Realist Figurative Photography
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.
to
17
245
195
166
143
109
Overall Width
to
Overall Height
to
20
799
39
1
10
194
242
270
62
18
8,442
6,724
257
192
190
83
41
24
19
18
6
5
5
4
368
286
204
355
158
131
98
90
76
62
60
57
56
53
50
50
42
38
37
36
33
29
25
684
682
682
89
50
784
7
4
3
2
8
680
845
13
Style: Realist
Madame Jean Serpieri
By Slim Aarons
Located in New York, NY
December 1961—Madame Jean Serpieri sits in the ballroom of the Tour La Reine near Athens, wearing a gown which belonged to the wife of Otto, the f...
Category
1960s Realist Figurative Photography
Materials
Lambda
Slim Aarons 'CZ's House, Villa Artemis' Midcentury Modern Photography
By Slim Aarons
Located in New York, NY
Mrs F C Winston Guest (1920 - 2003) (aka Cee Zee Guest) reclines on a garden chair in front of the Grecian temple pool on her ocean-front estate, Villa Artemis, Palm Beach, Florida. ...
Category
1950s Realist Figurative Photography
Materials
Lambda
Slim Aarons, Skiing Waiters
By Slim Aarons
Located in New York, NY
Three skiing waiters on a ski slope, with the man in the foreground carrying a bird on a tray, the second man carrying a wine in an ice bucket and the third carrying a menu, circa 19...
Category
1960s Realist Figurative Photography
Materials
Lambda
Slim Aarons, Skiing Waiters (Slim Aarons Estate Edition)
By Slim Aarons
Located in New York, NY
Caption: Three skiing waiters on a ski slope, with the man in the foreground carrying a bird on a tray, the second man carring a wine in an ice bucket and the third carrying a menu, ...
Category
1950s Realist Figurative Photography
Materials
Lambda
Boating In Antigua
By Slim Aarons
Located in New York, NY
American actor Hugh O'Brian (left) hoists the sail on a dinghy, Antigua, West Indies, 1961.
Estate stamped and hand numbered edition of 150 with certificate of authenticity from the...
Category
1960s Realist Figurative Photography
Materials
Acrylic Polymer, Lambda
Rockefeller Brothers, New York, Estate Edition, Portrait Photograph
By Slim Aarons
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This 1980 portrait photograph, captured by society photographer Slim Aarons, features the Rockefeller brothers in their Radio City, New York office. Left to right, Laurance (1910 - 2...
Category
1980s Realist Figurative Photography
Materials
Lambda
Skiing In Vail, Colorado, Estate Edition, Winter Landscape Photograph
By Slim Aarons
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This early 1660s winter landscape photograph, captured by society photographer Slim Aarons, features skiers pass by a snow covered tree in Vail, Colorado, USA, 1964.
This is an esta...
Category
1960s Realist Figurative Photography
Materials
Lambda
Skiing In Vail, Colorado, Estate Edition, Winter Landscape Photograph
By Slim Aarons
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This early 1660s winter landscape photograph, captured by society photographer Slim Aarons, features skiers pass by a snow covered tree in Vail, Colorado, USA, 1964.
This is an esta...
Category
1960s Realist Figurative Photography
Materials
Lambda
Skiing In Vail, Colorado, Estate Edition, Winter Landscape Photograph
By Slim Aarons
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This early 1660s winter landscape photograph, captured by society photographer Slim Aarons, features skiers pass by a snow covered tree in Vail, Colorado, USA, 1964.
This is an esta...
Category
1960s Realist Figurative Photography
Materials
Lambda
Verbier Skiers, Switzerland, Estate Edition, Winter Portrait Photograph
By Slim Aarons
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Verbier Skiers, Switzerland, Estate Edition, Winter Portrait Photograph
This mid-1960s portrait photograph, captured by society photographer Slim Aarons, features skiers at Verbier....
Category
1960s Realist Figurative Photography
Materials
Lambda
Gstaad, Switzerland, Estate Edition, Landscape Photograph
By Slim Aarons
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Gstaad, Switzerland, Estate Edition, Landscape Photograph
This early 1960s landscape photograph, captured by society photographer Slim Aarons, features a helicopter arriving at a mo...
Category
1960s Realist Figurative Photography
Materials
Lambda
Slim Aarons 'Pool At Porto Rotondo'
By Slim Aarons
Located in New York, NY
Slim Aarons
Pool At Porto Rotondo
1982
C print
Estate stamped and hand numbered edition of 150 with certificate of authenticity from the estate.
