Skip to main content

Realist 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
114
1,156
821
641
565
437
Overall Width
to
Overall Height
to
30
3,281
309
10
3
35
542
1,073
983
531
74
42,945
18,328
3,346
2,806
1,355
878
708
282
225
117
104
88
37
13
1,700
1,068
852
1,473
728
564
521
449
382
301
295
291
240
236
232
208
200
185
178
138
132
126
126
3,057
3,038
3,038
259
201
3,180
15
12
11
11
85
3,021
3,488
131
Style: Realist
Dunes Eureka Valley - Black & White Landscape Photograph 1984 Signed John Nixon
Dunes Eureka Valley - Black & White Landscape Photograph 1984 Signed John Nixon

Dunes Eureka Valley - Black & White Landscape Photograph 1984 Signed John Nixon

By Jeff Nixon

Located in Soquel, CA

Half Dome in Yosemite - Black & White Landscape Photograph Beautiful black and white landscape photograph showing the Dunes at Eureko Valley California by Jeff Nixon (American, ...

Category

Late 20th Century Realist Photography

Materials

Paper, Silver Gelatin

Caribbean Sandy Shore, Cyanotype on Watercolor Paper, Beach House Art in Blue
Caribbean Sandy Shore, Cyanotype on Watercolor Paper, Beach House Art in Blue

Caribbean Sandy Shore, Cyanotype on Watercolor Paper, Beach House Art in Blue

By Kind of Cyan

Located in Barcelona, ES

This is an exclusive handprinted limited edition cyanotype. "Caribbean Sandy Shore" is a cyanotype of a shoreline on a Caribbean beach. It is a beautiful image for tropical decor and...

Category

2010s Realist Photography

Materials

Photographic Film, Emulsion, Watercolor, Photographic Paper, C Print, Co...

Grace Jones for After Dark
Grace Jones for After Dark

Grace Jones for After Dark

Located in Wilton Manors, FL

Victor Arimondi (1942-2001). Portrait of Grace Jones, 1975. Period print measures 8.5 x 11.25 inches; 10 x 13 inches framed. Artist studio stamp on ver...

Category

1970s Realist Photography

Materials

Photographic Paper

Abstracted Trees Reflected in Water - Black & White Landscape Photograph
Abstracted Trees Reflected in Water - Black & White Landscape Photograph

Abstracted Trees Reflected in Water - Black & White Landscape Photograph

By Jeff Nixon

Located in Soquel, CA

Abstracted Trees Reflected in Water - Black & White Landscape Photograph Beautiful black and white abstracted landscape photo by Jeff Nixon (American, 1952-2022). A grove of tre...

Category

Late 20th Century Realist Photography

Materials

Paper, Silver Gelatin

Signpost In St. Moritz, Switzerland, Estate Edition, Mid-Century Modern Photo
Signpost In St. Moritz, Switzerland, Estate Edition, Mid-Century Modern Photo

Signpost In St. Moritz, Switzerland, Estate Edition, Mid-Century Modern Photo

By Slim Aarons

Located in Los Angeles, CA

This early 1960s landscape photograph, captured by society photographer Slim Aarons, features a signpost indicating various ski slopes and toboggan tracks in the resort of St Moritz,...

Category

1960s Realist Photography

Materials

Lambda

Five Maiko (Apprentices) Having lunch – Original hand-colored Meiji era photo
Five Maiko (Apprentices) Having lunch – Original hand-colored Meiji era photo

Five Maiko (Apprentices) Having lunch – Original hand-colored Meiji era photo

Located in Middletown, NY

Yokohama, Japan: c 1890. Hand-tinted albumen print, 8 x 10 1/2 inches (203 x 266 mm), numbered B04 in negative, small spots of fixer on lower right corner, pencil inscription on ver...

Category

Late 19th Century Realist Photography

Materials

Watercolor, Photographic Paper

Saint-Tropez Boucherie, French Riviera, Estate Edition Photograph
Saint-Tropez Boucherie, French Riviera, Estate Edition Photograph

Saint-Tropez Boucherie, French Riviera, Estate Edition Photograph

By Slim Aarons

Located in Los Angeles, CA

Discover the quintessence of French Riviera charm in Slim Aarons' iconic photograph, 'Saint-Tropez Boucherie,' on Rue des Commercants, Saint-Tropez, 1971. This image is a beautiful intersection of fashion, culture, and everyday life in the sun-drenched streets of Saint-Tropez in August 1971. This photograph features a casual yet captivating scene: two women and a young girl, all dressed in vibrant, vintage early '70s attire in shades of mint green, lemon yellow, and pink, enjoying a leisurely conversation outside a classic red French boucherie or butcher shop. A chic gold and white bicycle, representative of the laid-back Mediterranean lifestyle, is parked unassumingly on the sidewalk. Adding depth to the scene, the shop's proprietor, clad in a purple shirt, can be spotted through the window, lending an authentic touch to the photograph. An enchanting Moroccan-style zellige tile...

