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Photorealist 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
David Bowie 1977 Heroes session – See No Evil
Located in Austin, TX
David Bowie, "See No Evil", 1977 by Masayoshi Sukita during the photoshoot that produced the album cover shot tor Bowie's Heroes album cover - Signed limit...
Category

Late 20th Century Photorealist Photography

Materials

C Print

David Bowie 1977 Heroes session – Speak No Evil
Located in Austin, TX
David Bowie, "Speak No Evil", 1977 by Masayoshi Sukita, taken during the photo shoot for the Heroes album cover - Signed limited edition 20" x 24" print ...
Category

Late 20th Century Photorealist Photography

Materials

C Print

Bernadette Peters, 1977
Located in Washington, DC
Artist: Francesco Scavullo (after) Title: Bernadette Peters, 1977 Portfolio: A Photographic Retrospective, Volume I: Song Medium: Gelatin Silver Print Year: 2004 Edition: 106/150 Sig...
Category

Early 2000s Photorealist Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin

John Lee Hooker
Located in Austin, TX
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 Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

Chris Cornell
Located in Austin, TX
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 Photography

Materials

C Print

Steve Martin, Los Angeles 1974 “Let’s Get Small”
Located in Austin, TX
Signed limited edition fine art print of Steve Martin, taken in Los Angeles by Norman Seeff in 1974. Norman recalls - “When I relocated to LA as Creative Director of United Artist ...
Category

Late 20th Century Photorealist Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

Devo
Located in Austin, TX
Signed limited edition archival print of Signed limited edition print of Devo posing for SoHo Weekly News, NYC, 10/78 by Allan Tannenbaum. Available in different sizes. Limited edit...
Category

1970s Photorealist Photography

Materials

C Print

St. Clair Flats-Photograph
Located in Chesterfield, MI
Sunset at the St.Clair Flats. Measures 8 x 10 inches and is Unframed. Also available: 5 x 7 inches.
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Photorealist Photography

Materials

Photographic Paper

"Glass of Milk with Bottle" Modern Photography Still-Life Food
Located in Wellesley, MA
"I am a professional food and still life photographer with over 30 years experience based in New York City. My attention to detail and strong sense of composition has allowed me to ...
Category

2010s Photorealist Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

"Tree & Half Dome (Yosemite National Park, CA)" Photograph signed by T Ferderbar
Located in Milwaukee, WI
"Tree & Half Dome (Yosemite National Park, CA" is a black and white photograph signed by Thomas Ferderbar. This photo shows a vista in the Yosemite National Park in California. The center of the piece is a evergreen with asymmetrical limbs. In the distance, one can see the mountains, valley, and clouds...
Category

1950s Photorealist 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 Photography

Materials

Photographic Paper

Chinese Chess (China)
Located in MADRID, ES
China - Manipulated photography. A series of photographs manipulated with oil paint in which the artist Wei Chiang shows us different aspects of life in China, some of them surprisin...
Category

2010s Photorealist Photography

Materials

Mixed Media, Oil, Cardboard

Chinese Chess (China)
$3,428 Sale Price
20% Off
Icelandic Waterfall-Photograph
Located in Chesterfield, MI
Waterfall in Iceland in geothermal area. Photograph taken from a helicopter perspective. Measures 8 x 10 inches and is Unframed. Also available: 5 x 7 inches.
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Photorealist Photography

Materials

Photographic Paper

Lama 1 (China)
Located in MADRID, ES
China - Manipulated photography. A series of photographs manipulated with oil paint in which the artist Wei Chiang shows us different aspects of life in China, some of them surprisin...
Category

2010s Photorealist Photography

Materials

Mixed Media, Oil, Cardboard

Lama 1 (China)
$2,285 Sale Price
20% Off
"Still Life of Yellow Watermelon" Modern Still-Life Food Photography
Located in Wellesley, MA
"I am a professional food and still life photographer with over 30 years experience based in New York City. My attention to detail and strong sense of composition has allowed me to ...
Category

2010s Photorealist Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

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 Photography

Materials

Archival Paper, Photographic Paper, Digital, Archival Pigment, Digital P...

RL 311
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 Photography

Materials

Photographic Film, Photographic Paper, Digital, Photogram, Archival Pigm...

"Food Bouquet #1" Still-Life Contemporary Photography Purple Fruit and Flowers
Located in Wellesley, MA
"I am a professional food and still life photographer with over 30 years experience based in New York City. My attention to detail and strong sense of composition has allowed me to ...
Category

2010s Photorealist Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

RL 0301
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 Photography

Materials

Photographic Film, Photographic Paper, Digital, Photogram, Archival Pigm...