A sw...
Category
1980s Realist Figurative Photography
Materials
Lambda
Slim Aarons, Skiing Waiters (Aarons Estate Edition)
By Slim Aarons
Located in New York, NY
Slim Aarons
Skiing Waiters, 1960
C print
Estate stamped and numbered edition of 150
Caption: Three skiing waiters on a ski slope, with the man in the foreground carrying a bird on a...
Category
1960s Realist Figurative Photography
Materials
Lambda
Droulers And Daughters (Estate Edition)
By Slim Aarons
Located in New York, NY
Roberta Droulers sitting with her daughters, Nathalie and Virginie, in the lobby of the Villa D'Este on Lake Como, Tivoli, near Rome, Italy, circa 1984.
Estate stamped and hand numb...
Category
1980s Realist Figurative Photography
Materials
Lambda
Leisure and Fashion (Aarons Estate Edition)
By Slim Aarons
Located in New York, NY
A woman watching a poolside fashion show at the Colony Hotel, Palm Beach, Florida, 1961.
Estate stamped and hand numbered edition of 150 with certificate of authenticity from the ...
Category
1960s Realist Figurative Photography
Materials
Acrylic Polymer, Lambda
Slim Aarons 'Westin Excelsior, Venice'
By Slim Aarons
Located in New York, NY
Portofino
1957
C print
Signature stamped and hand numbered edition of 150 with certificate of authenticity from the Slim Aarons estate.
The Westin Excelsior Hotel on the Lido in ...
Category
1950s Realist Figurative Photography
Materials
Silver Gelatin
Slim Aarons 'Lido Life, Venice'
By Slim Aarons
Located in New York, NY
Lido Life, Venice
1957
C print
Signature stamped and hand numbered edition of 150 with certificate of authenticity from the Slim Aarons estate.
A waiter ...
Category
1950s Realist Figurative Photography
Materials
Silver Gelatin
Slim Aarons 'Kings of Hollywood'
By Slim Aarons
Located in New York, NY
Film stars (left to right) Clark Gable (1901 - 1960), Van Heflin (1910 - 1971), Gary Cooper (1901 - 1961) and James Stewart (1908 - 1997) enjoy a joke at a New Year's party held at R...
Category
1950s Realist Figurative Photography
Materials
Lambda
Lake Tahoe Ladies
By Slim Aarons
Located in New York, NY
Caption:A group of young women in their bathing suits on the Nevada side of Lake Tahoe, 1959.
Slim Aarons worked mainly for society publications, taking pictures of the rich and fa...
Category
1950s Realist Figurative Photography
Materials
Lambda
Skiers at Verbier (Aarons Estate Edition)
By Slim Aarons
Located in New York, NY
Skiers at Verbier, 1964
Estate stamped and hand numbered edition of 150 with certificate of authenticity from the estate.
Slim Aarons (1916-2006) worked mainly for society publica...
Category
1960s Realist Figurative Photography
Materials
Lambda
Slim Aarons 'Saint-Tropez Boucherie' (Slim Aarons Estate Edition)
By Slim Aarons
Located in New York, NY
A boucherie or butcher's shop on Rue des Commercants in Saint-Tropez, on the French Riviera, 1971.
Estate stamped and hand numbered edition of 150 with certificate of authenticity f...
Category
1970s Realist Figurative Photography
Materials
Lambda
Slim Aarons 'Lake Tahoe Ladies'
By Slim Aarons
Located in New York, NY
Caption: A group of young women in their bathing suits on the Nevada side of Lake Tahoe, 1959.
Slim Aarons worked mainly for society publications, taking pictures of the rich and f...
Category
1950s Realist Figurative Photography
Materials
Lambda
Verbier Skier (Aarons Estate Edition)
By Slim Aarons
Located in New York, NY
A blonde skier on the slopes at Verbier, February 1964.
Estate stamped and hand numbered edition of 150 with certificate of authenticity from the estate.
Slim Aarons (1916-2006) w...
Category
1960s Realist Figurative Photography
Materials
Lambda
Seaside Picnic (Aarons Estate Edition)
By Slim Aarons
Located in New York, NY
Rudulph Ellis Carter holds a picnic in Newport, August 1987.
The group includes David Lindh, Frank Gilligan, Kenneth Lindh, Diana Prince, Foxy Carter, Lisette Prince de Ramel, Yusha...