Category

1970s Realist Photography

Materials

Lambda

Ride By North Philly Rows: Black African American urban cowboy in Philadelphia
Ride By North Philly Rows: Black African American urban cowboy in Philadelphia

Ride By North Philly Rows: Black African American urban cowboy in Philadelphia

By Ron Tarver

Located in Bryn Mawr, PA

This photograph of a Black African American cowboy in the urban city of Philadelphia pictured against the city's iconic row homes is part of artist Ron Tarver's long-term, ongoing project, "The Long Ride Home: The Black Cowboy...

Category

2010s Realist Photography

Materials

Archival Pigment

Japan – Three dancing geisha apprentices – Hand-colored Meiji Period photograph
Japan – Three dancing geisha apprentices – Hand-colored Meiji Period photograph

Japan – Three dancing geisha apprentices – Hand-colored Meiji Period photograph

Located in Middletown, NY

Yokohama, Japan: c 1880. Hand-tinted albumen print, 8 1/8 x 10 1/2 inches (205 x 267 mm), numbered 1625 and captioned "Dancing" in negative at lower right; pencil inscription in Jap...

Category

Late 19th Century Realist Photography

Materials

Watercolor, Photographic Paper

Slim and Sphinx, Estate Edition: New York DJ Slim Hyatt at Shepheard's
Slim and Sphinx, Estate Edition: New York DJ Slim Hyatt at Shepheard's

Slim and Sphinx, Estate Edition: New York DJ Slim Hyatt at Shepheard's

By Slim Aarons

Located in Los Angeles, CA

circa 1964: New York DJ Slim Hyatt at work in Shepheard's night club whose decor recreates a famous Cairo bar. Two gold and turquoise sphinxes flank the DJ, who is posed behind two record players and before a glittering sculpture. Hyatt is often credited as the first disco DJ in the US. Initially hired by Oliver Coquelin upon the opening of Le Club, Hyatt quickly became one of the most revered figures in the emerging disco scene. He also DJed at Doubles from 1984 to 1995, and has been called by the painter and bandleader Peter Duchin “the first discotheque artist in New York." Slim and Sphinx, 1964 Slim Aarons Estate Edition Photograph Stamped and hand numbered by the Slim Aarons Estate. Certificate of Authenticity included. Chromogenic Lambda C-type print on Fuji Crystal Archive Paper Crisp detail, continuous tone and brilliant color Paper weight 210gms Matte Satin Surface Printed Later Collector will get the next number in the edition 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, a history of glamour that occurred alongside—but quite separate from—the cultural and political backdrop of the second half of the Twentieth Century. Complimentary dealer shipping to your framer. 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. Aarons began his career as a combat photographer in World War II. Though he earned a Purple Heart for his service, he declared that combat had taught him that the only beach worth landing on was decorated with beautiful people enjoying themselves in the sun. Increasingly known for his influence, Aarons's casually glamorous jetset aesthetic can be seen today in fashion, art, and celebrity photography. Recent articles credit his work with inspiring the casually flawless style of top Instagram influencers, full of sunshine and escapism. 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 * 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). Please contact us for additional photographs from Slim Aarons * Internal: Vintage New York, Vintage glamour, 60's glamour, Vintage DJ...

Category

1960s Realist Photography

Materials

Lambda

Giacomo Mantegazza, Villa La Casinella, Lake Como, Italy, Estate Edition
Giacomo Mantegazza, Villa La Casinella, Lake Como, Italy, Estate Edition

Giacomo Mantegazza, Villa La Casinella, Lake Como, Italy, Estate Edition

By Slim Aarons

Located in Los Angeles, CA

Giacomo and Stefania Mantegazza welcome guests arriving by boat at their villa, La Casinella, on Lake Como, 1983. Brilliant green trees contrast with the vivid orange, reds and turquoise of the architecture. Four boats can are afloat on the deep blue of the lake. Slim Aarons Giacomo Montegazza, Villa La Casinella, Lake Como Slim Aarons Estate Edition Stamped and hand numbered by the Slim Aarons Estate. Chromogenic Lambda print from the original transparency Printed Later Certificate of Authenticity included Collector will get the next number in the edition 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 * 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). Please contact us for additional photographs from Slim Aarons * Now in his 70s, Giacomo Mantegazza...

