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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
Night Flight - underwater black & white nude photograph - print on paper 43x59"
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
An underwater black and white nude photograph of a young woman in the pool. The photograph was taken with black backdrop. Original gallery quality archival pigment print on archival...
Category

2010s Photorealist Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

Bent Mirror - underwater photograph - print on paper 17 x 23.5"
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
An underwater black and white photograph of a topless young female dancer in the pool. Original gallery quality archival pigment print on archival paper signed by the artist, furnis...
Category

2010s Photorealist Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

The Super Constellation Lockheed
Located in Brussels, BE
Artwork # 1 on 5 sold in limited edition in perfect condition This photo was made in 1953, the negative was digitized during the artist's lifetime and the technical parameters (framing, contrast, light, etc.) was approved by him. This is a very high quality fine art prints on 310 gr/m² Fine Art paper with museum quality pigment inks. The TWA (Trans World Airlines) Super Constellation...
Category

1950s Photorealist Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

The Rolling Stones "Mick Feeding Goat" Beggars Banquet by Michael Joseph framed
Located in Austin, TX
The Rolling Stones "Mick Feeding Goat" - Outtake from the famous photo shoot of The Rolling Stones for their Beggars Banquet album at Sarum Chase mansion, Hampstead, London, 1968, si...
Category

1960s Photorealist Photography

Materials

C Print

Cher, 1974
Located in Washington, DC
Artist: Francesco Scavullo (after) Title: Cher, 1974 Portfolio: A Photographic Retrospective, Volume I: Song Medium: Gelatin Silver Print Year: 2004 Edition: 150 Signed: Signed in pe...
Category

Early 2000s Photorealist Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin

Raquel Welch on the cross signed Lifetime Edition
Located in Austin, TX
Lifetime prints are the last remaining prints available, signed by Terry O’Neill and obtained from the Terry O’Neill Archive in London. American actress Raquel Welch being crucified in an oddly anachronistic publicity still for the Hammer Films production 'One Million Years BC...
Category

1960s Photorealist Photography

Materials

C Print

Wood Stock from Abruzzo - Italy - Contemporary Panoramic Color Photography
Located in Brussels, BE
Pigment photographic paper - photography & fine art print © Jean Pierre De Neef Artwork sold in perfect condition from a limited edition of 12 ex-...
Category

2010s Photorealist Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

'Vintage Bridge, ' by Unknown, Black & White Photography
Located in Oklahoma City, OK
This 15.5" x 12.5" black and white vintage photograph depicts a dramatic bird's-eye view of an unknown bridge. The composition shows the bridge vertically, as the bridge continues fu...
Category

Mid-20th Century Photorealist Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin

Oil Peir (Pier)
Located in San Francisco, CA
This Photograph titled "Oil Peir (Pier)" c.1960, is a gelatin silver print by noted photographer Richard Stacks, 1930-2015. It has the stamp of the Baltimore Sunpapers and the name o...
Category

Mid-20th Century Photorealist Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin

Open - underwater monochrome photograph - archival paper print 35x50"
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
An underwater monochromatic photograph capturing a young woman in a light tulle dress and unbuckled bra turned away from the camera. The subdued tones create an ethereal tranquility...
Category

2010s Photorealist Photography

Materials

Archival Paper, Archival Pigment

MAN RAY (1890-1976), INTERIOR DESIGN, 1934 Photogravure, FIRST EDITION
Located in Pembroke Pines, FL
Artist: Man Ray (American born, 1890 - 1976) Title: INTERIOR DESIGN Date Of Negative: 1934 Type Of Print: Authentic Vintage Sheet Fed Photogravure/Heliogravure. Date Of Print: 1934 1...
Category

1920s Photorealist Photography

Materials

Photogravure

Poveri ma belli, 1955 - Limited Edition Black & White Photography
Located in Brussels, BE
Artwork sold in perfect condition Print called "Art 2014", format 42 x 60 cm. SERIES OF 5 PRINTS + 2 AP Porta Portese, Rome Sunday Flea Market. Fabrizio La Torre...
Category

