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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.

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Style: Photorealist
Period: 21st Century and Contemporary
Amy Winehouse
Located in Austin, US
Lifetime prints are the last remaining prints available, signed by Terry O’Neill and obtained from the Terry O’Neill Archive in London. Signed limited edition, silver gelatin print by Terry O'Neill. Amy Winehouse...
Category

Early 2000s Photorealist Black and White Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin

The Beastie Boys
Located in Austin, US
Signed limited edition print of the Beastie Boys by Jake Chessum. Jake recalls ” This was from April 1994. I flew from London to shoot at Mike D’s ba...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Photorealist Black and White Photography

Materials

C Print

Ballet - underwater black and white nude photograph - archival pigment 36" x 48"
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
An underwater black and white photograph of a young female dancer diving in pool. The naked dances is covering herself with tutu skirt. Original gallery quality archival pigment pri...
Category

2010s Photorealist Black and White Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment, Archival Paper

The Beastie Boys
Located in Austin, US
Signed limited edition print of the Beastie Boys by Jake Chessum. Jake recalls ” This was from April 1994. I flew from London to shoot at Mike D’s ba...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Photorealist Black and White Photography

Materials

C Print

David Bowie
Located in Austin, US
Signed limited edition print of David Bowie by Jake Chessum. Jake recalls the session: “I shot David Bowie at a house in Fulham in May 1995. I grew up on ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Photorealist Black and White Photography

Materials

C Print

The Beastie Boys 1994
Located in Austin, US
Signed limited edition print of the Beastie Boys by Jake Chessum. Jake recalls ” This was from April 1994. I flew from London to shoot at Mike D’s ba...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Photorealist Black and White Photography

Materials

C Print

Amy Winehouse
Located in Austin, US
Signed limited edition print of Amy Winehouse taken in London by Jake Chessum in 2004. Jake recalls the session: “I travelled from NYC to London in Febr...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Photorealist Black and White Photography

Materials

C Print

Gary Clark Jr backstage Troubadour portrait
Located in Austin, US
Gary Clark Jr taken on backstage at The Troubadour, LA, by Ben Sklar Available in the following sizes: 16" x 20" - Edition 20 - signed and numbered by Ben Sklar 20" x 24" - Edition ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Photorealist Black and White Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

The Beastie Boys
Located in Austin, US
Signed limited edition print of the Beastie Boys by Jake Chessum. Jake recalls ” This was from April 1994. I flew from London to shoot at Mike D’s ba...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Photorealist Black and White Photography

Materials

C Print

Gary Clark Jr Live album cover
Located in Austin, US
Gary Clark Jr taken on stage during his ACL appearance in his hometown of Austin Texas, October 2012. This image, taken by Gary Clark Jr's old school friend, Ben Sklar, was used as t...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Photorealist Black and White Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

Gary Clark Jr backstage
Located in Austin, US
Gary Clark Jr taken in his dressing room, backstage at the Fillmore West, San Francisco by Ben Sklar Available in the following sizes: 16" x 20" - Edition 20 - signed and numbered b...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Photorealist Black and White Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

Chris Cornell
Located in Austin, US
Signed limited edition print of Chris Cornell by Jake Chessum. Jake recalls the session: ” This was a brief and friendly shoot at the Toronto Internatio...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Photorealist Black and White Photography

Materials

C Print

Night Flight - underwater black & white nude photograph - print on paper 18"x24"
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
An underwater black and white photograph of a naked young woman in the pool. The photograph has solid black background. Original gallery quality print signed by the artist. Digital...
Category

2010s Photorealist Black and White Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

Pool Party II - underwater monochrome nude photograph - archival pigment print
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
An underwater photograph of two naked young women in the pool. The minimalistic photograph partially depicts bodies in blue color schema. Original gallery quality print signed by th...
Category

2010s Photorealist Black and White Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

Ballet - underwater black and white nude photograph - print on paper 18 x 24"
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
An underwater black and white photograph of a young female dancer diving in pool. The naked dances is covering herself with tutu skirt. Original gallery quality print signed by the ...
Category

2010s Photorealist Black and White Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

Tutu Skirt - underwater black & white nude photo - print on aluminum 24" x 36"
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
An underwater black and white photograph of a naked young female dancer in the pool. The dancer is putting on her tut skirt. The photograph depicts her beautiful naked butt - about t...
Category