Category

1980s Realist Photography

Materials

Lambda

Saint-Tropez Beach
Saint-Tropez Beach

Saint-Tropez Beach

By Slim Aarons

Located in Los Angeles, CA

The beach at Saint-Tropez, on the French Riviera, August 1971. 30 x 40 inches $3350 20 x 30 inches $3000 20 x 24 inches $2500 10 x 12 inches $1350 Complimentary dealer shipping ...

Category

1970s Realist Photography

Materials

Lambda

Backgammon by the Pool, Estate Edition
Backgammon by the Pool, Estate Edition

Backgammon by the Pool, Estate Edition

By Slim Aarons

Located in Los Angeles, CA

Women playing backgammon while sunbathing at the Habitation Leclerc pool, January 1975 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, a history of glamour that occurred alongside—but quite separate from—the cultural and political backdrop of the second half of the Twentieth Century. Increasingly known for his influence, Aarons's casually glamorous jetset aesthetic can be seen today in fashion, art, and celebrity photography. Recent articles credit his work with inspiring the casually flawless style of top Instagram influencers, full of sunshine and escapism. 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." Slim Aarons Backgammon by the pool...

Category

1970s Realist Photography

Materials

Lambda

Japan – Geisha Girl with Fan – Hand-colored albumen print

Japan – Geisha Girl with Fan – Hand-colored albumen print

By Baron Raimund von Stillfried

Located in Middletown, NY

Yokohama, Japan: c 1885. Hand-tinted albumen print, 10 1/2 x 8 inches (268 x 204 mm), hand-numbered 1103 in negative. Unmounted; housed in an archival mat with clear mounting corner...

Category

Late 19th Century Realist Photography

Materials

Watercolor, Photographic Paper

Japan – Samurai - Hand-colored Meiji Period photograph

Japan – Samurai - Hand-colored Meiji Period photograph

Located in Middletown, NY

Yokohama, Japan: c 1890. Hand-tinted albumen print, 10 1/8 x 7 3/4 inches (258 x 198 mm), numbered B 1161 and captioned in negative at lower right; very light cockling, brightly col...

Category

Late 19th Century Realist Photography

Materials

Watercolor, Photographic Paper

Steve McCurry 'Afghan Girl'

Steve McCurry 'Afghan Girl'

By Steve McCurry

Located in New York, NY

Steve McCurry Afghan Girl 1984 (printed later C-print on Fuji Crystal archival paper 24 x 20 inches Signed and dated Steve McCurry has been one of the most iconic voices in contempo...

Category

1980s Realist Photography

Materials

C Print

Vertical Black and White Giclée of Zen Forest Waterfall, Landscape, Feng Shui
Vertical Black and White Giclée of Zen Forest Waterfall, Landscape, Feng Shui

Vertical Black and White Giclée of Zen Forest Waterfall, Landscape, Feng Shui

By Kind of Cyan

Located in Barcelona, ES

This is an exclusive limited edition black and white Giclée print, on 100% cotton Hahnemühle Photo Rag Fine Art matte paper. This beautiful black and white high contrast photograph is titled " Zen Forest Waterfall" and displays a stimulating waterfall in a beautiful japanese forest...

Category

2010s Realist Photography

Materials

Emulsion, C Print, Giclée, Paper

Slim Aarons 'Lounging in Verbier' (Slim Aarons Estate Edition)
Slim Aarons 'Lounging in Verbier' (Slim Aarons Estate Edition)

Slim Aarons 'Lounging in Verbier' (Slim Aarons Estate Edition)