1950s Photorealist Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

MAN RAY (1890-1976), SURREAL MODERNIST ABSTRAC, 1934 Photogravure, FIRST EDITION
Located in Pembroke Pines, FL
Artist: Man Ray (American born, 1890 - 1976) Title: SURREAL MODERNIST ABSTRACT Date Of Negative: 1934 Type Of Print: Authentic Vintage Sheet Fed Photogravure/Heliogravure. Date Of Pr...
Category

1920s Photorealist Photography

Materials

Photogravure

Two bellow a Tree Photography Paris Signed
Located in Slovak Republic, SK
Original black-white photograph, photographer Karol Kállay, picture shooted in 1966 for a German publisher / book about Paris. Signed by the author on the back.
Category

1960s Photorealist Photography

Materials

Photographic Paper

7247
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 Paper, Digital, Photogram, Archival Pigment, Digital Pigment

East River Drive
Located in Austin, TX
East River Drive by Norman Parkinson. Robin Miller and Pippa Diggle photographed on the South Street Viaduct beneath Manhattan Bridge for Go Magazine, 1960 ...
Category

Late 20th Century Photorealist Photography

Materials

C Print

Liquid Fire - underwater nude photograph - archival pigment print 17x23.5"
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
An underwater photograph of a naked young women with long blonde hair diving in a pool. The realistic photograph is taken with red background. Original gallery quality archival pigm...
Category

2010s Photorealist Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment, Archival Paper

Aspettando il fumo bianco, Roma 1968 - Contemporary Black & White Photography
Located in Brussels, BE
Artwork # 1 on 5 sold in perfect condition Limited Edition of 5 + 2 AP Artwork printed on baryta paper 310 grs museum quality pigment inks, limited edition of 7 copies in total Br...
Category

1960s Photorealist 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 Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

In the Hall of the Mountain King - underwater b&w nude photograph - paper 24х35"
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
An underwater black and white nude photograph of a female dancer performing in a swimming pool. Original gallery quality print signed by the artist. Digital archival pigment print ...
Category

2010s Photorealist Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

Il peso degli anni, Roma - 1962 - Contemporary Black & White Photography
Located in Brussels, BE
Artwork # 2 on 5 sold in perfect condition Print called "Art 2014", format 42 x 60 cm. SERIES OF 5 PRINTS + 2 AP A tiny old lady, crushed by age, who comes home through the narrow st...
Category

1960s Photorealist Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

Mermaid Angel - underwater photograph - print on paper 17" x 24"
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
An underwater photograph of a beautiful young woman in transparent dress on dark background. Original gallery quality print signed by the artist. D...
Category

2010s Photorealist Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

Greta Garbo - Somber Head Shot by Clarence Sinclair Bull, 1931
Located in Soquel, CA
Greta Garbo - Somber Head Shot by Clarence Sinclair Bull, 1931 1931 Black and white somber headshot photograph of Swedish/American actress Greta Garbo (Swedish, 1905-1990) by Clarence Sinclair Bull (American, 1896-1979). Greta Garbo gazes at the camera, her curled hair sits in front of her face. The background is black. A black and white photograph, matte finish, double-weight paper, depicting a 1931 shot of the star titled 'Mata Hari,' printed decades later from the original negative, penciled in the lower left corner "A.P.," Estate stamped and blind embossed in the lower right corner "Clarence Sinclair Bull," further blind embossed in same corner "The Kobal / Collection," verso with the photographer's black ink credit stamp, verso further with two "Edward Weston" black ink credit stamps dated "1981" and "1992," originally from the John Kobal Collection. Greta Garbo was a Swedish-American actress. Regarded as one of the greatest screen actresses of all time, she was known for her melancholic, somber persona, her film portrayals of tragic characters, and her subtle and understated performances. In 1999, the American Film Institute ranked Garbo fifth on its list of the greatest female stars of classic Hollywood cinema. Clarence Sinclair Bull was born in Sun River, Montana, in 1896. His career began when Samuel Goldwyn hired him in 1920 to photograph publicity stills of the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer film studio's stars. He is most famous for his photographs of Greta Garbo, taken between 1926 and 1941. Bull's first portrait of Garbo was a costume study for the silent romantic drama film Flesh and the Devil in September 1926. Bull was able to study with the great Western painter...
Category