Category
1980s Realist Figurative Photography
Materials
Lambda
Faithful Couple (Aarons Estate Edition)
By Slim Aarons
Located in New York, NY
Caption:August 1968: Singer Marianne Faithfull and Mick Jagger of the Rolling Stones stand in front of a gilt framed portrait in Castletown Mansion, Eire.
Estate stamped and hand nu...
Category
1960s Realist Figurative Photography
Materials
Lambda
Lake Tahoe Ladies
By Slim Aarons
Located in New York, NY
Caption:A group of young women in their bathing suits on the Nevada side of Lake Tahoe, 1959.
Slim Aarons worked mainly for society publications, taking pictures of the rich and fa...
Category
1950s Realist Figurative Photography
Materials
Lambda
Slim Aarons 'Westin Excelsior, Venice'
By Slim Aarons
Located in New York, NY
Portofino
1955
C print
Estate stamped and hand numbered edition of 150 with certificate of authenticity from the estate.
Yachts moored in the Italian fishing village of Portofino...
Category
1950s Realist Figurative Photography
Materials
Silver Gelatin
Slim Aarons 'Lake Tahoe Ladies'
By Slim Aarons
Located in New York, NY
Caption: A group of young women in their bathing suits on the Nevada side of Lake Tahoe, 1959.
Slim Aarons worked mainly for society publications, taking pictures of the rich and f...
Category
1950s Realist Figurative Photography
Materials
Lambda
Lake Tahoe Ladies
By Slim Aarons
Located in New York, NY
Caption:A group of young women in their bathing suits on the Nevada side of Lake Tahoe, 1959.
Slim Aarons worked mainly for society publications, taking pictures of the rich and fa...
Category
1950s Realist Figurative Photography
Materials
Lambda
Slim Aarons 'Lido Life, Venice'
By Slim Aarons
Located in New York, NY
Lido Life, Venice
1957
C print
Estate stamped and hand numbered edition of 150 with certificate of authenticity from the estate.
A waiter serves fruit to...
Category
1950s Realist Figurative Photography
Materials
Silver Gelatin
Slim Aarons 'Skiing Waiters'
By Slim Aarons
Located in New York, NY
Three skiing waiters on a ski slope, with the man in the foreground carrying a bird on a tray, the second man carrying a wine in an ice bucket and the third carrying a menu, circa 19...
Category
1960s Realist Figurative Photography
Materials
Lambda
Bohemia's Barracks (Aarons Estate Edition)
By Slim Aarons
Located in New York, NY
Artistic denizens gather in the lobby of the Chelsea Hotel on W. 23rd Street, Manhattan, New York City, 1968. Clockwise from left, Photographer Sandra Daley, architect Nicholas Quenn...
Category
1960s Realist Figurative Photography
Materials
Lambda
Donna Anna Monroy di Giampilieri (Aarons Estate Edition)
By Slim Aarons
Located in New York, NY
1984, Donna Anna Monroy di Giampilieri in the early-Empire drawing room of the Villa Spedalotto, near Palermo, Sicily.
Estate stamped and hand numbered edition of 150 with certific...
Category
1980s Realist Figurative Photography
Materials
Lambda
Slim Aarons, Time For A Guinness
By Slim Aarons
Located in New York, NY
Caption: April 1959: Gloria Guinness enjoying a swim in her pool at Manalapan, Palm Beach, Florida.
Estate stamped and hand numbered edition of 150 with certificate of authenticity ...
Category
1950s Realist Figurative Photography
Materials
Lambda
Slim Aarons 'Skiing Waiters'
By Slim Aarons
Located in New York, NY
Three skiing waiters on a ski slope, with the man in the foreground carrying a bird on a tray, the second man carrying a wine in an ice bucket and the third carrying a menu, circa 19...
Category
1960s Realist Figurative Photography
Materials
Lambda
Slim Aarons 'Skiers at Verbier' (Aarons Estate Edition)
By Slim Aarons
Located in New York, NY
Skiers at Verbier, 1964
Estate stamped and hand numbered edition of 150 with certificate of authenticity from the estate.
Slim Aarons (1916-2006) worked mainly for society publica...
Category
1960s Realist Figurative Photography
Materials
Lambda
Slim Aarons 'Patsy Pulitzer, Private Transport'
By Slim Aarons
Located in New York, NY
Private Transport
1955
Fiber print
Estate stamped and hand numbered edition of 150 with certificate of authenticity from the estate.