71_mg_0355
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 Photography

Materials

Photographic Film, Photographic Paper, Digital, Archival Pigment, Digita...

RL 2
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 Photography

Materials

Photographic Film, Photographic Paper, Digital, Photogram, Archival Pigm...

1960's Hollywood Photography by Lawrence Schiller 'Marilyn Monroe'
Located in White Plains, NY
'Marilyn Monroe, 1962' by American photographer, Lawrence Schiller. Archival digital pigment, AP 3/5. Image: 12.5 x 19 in. / Paper: 16 x 20 in. From the set of the film 'Something's ...
Category

1960s Photorealist Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

Play Chess (China)
Located in MADRID, ES
China - Manipulated photography. A series of photographs manipulated with oil paint in which the artist Wei Chiang shows us different aspects of life in China, some of them surprisin...
Category

2010s Photorealist Photography

Materials

Mixed Media, Oil, Cardboard

Play Chess (China)
$2,285 Sale Price
20% Off
"Milano, Italia, " Crucifix Photo Silver Gelatin Print signed by Philip Krejcarek
Located in Milwaukee, WI
"Milano, Italia" is an original silver gelatin print by Philip Krejcarek. The artist signed the piece. This artwork features a close-up of a statue of a woman holding the crucifix in black and white. 9 1/4" x 7 1/4" image 20 1/4" x 16 1/4" frame EDUCATION: M.F.A. - University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee (1973) B.S. in Art - University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh (1968) POSITION: Professor of Art, Carroll College (began1977) Co-Chairman, Art Dept. COLLECTIONS Milwaukee Art Museum Haggerty Museum of Art, Milwaukee Denver Art Museum Wustum Museum of Fine Arts, Racine City of Milwaukee Milwaukee Journal Sentinel The University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee, Fine Art Gallery The University of Wisconsin Center - Waukesha Oshkosh Public Museum Wisconsin Artists Collection, Carroll College ONE-PERSON EXHIBITIONS 1972 University of Wisconsin Center - Waukesha 1974 Tom Hayes Gallery...
Category

1990s Photorealist Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin

Spring (Hungary)
Located in MADRID, ES
Hungary - Manipulated photography. As the country where Wei Xiang has lived for more than 30 years, Hungary has become a continuous source of inspiration for the artist. Evocative la...
Category

2010s Photorealist Photography

Materials

Canvas, Mixed Media, Oil

Spring (Hungary)
$3,428 Sale Price
20% Off
David Burdeny - Khufu with Horses, Giza, Egypt (Photography)
Located in New York City, NY
Archival Pigment Print - UNFRAMED 21 x 21 inches - edition of 7 32 x 32 inches - edition of 7 44 x 44 inches - edition of 10 59 x 59 inches – edition of 5 Ask us for custom frami...
Category

2010s Photorealist Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

Marilyn Monroe . Marilyn Monroe in chinchilla coat
Located in Saint Ouen, FR
Bert stern Marilyn Monroe in chinchilla coat Mythical photo of the last seance (1962) ink jet print by bert stern 2010 signed on both sides certificat...
Category

2010s Photorealist Photography

Materials

Photographic Paper

"Peaches and Cream" Modern Photography Still-Life Food
Located in Wellesley, MA
"I am a professional food and still life photographer with over 30 years experience based in New York City. My attention to detail and strong sense of composition has allowed me to ...
Category

2010s Photorealist Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

"Tablescape - Lillet and Chicharron" Modern Still-Life Photography Food
Located in Wellesley, MA
I am a professional food and still life photographer with over 30 years experience based in New York City. My attention to detail and strong sense of composition has allowed me to ac...
Category

2010s Photorealist Photography

Materials

Photographic Paper

"Cut Food - Cereal" Modern Photography Food Still-Life with Pop Sensibility
Located in Wellesley, MA
"I am a professional food and still life photographer with over 30 years experience based in New York City. My attention to detail and strong sense of composition has allowed me to ...
Category

2010s Photorealist Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

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 Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin

“The Queen” Photography 12” x 16” in Edition of 20 Butterfly Nature 2024
Located in Houston, TX
“The Queen” is a limited edition of 20. Printed on fine art paper, these limited-edition photographs are designed to preserve the beauty of the original scenes. Each piece is hand-n...
Category