1930s Photorealist Photography

Materials

Photographic Paper, Silver Gelatin, Paper

Tutu Skirt - underwater black & white nude photograph - print on paper 21" x 35"
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
Underwater black and white nude photograph of a young female dancer in the pool. The dancer is putting on her tut skirt. The photograph depicts her beautiful naked butt about to hid...
Category

2010s Photorealist Photography

Materials

Archival Paper, Archival Pigment

Ian Curtis of Joy Division by Kevin Cummins
Located in Austin, TX
Signed limited edition silver gelatin print of Ian Curtis of post-punk band Joy Division, photographed at Princess Parkway, Manchester, January 6, 1979. T...
Category

Late 20th Century Photorealist Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin

Daffodile
Located in San Francisco, CA
This Photograph titled "Daffodile" c.1960, is a gelatin silver print by noted photographer Richard Stacks, 1930-2015. It has the stamp of the Baltimore Sunpapers and the name of the ...
Category

Mid-20th Century Photorealist Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin

White Swan - underwater nude ballet photograph - print on paper 16.5” x 23.5”
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
Underwater ballet. An underwater photograph of topless ballerina in white tutu skirt on a bottom of a pool. Original gallery quality archival pigment print on archival paper signed...
Category

2010s Photorealist Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

David Bowie Ohio 1976 by Janet Macoska
Located in Austin, TX
Signed limited edition print of David Bowie, photographed performing live on stage in Ohio, 1976 by Janet Macoska Available in various sizes: 16x20" Lambda C-Type Edition: 25 20x24...
Category

Late 20th Century Photorealist Photography

Materials

C Print

Mick Jagger, 1973
Located in Washington, DC
Artist: Francesco Scavullo (after) Title: Mick Jagger, 1973 Portfolio: A Photographic Retrospective, Volume I: Song Medium: Gelatin Silver Print Year: 2004 Edition: 99/150 Signed: Si...
Category

Early 2000s Photorealist Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin

David Bowie The Archer
Located in Austin, TX
This iconic image of David Bowie as The Thin White Duke was taken by renowned Rock photographer, John Rowlands, on February 26th, 1976, at Maple Leaf Gar...
Category

Late 20th Century Photorealist Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

Soft Dance - underwater black & white nude photograph - archival pigment 64"х43"
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
A black and white nude photograph of a 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. Or...
Category

2010s Photorealist Photography

Materials

Archival Paper, Archival Pigment

David Bowie "Pin Ups" cover
Located in Austin, TX
English model Twiggy poses with David Bowie in Paris for the cover of his ‘Pin Ups’ album, 1973, by Justin de Villeneuve Justin recalls, "Twiggy and I were st...
Category

1970s Photorealist Photography

Materials

C Print

The center of the city of Ghent - (BE)- Contemporary Panoramic Color Photography
Located in Brussels, BE
Panoramic cityscape made from 6 pictures Pigment photographic paper - photography & fine art print © Jean Pierre De Neef Capital of the former county of Fl...
Category

2010s Photorealist Photography

Materials

Archival Ink, Archival Paper, Archival Pigment

Seduti sul Pulcino, 1956 - Contemporary Photorealist Black & White Photography
Located in Brussels, BE
Print called "Art 2014", format 42 x 60 cm. SERIES OF 5 PRINTS + 2 AP Artwork sold in perfect condition Very close to the Pantheon, a marble work by Bernini (1667) to support a small...
Category

1950s Photorealist Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

Brussels Grand'Place - Summer 2013 - Contemporary Panoramic Color Photography
Located in Brussels, BE
Panoramic cityscape made from 15 pictures Pigment photographic paper - photography & fine art print © Jean Pierre De Neef Jean-Pierre De Neef came to photography like a new convert ...
Category

2010s Photorealist Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

The Piazza di Spagna, Roma - Italy - Contemporary Panoramic Color Photography
Located in Brussels, BE
Pigment photographic paper - photography & fine art print © Jean Pierre De Neef Artwork sold in perfect condition from a limited edition of 12 ex- Composition from an assembly of 16 shots digitaly edited and made in 2012 The Spanish Steps (piazza di Spagna...
Category

