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.
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Style: Realist
Hotel Olden, Gstaad, Estate Edition, Urban Landscape Photograph
By Slim Aarons
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This early 1960s urban photograph, captured by society photographer Slim Aarons, features people carrying their skis past the Hotel Olden in Gstaad, 1961.
This is an estate stamped...
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
Black Furs, Dramatic Photography, Vibrant Floral Artwork, Chromagenic Prints
Located in Deddington, GB
Black Furs is a limited edition print by Allan Forsyth. The black background heightens the tones of the flowers creating a dramatic scene.
Discover new photography by Allan Forsyth ...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Realist Figurative Photography
Materials
Archival Pigment
Bermuda Beach, Estate Edition
By Slim Aarons
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A woman running towards the ocean on a beach in Bermuda, 1957. The bather wears a vintage coral red swimsuit, which provides a pop of color against the sun-dappled turquoise waves. F...
Category
1950s Realist Figurative Photography
Materials
Lambda
Iconic Slim Aarons Estate Edition Esther Williams
By Slim Aarons
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Slim Aarons
Esther Williams
Slim Aarons Estate Edition
American swimmer and actress Esther Williams (1921 - 2013) lounging on a trampoline, circa 1956.
40 x 40 inches
$3950
30 x 30 inches
$3350
20 x 20 inches
$3000
Over the course of a career lasting half a century, Slim Aarons (1916-2006) portrayed high society, aristocracy, authors, artists, business icons, the celebrated and their milieu. In doing so, he captured a golden age of wealth, privilege, beauty and leisure that occurred alongside—but quite separate from—the cultural and political backdrop of the second half of the Twentieth Century.
The Slim Aarons Estate has released the limited Estate edition as a Lambda print, which is a modern c-type prints. They have chosen Lambda prints for their sharpness, clarity, colour saturation and quality, compared to archival inkjet prints. Lambda printing gives true continuous tone.
Photograph is unframed
Slide show includes a close-up of the Slim Aarons estate's stamp.
Collector will get the next number in the edition
Increasingly known for his influence, Aarons's casually glamorous jetset aesthetic can be seen today in fashion, art, and celebrity photography. He's also been credited with inspiring the sun-soaked, escapist style of top Instagram influencers.
Reference: "Dive in: how Slim Aarons art directed the poolside summer. French brand Maje are the latest label to take inspiration from Slim Aarons’ pictures of the jetset on holiday.”
* We are pleased to offer the entire archive of the Slim Aarons Estate, offering the official Slim Aarons Estate Edition (only offered in this edition of 150).
Internal: Vintage Hollywood images, Million Dollar Mermaid, Esther Williams, Green Bathing Suit, Trampoline, Olympics, Vintage glamour, 1950s, '50s, vintage sport film and theater stars, vintage actress, vintage pinup
Category
1950s Realist Figurative Photography
Materials
Lambda
Iconic Slim Aarons Estate Edition 'Tania Mallet in the Bahamas'
By Slim Aarons
Located in Los Angeles, CA
1961: Actress Tania Mallet relaxes on a red-curtained four poster in Eleuthera, in the Bahamas. She is best known for her role as the unfortunate Tilly Masterson in the Bond film 'Go...
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
Colorful Crew, Estate Edition
By Slim Aarons
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A group of colourfully dressed holidaymakers on a yacht, Bermuda, June 1970. Bathers in bright pink and red vintage swimwear enjoy the afternoon on t...
Category
Mid-20th Century Realist Figurative Photography
Materials
Lambda
Poet's Paradise, Estate Edition T.S. Eliot in Love Beach, New Providence Bahamas
By Slim Aarons
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Anglo-American poet and playwright, TS Eliot (1888 - 1965) at Love Beach, New Providence Island while on his honeymoon in the Bahamas, 1957.
Complimentary dealer shipping to your fr...
Category
1950s Realist Figurative Photography
Materials
C Print
Stocking Island, Bahamas Estate Edition
By Slim Aarons
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A high angle view of people swimming next to the ketch 'Traveler II' , Stocking Island, Bahamas, 1964.
Slim Aarons
Chromogenic Lambda print
Printed La...
Category
1960s Realist Figurative Photography
Materials
Lambda
Fabrizia Lanza di Mazzarino, Estate Edition
By Slim Aarons
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Donna Fabrizia Lanza di Mazzarino relaxing in a boat on a small lake in the grounds of the Villa Tasca d'Almerita in Sicily, Italy, in October 1984.
Slim Aarons
Fabrizia Lanza di Ma...
Category
1980s Realist Figurative Photography
Materials
Lambda
Poolside Backgammon, Estate Edition (Vintage Acapulco, Villa Nirvana Las Brisas)
By Slim Aarons
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Guests playing a game of poolside backgammon at the Villa Nirvana, owned by Oscar Obregon, in Las Brisas, Acapulco, Mexico, 1972.
Poolside Backgammon
Villa Nirvana, Las Brisas, Acap...
Category
1970s Realist Figurative Photography
Materials
Lambda
Slim Aarons, 'Beach at St Tropez' (Slim Aarons Estate Edition)
By Slim Aarons
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Sunbathers on the beach at St. Tropez, France, 1977.
Slim Aarons
Beach at St Tropez
Slim Aarons Estate Edition
Stamped and hand numbered by the Slim Aarons Estate.