2010s Photorealist Black and White Photography

Materials

Metal

Soft Dance - underwater black & white nude photograph - print on aluminum 60x40"
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
A black and white photograph of a naked young woman diving in a pool. The woman is coming from the depth up toward the surface and her body reflects in the internal water surface. O...
Category

2010s Photorealist Black and White Photography

Materials

Metal

Tutu Skirt - underwater black & white nude photograph - print on paper 36" x 60"
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
An underwater black and white photograph of a naked young female dancer in the pool. The dancer is putting on her tut skirt. The photograph depicts her beautiful naked butt - about t...
Category

2010s Photorealist Black and White Photography

Materials

Archival Paper, Archival Pigment

Kelp Nymph - underwater ocean black & white photograph print on paper 18" x 24"
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
An underwater black and white photograph of a beautiful young woman diving in kelp forest. The picture is taken in Pacific Ocean near Palos Verdes, California. Original gallery qu...
Category

2010s Photorealist Black and White Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

Reflection - underwater nude photograph - archival pigment print
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
An underwater black and white nude photograph of a young woman in the pool. The photograph depicts part of the body and reflection. Original gallery quality print signed by the arti...
Category

2010s Photorealist Black and White Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

Water Sketch II - underwater black & white nude photograph - archival pigment
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
An underwater black and white photograph of a naked young woman in the pool. Original gallery quality print signed by the artist. Digital archival pigment print on archival paper w...
Category

2010s Photorealist Black and White Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

Tutu Skirt - underwater black & white nude photograph - print on paper 14 x 24"
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
An underwater black and white photograph of a naked young female dancer in the pool. The dancer is putting on her tut skirt. The photograph depicts her beautiful naked butt - about t...
Category

2010s Photorealist Black and White Photography

Materials

Archival Paper, Archival Pigment

Infinity - underwater black and white nude photograph - archival paper 17"x22"
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
An underwater black and white photograph of a topless female dancer in the pool. Original gallery quality print signed by the artist. Digital archival pigment print on archival pap...
Category

2010s Photorealist Black and White Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

Sketch - underwater b&w photograph - archival pigment print 24x16"
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
An underwater black and white photograph of perfect female legs in the pool. Original gallery quality archival pigment print on paper with metallic finish signed by the artist. . L...
Category

2010s Photorealist Black and White Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

Bent Mirror - underwater photograph - print on paper 18 x 24"
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
An underwater black and white photograph of a topless young female dancer in the pool. Original gallery quality print signed by the artist. Digital archival pigment print on archiv...
Category

2010s Photorealist Black and White Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

"Incredible Rocks #6, Kangaroo Island, Australia" Black and White Photograph
Located in Houston, TX
Black and white photograph of the natural rock formations along the shores of Kangaroo Island, Australia by Canadian photographer Elaine Ling. Titled by artist on the reverse. Currently hung in a black frame with a complimentary white matting. Dimensions Without Frame: H 18.25 in. x W 23.88 in. Artist Biography: Elaine Ling (DECEMBER 19, 1946 – AUGUST 1, 2016) was an exuberant adventurer, traveler, and photographer who was most at home backpacking her view camera...
Category

Early 2000s Photorealist Black and White Photography

Materials

Photographic Paper

Rocky Desert Mountain, Black and White Landscape Photograph of Atlas, Morocco
Located in Barcelona, ES
This is an exclusive limited edition black and white giclée print, on 100% cotton Hahnemühle Photo Rag Fine Art matte paper. This series of black and white photographs captures the ...
Category

2010s Photorealist Black and White Photography

Materials

Emulsion, Photographic Paper, C Print, Giclée

Long Wave in Venice Beach, Black and White Giclée Print on Matte Cotton Paper
Located in Barcelona, ES
This is an exclusive limited edition black and white giclée print, on 100% cotton Hahnemühle Photo Rag Fine Art matte paper. This series of black and white photographs captures the ...
Category

2010s Photorealist Black and White Photography

Materials

Emulsion, Photographic Paper, C Print, Giclée

Richard Blair "Tom Dunphy aka General Waste-More-Land" Berkeley 1969 / 2001
Located in San Francisco, CA
Richard Blair Photograph "Tom Dunphy aka General Waste-More-Land" Berkeley, c.1969 Thomas Michael Dunphy (born 1944 in East Los Angeles, California) is best known for portraying General Waste-more-land, a character based on General William Westmoreland, at anti-Vietnam War protests in the 1960s. Dunphy is also a poet and is involved in other political activities including working with the Hopi Indians...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Photorealist Black and White Photography