2010s Photorealist Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

Marina Di Massa, plexiglass photgraph, Italy beach scene
Located in Miami, FL
Massimo Vitali (b. Como, Italy in 1944) is an Italian photographer based in Lucca. Vitali studied photography at the London College of Printing. He initially worked as a photojournal...
Category

Early 2000s Photorealist Photography

Materials

Lithograph, Offset

Waar is da feestje ? Brussels 2018 - Contemporary Color Photography
Located in Brussels, BE
Pigment photographic paper - photography & fine art print © Jean Pierre De Neef - Panoramic cityscape made from 16 pictures The red devils' triumphant return to the Grand Place in Br...
Category

2010s Photorealist Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

Comfort in Chaos by Josephine Cardin Contemporary Fashion photography
Located in DE
Artist: Josephine Cardin Medium: Photography Limited edition of 30 "Another conversation with no destination, another battle never won. Each side is a loser, so who cares who fired...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Photorealist Photography

Materials

Photographic Paper, Pigment

Famiglia numerosa, Bangkok 1958 - Large size Black & White Fine Art Print
Located in Brussels, BE
Artwork # 1 on 5 sold in limited edition in perfect condition Famiglia numerosa, Bangkok This photo was made in 1958, the negative was digitized during the artist's lifetime and th...
Category

1950s Photorealist Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

Down on East River
Located in Slovak Republic, SK
Black and White photograph, edition 50, part of book about NY, 1965.
Category

1960s Photorealist Photography

Materials

Photographic Paper, Archival Pigment

Davanti al Messaggero, Roma 1963 - Contemporary Black & White Photography
Located in Brussels, BE
Artwork # 2 on 5 sold in perfect condition Print called "Art 2014", format 42 x 60 cm. SERIES OF 5 PRINTS + 2 AP On Via del Tritone, in front of the building of the local daily Il Me...
Category

1960s Photorealist Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

MAN RAY (1890-1976), ROCK LINES ABSTRACT, 1920 Photogravure, FIRST EDITION
Located in Pembroke Pines, FL
Artist: Man Ray (American born, 1890 - 1976) Title: ROCK LINES ABSTRACT Date Of Negative: 1920 Type Of Print: Authentic Vintage Sheet Fed Photogravure/Heliogravure. Date Of Print: 19...
Category

1920s Photorealist Photography

Materials

Photogravure

Hot Water - underwater nude photograph - print on aluminum 36" x 24"
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
An underwater photograph of a naked young woman diving in a pool in front of bright red background. There is no rules for luck. I was sure the new girl woul...
Category

2010s Photorealist Photography

Materials

Metal

Skyline from the Intrepid museum, NYC - Contemporary Panoramic Color Photography
Located in Brussels, BE
Pigment photographic paper - photography & fine art print © Jean Pierre De Neef Artwork sold in perfect condition from a limited edition of 25 ex- Composition from an assembly of 9 ...
Category

2010s Photorealist Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

Big Car
Located in Slovak Republic, SK
The photography belongs to a cycle of photographies of NY, published in the book "New York", Verlag und Volk, Berlin 1967. Signed by the author on the back, certificate will be inclu...
Category

1960s Photorealist Photography

Materials

Photographic Paper

Big Car
$438 Sale Price
88% Off
David Bowie 1978
Located in Austin, TX
David Bowie live on stage in Canada by John R Rowlands. Signed limited edition 17x22" print, number 17/25 Hand signed and number by the artist.
Category

Late 20th Century Photorealist Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

Dragon Dreams - underwater black & white nude photograph - archival paper 35x52"
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
Underwater black and white nude photograph of a model on black background. Her distorted reflection in the inner water surface reminds some mysterious creature. Original gallery qua...
Category

2010s Photorealist Photography

Materials

Archival Paper, Archival Pigment

Tornando con le spese, New York, 1955 Contemporary Black & White Photography
Located in Brussels, BE
Tornando con le spese, November 1955 Coming home with the groceries. once again, Fabrizio La Torre captures a little moment in life that says a lot a...
Category