2010s Photorealist Photography

Materials

Archival Paper, Photographic Paper

“Gulf Fritillary” Photography 12” x 16” in Edition of 20 Butterfly Nature 2024
Located in Houston, TX
“Gulf Fritillary” is a limited edition of 20. Printed on fine art paper, these limited-edition photographs are designed to preserve the beauty of the original scenes. Each piece is h...
Category

2010s Photorealist Photography

Materials

Archival Paper, Photographic Paper

“Water Lilly” Photography 16” x 12” in Edition of 20 Floral Nature 2024
Located in Houston, TX
“Water Lilly” is a limited edition of 20. Printed on fine art photo paper, these limited-edition photographs are designed to preserve the beauty of the original scenes. Each piece i...
Category

2010s Photorealist Photography

Materials

Archival Paper, Photographic Paper

0059
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 Photography

Materials

Photographic Film, Photographic Paper, Digital, Photogram, Archival Pigm...

Ferry (China)
Located in MADRID, ES
China - Manipulated photography. A series of photographs manipulated with oil paint in which the artist Wei Chiang shows us different aspects of life in China, some of them surprisin...
Category

2010s Photorealist Photography

Materials

Mixed Media, Oil, Cardboard

Ferry (China)
$2,761 Sale Price
20% Off
Bridges. Chicago I
Located in Kraków, Województwo małopolskie
"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 Photography

Materials

Digital Pigment

Bridges. Memphis I
Located in Kraków, Województwo małopolskie
"Bridges. Memphis 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 t...
Category

2010s Photorealist Photography

Materials

Digital Pigment

Duplex (Maldives)
Located in MADRID, ES
World - Manipulated photography The artist Wei Xiang is an artist who usually travels to obtain sources of inspiration for his art pieces. In this series of photographs manipulated w...
Category

2010s Photorealist Photography

Materials

Canvas, Mixed Media, Oil

Duplex (Maldives)
$3,428 Sale Price
20% Off
1960's Hollywood Photography by Lawrence Schiller 'Marilyn Monroe'
Located in White Plains, NY
'Marilyn Monroe, 1962' by American photographer, Lawrence Schiller. Digital pigment, Ed. 12/35. Image: 17.25 x 12 in. / Paper: 20 x 15.25 in. From the set of the film 'Something's Got to Give', this colored photograph features Marilyn Monroe standing by a pool putting on her bathrobe. In 1962, Schiller received an assignment from Paris Match...
Category

1960s Photorealist Photography

Materials

Digital Pigment

9815
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 Photography

Materials

Photographic Film, Acrylic Polymer, Photographic Paper, Digital, Photogr...

Icelandic Landscapes 1 (Iceland)
Located in MADRID, ES
World - Manipulated photography The artist Wei Xiang is an artist who usually travels to obtain sources of inspiration for his art pieces. In this series of photographs manipulated w...
Category

2010s Photorealist Photography

Materials

Canvas, Mixed Media, Oil

1960's Hollywood Photography by Lawrence Schiller 'Marilyn Monroe'
Located in White Plains, NY
'Marilyn Monroe, 1962' by American photographer, Lawrence Schiller. Archival digital pigment, Ed. 9/25. Image: 13.25 x 19 in. / Paper: 16 x 20 in. From the set of the film 'Something...
Category

1960s Photorealist Photography

Materials

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 Photography

Materials

Photographic Paper, Digital, Photogram, Archival Pigment, Digital Pigment

Muddy Waters in NY
Located in Kraków, Województwo małopolskie
"Muddy Waters in NY" 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 t...
Category

2010s Photorealist Photography

Materials

Digital Pigment

Alexandre Ponomarev, Maya, i'ile perdue, Silkscreen, Print, Art, Limited Edition
By Alexander Ponomarev
Located in Zug, CH
Alexandre Ponomarev Maya-L'île Perdue, 2007 Silkscreen Print Edition of 200 56,5 x 75,6 cm (22.2 x 29.7 in), unframed In mint condition Signed, titled, dated and numbered Accompanied...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Photorealist Photography

Materials

Screen

Uncle Mao 1 (China)
Located in MADRID, ES
China - Manipulated photography. A series of photographs manipulated with oil paint in which the artist Wei Chiang shows us different aspects of life in China, some of them surprisin...
Category

2010s Photorealist Photography

Materials

Mixed Media, Oil, Cardboard

Uncle Mao 1 (China)
$2,285 Sale Price
20% Off
San Babila
Located in Milano, MI
Photo taken inside the San Babila church - Milan (Italy). Marcelo Soulé (Buenos Aires, 1958) trained at the Artistic Lyceum and the Brera Academy in Milan. He lives and works betwee...
Category