Certificate of Au...
Category
1970s Realist Figurative Photography
Materials
Lambda
Slim Aarons, Fairfield Croquet (Slim Aarons Estate Edition)
By Slim Aarons
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Players in the Fairfield County Hunt Club's croquet tournament, Fairfield, New England.
Slim Aarons
Fairfield Croquet
Chromogenic Lambda print
Slim Aarons Estate Edition
40 x 60 in...
Category
1990s Realist Figurative Photography
Materials
Lambda
Slim Aarons, Fairfield Croquet (Slim Aarons Estate Edition)
By Slim Aarons
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Players in the Fairfield County Hunt Club's croquet tournament, Fairfield, New England.
Slim Aarons
Fairfield Croquet
Chromogenic Lambda print
Slim Aarons Estate Edition
40 x 60 in...
Category
1990s Realist Figurative Photography
Materials
Lambda
Capote At Home, New York, Estate Edition, Portrait Photograph
By Slim Aarons
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This late 1950s portrait photograph, captured by society photographer Slim Aarons, features the author Truman Capote (1924 - 1984) relaxing with a book and a cigarette in his clutter...
Category
1950s Realist Figurative Photography
Materials
Lambda
Capote At Home, New York, Estate Edition, Portrait Photograph
By Slim Aarons
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This late 1950s portrait photograph, captured by society photographer Slim Aarons, features the author Truman Capote (1924 - 1984) relaxing with a book and a cigarette in his clutter...
Category
1950s Realist Figurative Photography
Materials
Lambda
Fairfield Croquet
By Slim Aarons
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Players in the Fairfield County Hunt Club's croquet tournament, Fairfield, New England.
40 x 60 inches
$3950
30 x 40 inches
$3350
20 x 30 inches
$3000
Complimentary dealer shippi...
Category
1990s Realist Figurative Photography
Materials
Lambda
Slim Aarons 'Lido Life, Venice' Mid-century Modern Photography
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 '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
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 edition of 150 with certific...
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 '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 '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 edition of 150 with certific...
Category
1960s 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 '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
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 edition of 150 with certific...
Category
1960s 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
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 '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 '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
Slim Aarons, Poolside In Sotogrande
By Slim Aarons
Located in New York, NY
Bathers round a pool in Sotogrande, Spain, August 1975
Estate stamped and hand numbered edition of 150 with certificate of authenticity from the estate.
Slim Aarons (1916-2006) ...
Category
1970s Realist Figurative Photography
Materials
Lambda
Slim Aarons, Vuccino and Rava in Capri (Aarons Estate Edition)
By Slim Aarons
Located in New York, NY
Carla Vuccino, wearing a swimming cap, and a sunbathing Marina Rava, both wearing bikini as they sit on the rear of a boat, on the waters off the coast of the island of Capri, Italy,...
Category
1950s Realist Figurative Photography
Materials
Lambda
El Venero, Marbella, Spain (Aarons Estate Edition)
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 the rich and famous both b...
Category
1970s Realist Figurative Photography
Materials
Lambda
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
Intoxicated Skid Row Bowery Homeless, Gritty Street Photography
Located in Miami, FL
Enter the Wood Chipper. Before the Bowery was a trendy destination, it was America's most famous Skid Row. Vagrant flophouses, 10-dollar prostitutes, dive bars, and what used to be ...
Category
1960s Realist Figurative Photography
Materials
Archival Ink, Archival Paper, Archival Pigment
Gasthof Post Pool (Aarons Estate Edition)
By Slim Aarons
Located in New York, NY
Guests lounging by the indoor swimming pool of the Gasthof Post in Lech, Austria, February 1979.
Estate stamped and hand numbered edition of 150 with certificate of authenticity f...
Category
1970s 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
Pool At Carvoeiro (Aarons Estate Edition)
By Slim Aarons
Located in New York, NY
Holidaymakers round a pool, Carvoeiro, Portugal, July 1970.
Estate stamped and hand numbered edition of 150 with certificate of authenticity from the estate.
Slim Aarons (1916-200...
Category
1970s Realist Figurative Photography
Materials
Lambda
Vuccino and Rava in Capri (Aarons Estate Edition)
By Slim Aarons
Located in New York, NY
Carla Vuccino, wearing a swimming cap, and a sunbathing Marina Rava, both wearing bikini as they sit on the rear of a boat, on the waters off the coast of the island of Capri, Italy,...
Category
1950s Realist Figurative Photography
Materials
Lambda
Women in White, Hamptons
Located in New York, NY
Women in White, Hamptons, circa 1980
Category
1970s Realist Figurative Photography
Materials
Archival Pigment
Biblioteca Palatina - Parma
Located in New York, NY
Biblioteca Palatina - Parma, 2012
The Biblioteca Palatina (also known as Reale Biblioteca Parmense, Biblioteca Nazionale, Bibliothèque Imperiale, Bibliothèque de la Ville de Parme...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Realist Figurative Photography
Materials
C Print
Staring At The Sea #2
By Weng Fen (Weng Peijun)
Located in New York, NY
The transitional phases and changes in China since its opening up in the 1980′s, both physically and emotionally, have been the source of inspiration for Weng Fen (b. 1961) and his w...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Realist Figurative Photography
Materials
C Print
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.