1950s Photorealist Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

Blue Mirror - underwater nude photograph - archival pigment print 17.5 x 23"
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
"Blue Mirror" - A haunting underwater fine art photograph capturing a solitary figure suspended in deep azure waters. The minimalist composition presents a nude form diving through c...
Category

2010s Photorealist Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

The Cure by Ebet Roberts
Located in Austin, TX
Robert Smith of The Cure in 1992 by Ebet Roberts. Signed limited edition print. Ebet Roberts began her career in 1977 when she began documenting the evolving punk scene at CBGB’s i...
Category

Late 20th Century Photorealist Photography

Materials

Giclée

Jim Morrison of The Doors by Art Kane
Located in Austin, TX
Jim Morrison, taken in 1968 by Art Kane Art Kane and Jim Morrison hit it off and spent the shoot discussing culture, literature and current events. Kane photographed Morrison for Li...
Category

Late 20th Century Photorealist Photography

Materials

C Print

The Beatles "Revolver sessions" 1966
Located in Austin, TX
The Beatles, left to right, John Lennon, Ringo Starr, George Harrison and Paul McCartney, posing with colored cells over their faces during the Abbey Road session to record the promotional video for Paperback Writer, 19th May 1966. This was the same session from which the back cover photo for the Revolver Album was chosen. The photo was part of a series taken by Robert Whitaker during the filming at Abbey Road on 19 May and demonstrated the Beatles’ adoption of fashions from boutiques that had recently opened in Chelsea, rather than the Carnaby Street designers they had favored previously. From these Chelsea boutiques, Lennon wore a long-collared paisley shirt from Granny Takes a Trip...
Category

Late 20th Century Photorealist Photography

Materials

C Print

Il Traghetto, New York, January 1956 - Contemporary Black & White Photography
Located in Brussels, BE
Il traghetto, January 1956. In New York, the ferry with the silhouette so characteristic of this city and the star spangled flag, symbol of the country. Artwork #1 / 5 sold in perfe...
Category

1950s Photorealist Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

Mermaids - a book of underwater nude and ocean wildlife photographs
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
The book “Mermaids” has the best of Alex Sher’s underwater photography for eight years (2010-2018). It blends human erotics with the beauty of the ocean wildlife - transforming the c...
Category

2010s Photorealist Photography

Materials

Magazine Paper

Namaste
Located in San Francisco, CA
This artwork titled "Namaste" 2001, is a photograph (Cibachrome) by American artist Lisa Kristine, b.1965. It is hand signed, titled and dated in pencil by the artist. The photograph...
Category

Late 20th Century Photorealist Photography

Materials

Other Medium

David Bowie Scary Monsters Clown Contact Sheet by Duffy
Located in Austin, TX
Museum quality contact sheet print of David Bowie in the Scary Monsters Clown costume from the official Duffy Archive. Taken from the original negatives from the Scary Monsters and ...
Category

Late 20th Century Photorealist Photography

Materials

C Print

Iconics by Fabrizio La Torre - Set # 2 - Roma - 1956 - Vintage Photographs
Located in Brussels, BE
Artworks sold in perfect condition : Set # 2 composed of 5 Gallery Print 30x40 cm This is an exceptional offer that we are presenting today. For almost four years, here on 1stdibs, a...
Category

1950s Photorealist Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

Gita in famiglia, Thaïland (1957) - Large size Black & White Fine Art Print
Located in Brussels, BE
Artwork # 1 on 5 sold in limited edition in perfect condition This photo was made in 1960, printed later, the negative was digitized during the artist's lifetime and the technical p...
Category

1950s Photorealist Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

Spring afternoon in Central Parc NYC - Contemporary Panoramic Color Photography
Located in Brussels, BE
Pigment photographic paper - photography & fine art print © Jean Pierre De Neef Artwork sold in perfect condition from a limited edition of 12 ex- Composition from an assembly of 6 ...
Category

2010s Photorealist Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment, Archival Ink, Archival Paper

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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