Patsy Pulitzer rummaging in her bag on the se...
Category
1950s Realist Figurative Photography
Materials
Silver Gelatin
Skiing At Courchevel, Slim Aarons Estate Edition
By Slim Aarons
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Skiers on the slopes at Courchevel, France, 1963.
Slim Aarons Estate Edition, Certificate of Authenticity included
Numbered and stamped by the Slim Aarons Estate
Modern estate edit...
Category
1960s Realist Figurative Photography
Materials
Lambda
Skiing Waiters (Slim Aarons)
By Slim Aarons
Located in New York, NY
Three skiing waiters on a ski slope, with the man in the foreground carrying a bird on a tray, the second man carrying a wine in an ice bucket and the third carrying a menu, circa 19...
Category
1960s Realist Figurative Photography
Materials
Lambda
Pop and Society: Mick Jagger, Marianne Faithfull, and Desmond Guinness
By Slim Aarons
Located in New York, NY
1968: From left to right; singer Marianne Faithfull, the Honorable Desmond Guinness and Mick Jagger (of the Rolling Stones) sit on a sofa under a large gilt framed painting of a woma...
Category
1960s Realist Figurative Photography
Materials
Lambda
Slim Aarons 'Portofino Harbor'
By Slim Aarons
Located in New York, NY
Portofino
1955
C print
Estate stamped and hand numbered edition of 150 with certificate of authenticity from the estate.
Yachts moored in the Italian fishing village of Portofino...
Category
1950s Realist Figurative Photography
Materials
Silver Gelatin
Slim Aarons 'Westin Excelsior, Venice'
By Slim Aarons
Located in New York, NY
Portofino
1955
C print
Estate stamped and hand numbered edition of 150 with certificate of authenticity from the estate.
Yachts moored in the Italian fishing village of Portofino...
Category
1950s Realist Figurative Photography
Materials
Silver Gelatin
Slim Aarons 'Hang Gliding'
By Slim Aarons
Located in New York, NY
Hang gliding in Kitzbuhel, Austria,1980.
Estate stamped and hand numbered edition of 150 with certificate of authenticity from the estate.
Slim Aarons ...
Category
1970s Realist Figurative Photography
Materials
Lambda
Slim Aarons, El Venero
By Slim Aarons
Located in New York, NY
El Venero, the Moorish villa of Hector and Chico de Ayala in Marbella, Spain, 1971.
Slim Aarons worked mainly for society publications, taking pictures of t...
Category
1970s Realist Figurative Photography
Materials
Lambda
Slim Aarons, Vermont Winter (Aarons Estate Edition)
By Slim Aarons
Located in New York, NY
circa 1960: Students from Stowe Preparatory School track through deep snow near Mount Mansfield and Spruce Peak, Vermont.
Estate stamped and hand numbered edition of 150 with certif...
Category
1960s Realist Figurative Photography
Materials
Lambda
Gaëtan de Rosnay, Switzerland, Estate Edition, Portrait Photograph
By Slim Aarons
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This early 1980s portrait photograph, captured by society photographer Slim Aarons, features French painter Gaëtan de Rosnay showing his work in Klosters, Switzerland.
This is an es...
Category
1980s Realist Figurative Photography
Materials
Lambda
Gaëtan de Rosnay, Switzerland, Estate Edition, Portrait Photograph
By Slim Aarons
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This early 1980s portrait photograph, captured by society photographer Slim Aarons, features French painter Gaëtan de Rosnay showing his work in Klosters, Switzerland.
This is an es...
Category
1980s Realist Figurative Photography
Materials
Lambda
Slim Aarons, Lake Tahoe Ladies
By Slim Aarons
Located in New York, NY
A group of young women in their bathing suits on the Nevada side of Lake Tahoe, 1959.
Slim Aarons worked mainly for society publications, taking pictures of the rich and famous bot...
Category
1950s Realist Figurative Photography
Materials
Lambda
Jim Kimberly, California, Estate Edition, Portrait Photograph
By Slim Aarons
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This mid-1950s portrait photograph, captured by society photographer Slim Aarons, features Jim Kimberly and Kim Wadsworth at the Beverly Hills Hotel, California.
This is an estate ...