Materials

Photographic Paper

Tammy Mackay, Gone, Dodo Art, Contemporary Print, Affordable Art, Monochrome Art
Located in Deddington, GB
Tammy Mackay Gone Limited Edition Photopolymer Print with Chine Collé Edition of 40 Image size: H:71cm x W:52cm Sheet size: H:75.3cm x W:57cm x D 0.1cm Sold Unframed Please note that...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Photorealist Black and White Photography

Materials

Pigment, Paper

"Windows IV" - Vertical photograph of New York in black and white.
Located in Miami, FL
Luc Dratwa is a Belgian photographer, born in 1958 and currently living in Brussels. Uncompromisingly self-taught, his rigorousness and perfectionism ally themselves with a graphic o...
Category

Early 2000s Photorealist Black and White Photography

Materials

Digital, Photographic Paper

Lio, black and white photograph of New York
Located in Miami, FL
Luc Dratwa is a Belgian photographer, born in 1958 and currently living in Brussels. Uncompromisingly self-taught, his rigorousness and perfectionism ally themselves with a graphic o...
Category

Early 2000s Photorealist Black and White Photography

Materials

Photographic Paper, Digital

West Orange
Located in Florham Park, NJ
Rick Hauser sees things “OverHead”, at “EyeLevel”, and “UnderFoot” as titled in his one-man shows. Rick is the owner and operator of The Framing Mill, a custom picture framing sto...
Category

Early 2000s Photorealist Black and White Photography

Materials

Photographic Paper

Inked In Kyoto
Located in New York, NY
Reka Nyari’s erotically charged photographs engage cultural narratives surrounding gender and sexuality. A master at the art of storytelling, Nyari’s newest series, GEISHA INK, documents Ginzilla, a dramatically-posed young woman whose naked body is lavishly-adorned with tattoos. A champion of feminine fortitude, Nyari has long been fascinated with the art of capturing women without pretense. Recognizing strength in the vulnerability of the nude female form, she chooses most often to photograph women...
Category

2010s Photorealist Black and White Photography

Materials

Plexiglass, Photographic Film, Archival Ink, Archival Paper, Photographi...

Beyond the veil
Located in New York, NY
“Ink Stories”, which was introduced at Nyari’s very first solo gallery exhibit, consists of large-scale nude photographs that explore the concept of self-identity and female empowerment. The series joins six women together, each who have faced adversity, to demonstrate the creation of a strengthened self-image through tattoos. By highlighting the intricate woven threads of ink on each woman’s skin, Nyari proposes the idea that self-empowerment and reconciliation with one’s traumas can be linked to the act of greeting one’s “own skin” or inventing their own story. Nyari has now elevated these intimate photographs in her new Punctured Ink series through the process of puncturing botanical-like references into the surface of each image (thus making each one of a kind). Her inspiration to physically puncture the previously pristine photographic prints stemmed from a childhood memory that occurred while she was living in Finland: “I remembered my parents had this big pad of paper next to the home phone...
Category

2010s Photorealist Black and White Photography

Materials

Photographic Film, Archival Ink, Archival Paper, Photographic Paper, Pho...

Yaa-sama Tears
Located in New York, NY
“Ink Stories”, which was introduced at Nyari’s very first solo gallery exhibit, consists of large-scale nude photographs that explore the concept of self-identity and female empowerment. The series joins six women together, each who have faced adversity, to demonstrate the creation of a strengthened self-image through tattoos. By highlighting the intricate woven threads of ink on each woman’s skin, Nyari proposes the idea that self-empowerment and reconciliation with one’s traumas can be linked to the act of greeting one’s “own skin” or inventing their own story. Nyari has now elevated these intimate photographs in her new Punctured Ink series through the process of puncturing botanical-like references into the surface of each image (thus making each one of a kind). Her inspiration to physically puncture the previously pristine photographic prints stemmed from a childhood memory that occurred while she was living in Finland: “I remembered my parents had this big pad of paper next to the home phone...
Category

2010s Photorealist Black and White Photography

Materials

Plexiglass, Photographic Film, Archival Ink, Archival Paper, Photographi...