2010s Photorealist Photography

Materials

Black and White, Inkjet, Pigment

collection of 85 argentic photos
Located in Saint Ouen, FR
incredible collection of photographies belonging to Gerard de Villers. Gérard de Villiers (French: [ʒeʁaʁ də vilje]; 8 December 1929 – 31 October 2013) was a French writer, journalist and publisher whose SAS series of spy novels have been major bestsellers. According to the New York Times, "His works have been translated and are especially popular in Germany, Russia, Turkey, and Japan. The SAS series has sold a reported 120 million copies worldwide, which would make it one of the top-selling series in history, on a par with Ian Fleming's James Bond books...
Category

1960s Photorealist Photography

Materials

Photographic Paper

The lake in winter (Hungary)
Located in MADRID, ES
Hungary - Manipulated photography. As the country where Wei Xiang has lived for more than 30 years, Hungary has become a continuous source of inspiration for the artist. Evocative la...
Category

2010s Photorealist Photography

Materials

Canvas, Mixed Media, Oil

Maquina 1
Located in New York, NY
Black and white photography in Cuba.
Category

2010s Photorealist Photography

Materials

Photographic Film, Photographic Paper, Digital, Digital Pigment

Lama 3 (China)
Located in MADRID, ES
China - Manipulated photography. A series of photographs manipulated with oil paint in which the artist Wei Chiang shows us different aspects of life in China, some of them surprisin...
Category

2010s Photorealist Photography

Materials

Mixed Media, Oil, Cardboard

Lama 3 (China)
$2,285 Sale Price
20% Off
Farmer’s Market (China)
Located in MADRID, ES
China - Manipulated photography. A series of photographs manipulated with oil paint in which the artist Wei Chiang shows us different aspects of life in China, some of them surprisin...
Category

2010s Photorealist Photography

Materials

Mixed Media, Oil, Cardboard

Close Up Abstract Nature Color Photographic Print, "Salp" 2015
Located in San Diego, CA
This is an original photographic print from Southern California artist Michal Greenboim. It is a close up color print that is 13" x 19" x 0.5" (HxLxD) and is edition 5 of 10. It is u...
Category

2010s Photorealist Photography

Materials

Color

Close Up Nature Color Photographic Print, "Butterflies" 2015
Located in San Diego, CA
This is an original photographic print from Southern California artist Michal Greenboim. It is a close up color print that is 13" x 19" x 0.5" (HxLxD) and is edition 5 of 10. It is u...
Category

2010s Photorealist Photography

Materials

Color

Close Up Nature Color Photographic Print, "Closing" 2015
Located in San Diego, CA
This is an original photographic print from Southern California artist Michal Greenboim. It is a close up color print that is 13" x 19" x 0.5" (HxLxD) and is edition 5 of 10. It is u...
Category

2010s Photorealist Photography

Materials

Color

Close Up Figurative Color Photographic Print, "Running Away" 2017
Located in San Diego, CA
This is an original photographic print from Southern California artist Michal Greenboim. It is a close up figurative color print that is 13" x 19" x 0.5" (HxLxD) and is edition 5 of ...
Category

2010s Photorealist Photography

Materials

Color

Close Up Nature Color Photographic Print, "White Hair" 2014
Located in San Diego, CA
This is an original photographic print from Southern California artist Michal Greenboim. It is a close up color print that is 13" x 19" x 0.5" (HxLxD) and is edition 5 of 10. It is u...
Category

2010s Photorealist Photography

Materials

Color

Close Up Nature Color Photographic Print, "White Strings" 2015
Located in San Diego, CA
This is an original photographic print from Southern California artist Michal Greenboim. It is an abstract color print that is 13" x 19" x 0.5" (HxLxD) and is edition 5 of 10. It is ...
Category

2010s Photorealist Photography

Materials

Color

Motorbiker (China)
Located in MADRID, ES
China - Manipulated photography. A series of photographs manipulated with oil paint in which the artist Wei Chiang shows us different aspects of life in China, some of them surprisin...
Category

2010s Photorealist Photography

Materials

Mixed Media, Oil, Cardboard

Motorbiker (China)
$3,428 Sale Price
20% Off

Photorealist photography for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a wide variety of authentic Photorealist 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 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, red, pink, orange and other colors. Many Pop art paintings were created by popular artists on 1stDibs, including Alex Sher, Allan Tannenbaum, Lynn Goldsmith, and Jake Chessum. 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 photography, so small editions measuring 5.5 inches across are also available. Prices for 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 $1,930.

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