall by Norman Parkinson, taken in Jamaica on a shoot for Vogue, May 1975 issue.
NORMAN PARKINSON POSTHUMOUS LIMITED EDITION PRINT...
Category
Late 20th Century Photorealist Black and White Photography
Materials
C Print
Mick Jagger with camera by Baron Wolman signed 11x14" limited edition print
By Baron Wolman
Located in Austin, US
Mick Jagger of The Rolling Stones by the legendary late photographer, Baron Wolman, Taken on the set of "Performance" in London, September 1968.
One copy available
Signed limited e...
Category
1960s Photorealist Black and White Photography
Materials
Silver Gelatin
Dolly Parton 1977 portrait
Located in Austin, US
Signed limited edition archival print of Dolly Parton taken in New York City in 1977 by Allan Tannenbaum
This Dolly Parton print is available in th...
Category
Late 20th Century Photorealist Black and White Photography
Materials
Archival Pigment
Kate Moss at sixteen
By Jake Chessum
Located in Austin, US
Signed limited edition print of Kate Moss by Jake Chessum, taken when she was an unknown 16 year old model, just starting her career.
Jake recalls, "I had heard of Kate as she was...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Photorealist Black and White Photography
Materials
Archival Pigment
David Bowie "Loves to be Loved" by Sukita
Located in Austin, US
David Bowie, "Loves to be Loved", 1973 by Masayoshi Sukita - Signed limited edition 16" x 20" print .
This print is also available as a 20" x 24" an...
Category
Late 20th Century Photorealist Black and White Photography
Materials
C Print
Kate Moss at sixteen
By Jake Chessum
Located in Austin, US
Signed limited edition print of Kate Moss by Jake Chessum, taken when she was an unknown 16 year old model, just starting her career.
Jake recalls, "I had heard of Kate as she was...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Photorealist Black and White Photography
Materials
Archival Pigment
Photorealist black and white photography for sale on 1stDibs.
Find a wide variety of authentic Photorealist black and white photography 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. Many Pop art paintings were created by popular artists on 1stDibs, including Alex Sher, Allan Tannenbaum, Jake Chessum, and Kevin Cummins. Frequently made by artists working with Pigment Print, and Archival Pigment Print and other materials, all of these pieces for sale are unique and have attracted attention over the years. Not every interior allows for large Photorealist black and white photography, so small editions measuring 5.5 inches across are also available. Prices for black and white photography made by famous or emerging artists can differ depending on medium, time period and other attributes. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $11 and tops out at $200,247, while the average work sells for $1,815.