Beauty of Atatori
Located in New York, NY
“Ink Stories”, which was introduced at Nyari’s very first solo gallery exhibit, consists of large-scale nude photographs that explore the concept of self-identity and female empowerment. The series joins six women together, each who have faced adversity, to demonstrate the creation of a strengthened self-image through tattoos. By highlighting the intricate woven threads of ink on each woman’s skin, Nyari proposes the idea that self-empowerment and reconciliation with one’s traumas can be linked to the act of greeting one’s “own skin” or inventing their own story. Nyari has now elevated these intimate photographs in her new Punctured Ink series through the process of puncturing botanical-like references into the surface of each image (thus making each one of a kind). Her inspiration to physically puncture the previously pristine photographic prints stemmed from a childhood memory that occurred while she was living in Finland: “I remembered my parents had this big pad of paper next to the home phone...
Category

2010s Photorealist Black and White Photography

Materials

Photographic Film, Archival Ink, Plexiglass, Archival Paper, Photographi...

Bill Beckley American Artist Original Hand Signed photography Triptych
Located in Miami, FL
"Bill Beckley (United States, 1946) 'Damyata', 2004 photography on paper 46.9 x 73.3 in. (119 x 186 cm.) Edition of 35 ID: BEC1611-001-035 Hand-signed by author in pencil"
Category

Early 2000s Photorealist Black and White Photography

Materials

Photographic Paper

Levitate
Located in New York, NY
“Ink Stories”, which was introduced at Nyari’s very first solo gallery exhibit, consists of large-scale nude photographs that explore the concept of self-identity and female empowerm...
Category

2010s Photorealist Black and White Photography

Materials

Archival Ink, Archival Paper, Photographic Paper, Photogram, Archival Pi...

Lament
Located in New York, NY
With his works included in the permanent collection at the Norton and the New Britain Museum, Drew Tal’s successful career has been nothing but a soaring ascension into the global ar...
Category

2010s Photorealist Black and White Photography

Materials

Plexiglass, Photographic Film, Photographic Paper, Photogram

Fans of Gion Kobu
Located in New York, NY
“Ink Stories”, which was introduced at Nyari’s very first solo gallery exhibit, consists of large-scale nude photographs that explore the concept of self-identity and female empowerm...
Category

2010s Photorealist Black and White Photography

Materials

Photographic Film, Archival Ink, Acrylic, Archival Paper, Photographic P...

Botanique
Located in New York, NY
“Ink Stories”, which was introduced at Nyari’s very first solo gallery exhibit, consists of large-scale nude photographs that explore the concept of self-identity and female empowerment. The series joins six women together...
Category

2010s Photorealist Black and White Photography

Materials

Plexiglass, Photographic Film, Photographic Paper, Photogram

More Ideas
Located in New York, NY
“Ink Stories”, which was introduced at Nyari’s very first solo gallery exhibit, consists of large-scale nude photographs that explore the concept of self-identity and female empowerment. The series joins six women together...
Category

2010s Photorealist Black and White Photography

Materials

Photographic Film, Archival Ink, Archival Paper, Photographic Paper, Pho...

Dance of Irezumju
Located in New York, NY
“Ink Stories”, which was introduced at Nyari’s very first solo gallery exhibit, consists of large-scale nude photographs that explore the concept of self-identity and female empowerm...
Category

2010s Photorealist Black and White Photography

Materials

Photographic Film, Archival Ink, Archival Paper, Photographic Paper, Pho...

Blue Smoke
Located in New York, NY
“Ink Stories”, which was introduced at Nyari’s very first solo gallery exhibit, consists of large-scale nude photographs that explore the concept of self-identity and female empowerm...
Category

2010s Photorealist Black and White Photography

Materials

Photographic Film, Archival Ink, Archival Paper, Photographic Paper, Pho...

Mizuake Intentions
Located in New York, NY
“Ink Stories”, which was introduced at Nyari’s very first solo gallery exhibit, consists of large-scale nude photographs that explore the concept of self-identity and female empowerm...
Category

2010s Photorealist Black and White Photography

Materials

Photographic Film, Archival Ink, Archival Paper, Photographic Paper, Pho...