Category
1950s Realist Figurative Photography
Materials
Lambda
Slim Aarons 'Verbier Skier'
By Slim Aarons
Located in New York, NY
Slim Aarons
Verbier Skier
1964
C print
Estate edition of 150
A blonde skier on the slopes at Verbier, February 1964.
Estate stamped and hand numbered...
Category
1960s Realist Figurative Photography
Materials
Lambda
Slim Aarons 'The Fullers'
By Slim Aarons
Located in New York, NY
May 1970: Alvin and Lilly Fuller outside their new home in Palm Beach, Florida, pose with their fashionable European sports car, the Mercedes 190SL
Estate stamped and hand numbered ...
Category
1960s Realist Figurative Photography
Materials
Lambda
Slim Aarons 'Skiing Waiters' (Aarons Estate Edition)
By Slim Aarons
Located in New York, NY
Slim Aarons
Skiing Waiters, 1960
C print
Edition of 150
Caption: Three skiing waiters on a ski slope, with the man in the foreground carrying a bird on a tray, the second man carri...
Category
1950s Realist Figurative Photography
Materials
Lambda
The Marlboroughs, Estate Edition
By Slim Aarons
Located in Los Angeles, CA
1957: John Albert Edward Spencer Churchill, the 10th Duke of Marlborough (1897 - 1972) and his wife Mary relax on a bench in the grounds of Blenheim Palace, the family seat in Oxford...
Category
1970s Realist Figurative Photography
Materials
Lambda
The Marlboroughs, Estate Edition
By Slim Aarons
Located in Los Angeles, CA
1957: John Albert Edward Spencer Churchill, the 10th Duke of Marlborough (1897 - 1972) and his wife Mary relax on a bench in the grounds of Blenheim Palace, the family seat in Oxford...
Category
1970s Realist Figurative Photography
Materials
Lambda
The Marlboroughs, Estate Edition
By Slim Aarons
Located in Los Angeles, CA
1957: John Albert Edward Spencer Churchill, the 10th Duke of Marlborough (1897 - 1972) and his wife Mary relax on a bench in the grounds of Blenheim Palace, the family seat in Oxford...
Category
1970s Realist Figurative Photography
Materials
Lambda
Coffee With Dalí, Madrid, Estate Edition, Portrait Photograph
By Slim Aarons
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This mid-1950 portrait photograph, captured by society photographer Slim Aarons, features Spanish artist Salvador Dali enjoys a cup of coffee on the terrace of the Ritz Hotel, Madrid...
Category
1950s Realist Figurative Photography
Materials
Lambda
Coffee With Dalí, Madrid, Estate Edition, Portrait Photograph
By Slim Aarons
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This mid-1950s portrait photograph, captured by society photographer Slim Aarons, features Spanish artist Salvador Dali enjoys a cup of coffee on the terrace of the Ritz Hotel, Madri...
Category
1950s Realist Figurative Photography
Materials
Lambda
Coffee With Dalí, Madrid, Estate Edition, Portrait Photograph
By Slim Aarons
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This mid-1950s portrait photograph, captured by society photographer Slim Aarons, features Spanish artist Salvador Dali enjoys a cup of coffee on the terrace of the Ritz Hotel, Madri...
Category
1950s Realist Figurative Photography
Materials
Lambda
La Jolla Beach and Tennis Club, San Diego, Estate Edition, Portrait Photograph
By Slim Aarons
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This mid-1950s portrait photograph, captured by society photographer Slim Aarons, features guests at the La Jolla Beach and Tennis Club, La Jolla, San Diego.
This is an estate stamp...
Category
1970s Realist Figurative Photography
Materials
Lambda
Slim Aarons 'Lake Tahoe Ladies'
By Slim Aarons
Located in New York, NY
Caption:A group of young women in their bathing suits on the Nevada side of Lake Tahoe, 1959.
Slim Aarons worked mainly for society publications, taking pictures of the rich and fa...
Category
1950s Realist Figurative Photography
Materials
Lambda
Realist figurative photography for sale on 1stDibs.
Find a wide variety of authentic Realist figurative 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. If you’re looking to add figurative photography 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, red, pink and other colors. Many Pop art paintings were created by popular artists on 1stDibs, including Slim Aarons, Ron Tarver, Graham Nash, and Milton Rogovin. Frequently made by artists working with Digital Print, and Lambda 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 Realist figurative photography, so small editions measuring 8 inches across are also available. Prices for figurative 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 $105 and tops out at $75,000, while the average work sells for $3,000.