Patrol
Located in New York, NY
Inspired by her love for nature, Griet Van Malderen (Belgium, 1970), a self-taught wildlife photographer from Flanders in Belgium, has been exploring Africa’s wild places for the pas...
Category

2010s Photorealist Black and White Photography

Materials

Pigment, Archival Pigment, Photographic Film, Archival Paper, Photograph...

Onna-Oyabun
Located in New York, NY
“Ink Stories”, which was introduced at Nyari’s very first solo gallery exhibit, consists of large-scale nude photographs that explore the concept of self-identity and female empowerm...
Category

2010s Photorealist Black and White Photography

Materials

Photographic Film, Archival Ink, Archival Paper, Photographic Paper, Pho...

Whispers of Imouto
Located in New York, NY
“Ink Stories”, which was introduced at Nyari’s very first solo gallery exhibit, consists of large-scale nude photographs that explore the concept of self-identity and female empowerm...
Category

2010s Photorealist Black and White Photography

Materials

Photographic Film, Archival Ink, Archival Paper, Photographic Paper, Pho...

Graig Right Profile
Located in New York, NY
Inspired by her love for nature, Griet Van Malderen (Belgium, 1970), a self-taught wildlife photographer from Flanders in Belgium, has been exploring Africa’s wild places for the pas...
Category

2010s Photorealist Black and White Photography

Materials

Pigment, Photographic Film, Photographic Paper, Photogram, Archival Pigment

Too Close
Located in New York, NY
Inspired by her love for nature, Griet Van Malderen (Belgium, 1970), a self-taught wildlife photographer from Flanders in Belgium, has been exploring Africa’s wild places for the pas...
Category

2010s Photorealist Black and White Photography

Materials

Pigment, Archival Pigment, Photographic Film, Archival Paper, Photograph...

Graig Left Profile
Located in New York, NY
Inspired by her love for nature, Griet Van Malderen (Belgium, 1970), a self-taught wildlife photographer from Flanders in Belgium, has been exploring Africa’s wild places for the pas...
Category

2010s Photorealist Black and White Photography

Materials

Pigment, Archival Pigment, Photographic Film, Archival Paper, Photograph...

Beauty
Located in New York, NY
Inspired by her love for nature, Griet Van Malderen (Belgium, 1970), a self-taught wildlife photographer from Flanders in Belgium, has been exploring Africa’s wild places for the pas...
Category

2010s Photorealist Black and White Photography

Materials

Pigment, Archival Pigment, Digital Pigment, Photographic Film, Archival ...

Curious
Located in New York, NY
Inspired by her love for nature, Griet Van Malderen (Belgium, 1970), a self-taught wildlife photographer from Flanders in Belgium, has been exploring Africa’s wild places for the pas...
Category

2010s Photorealist Black and White Photography

Materials

Photographic Film, Archival Paper, Photographic Paper, Photogram, Pigmen...

Boys Band
Located in New York, NY
Inspired by her love for nature, Griet Van Malderen (Belgium, 1970), a self-taught wildlife photographer from Flanders in Belgium, has been exploring Africa’s wild places for the pas...
Category

2010s Photorealist Black and White Photography

Materials

Photographic Film, Archival Paper, Photographic Paper, Pigment, Archival...

Intimate
Located in New York, NY
Inspired by her love for nature, Griet Van Malderen (Belgium, 1970), a self-taught wildlife photographer from Flanders in Belgium, has been exploring Africa’s wild places for the pas...
Category

2010s Photorealist Black and White Photography

Materials

Photogram, Photographic Film, Pigment, Archival Paper, Archival Pigment,...

Zenitude
Located in New York, NY
Inspired by her love for nature, Griet Van Malderen (Belgium, 1970), a self-taught wildlife photographer from Flanders in Belgium, has been exploring Africa’s wild places for the pas...
Category

2010s Photorealist Black and White Photography

Materials

Photographic Film, Photographic Paper, Photogram, Pigment, Archival Pigment

On the Hunt
Located in New York, NY
Inspired by her love for nature, Griet Van Malderen (Belgium, 1970), a self-taught wildlife photographer from Flanders in Belgium, has been exploring Africa’s wild places for the pas...
Category

2010s Photorealist Black and White Photography

Materials

Photographic Film, Photographic Paper, Photogram, Pigment, 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.

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