By Slim Aarons

Located in Los Angeles, CA

Swiss Alps, 1964: This landscape photograph, captured by society photographer Slim Aarons, features holiday-makers taking in the sunset on a white snowy mountain top in Verbier, Switzerland in 1964. In classic snowscape of midcentury glamour, winter travelers dressed in 1960s ski fashion relax on colorful red, yellow, and green sun loungers, viewing the blue and white Swiss Alps mountain peaks in the background. This is an estate stamped and hand numbered edition of 150 with certificate of authenticity from the estate. Verbier Vacation Slim Aarons Estate Edition Chromogenic Lambda print Modern printing from original transparency Captured 1964 (printed later) Certificate of Authenticity included Numbered and stamped by the Slim Aarons Estate Collector will receive the next number in the edition 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 We are pleased to offer the entire archive of the Slim Aarons Estate. This is a genuine Slim Aarons Estate photograph, estate stamped and hand numbered edition of 150 with certificate of authenticity from the estate. Complimentary dealer shipping to your framer, worldwide. We are pleased to offer this vibrant photograph, printed by the Slim Aarons estate. It is part of the estate's only official limited run, of 150. Estate stamp embossed on recto, hand numbered in ink on recto, with certificate of authenticity from the estate (not a secondary gallery licensing from the estate). Increasingly heralded for his influence, Slim Aarons (1916-2006) made a career out of photographing "attractive people doing attractive things in attractive places." Aarons is known for his iconic images of Hollywood glamour and luxurious people, places and lifestyles. Aarons began his career as a combat photographer in World War II. Though he earned a Purple Heart for his service, he declared that combat had taught him that the only beach worth landing on was decorated with beautiful people enjoying themselves in the sun. Slim Aarons is noted for his documentation of the Beautiful People over 50 years, encompassing high society, celebrity, aristocracy, and the jet set. He was born and raised in New York City and New Jersey and later New Hampshire. He took up photography as a teenager. At the age of eighteen, he enlisted in the U. S. Army and was later appointed official photographer at the United States Military Academy at West Point. During World War II he served as an army combat photographer for Yank magazine in Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East. After the war he became a freelance photojournalist, first based in Hollywood, then Rome, then New York. His photographs appeared in many magazines, including Life, Holiday, Town & Country, Look, Venture, and Travel & Leisure. His first book A Wonderful Time (1974) is considered a classic. 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. Visual Description: In one of Slim Aarons most popular and iconic series, bright, colorful notes of red, yellow, blue and green punctuate the clean white snow, with majestic peaks in the background. In the foreground, holiday-goers, lounge in a perfect vintage moment of casual winter glamour. Snowy mountaintops rise in the background. Verbier is a stunning mountain and winter ski destination in the Swiss Alps, known for its notoriously challenging slopes as well as its famous apres-ski scene. Numbered and stamped by the Slim Aarons Estate. Certificate of Authenticity included. Internal: Vintage Verbier, Vintage Ski Photography...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Photography

Materials

Lambda

The Bahamas
The Bahamas

The Bahamas

By Slim Aarons

Located in Los Angeles, CA

A swimming pool, seen through the fronds of a palm tree, with two people swimming and a group of people sitting at tables at the poolside in the Bahamas, May 1967. Beyond the pool is...

Category

1960s Realist Photography

Materials

Lambda

"Yosemite" - Black & White Landscape Photograph AP
"Yosemite" - Black & White Landscape Photograph AP

"Yosemite" - Black & White Landscape Photograph AP

By Jeff Nixon

Located in Soquel, CA

Beautiful black and white landscape photograph titled "Yosemite," by Jeff Nixon (American, 20th Century). A mountain range stands high against a cloudless sky and above a forest reflected in a pond below. Signed "Jeff Nixon AP, Yosemite '87," on verso. Presented in a new white mat, 16"H x 20"W. Jeff Nixon began photographing in the late 1960's, and by the end of the millennium had acquired an impressive list of credentials; many years as a year round resident of Yosemite Valley, noted instructor in the techniques of black and white photography which he gleaned from his years of working with Ansel Adams, and learning the Zone System from the master himself. Jeff has been an instructor for two California Junior Colleges, Modesto and Columbia, has led extension courses for UC Santa Cruz and UC Berkeley, and taught and lectured in numerous seminars and classes. He has taught workshops and has had many showings nationwide, working with Morley Baer, Chris Rainier, Rod Dresser, and John Sexton as either field or darkroom assistant. He was also the production and research assistant for the Ansel Adams Publishing Rights Trust, Carmel Highlands...

Category

1980s Realist Photography

Materials

Paper, Silver Gelatin

Foamy Clouds Diptych in Blue, Stormy Sky Scene, Handmade Cyanotype Print, Paper
Foamy Clouds Diptych in Blue, Stormy Sky Scene, Handmade Cyanotype Print, Paper

Foamy Clouds Diptych in Blue, Stormy Sky Scene, Handmade Cyanotype Print, Paper

By Kind of Cyan

Located in Barcelona, ES

This is an exclusive handprinted limited edition cyanotype diptych of foamy gorgeous clouds. Details: + Title: Floating Clouds Diptych + Year: 2023 + Edition Size: 20 + Stamped and ...

Category

2010s Realist Photography

Materials

Photographic Film, Emulsion, Watercolor, C Print, Color, Dye Transfer, L...

Fog Ridge (Hand-printed cyanotype, 16 x 24", ed. 1 of 5)
Fog Ridge (Hand-printed cyanotype, 16 x 24", ed. 1 of 5)

Fog Ridge (Hand-printed cyanotype, 16 x 24", ed. 1 of 5)

Located in Oakland, CA

Brand-new addition to the Foggy Woods Collection of forests in northern California near San Francisco. This is a hand-printed contact photograph using the antique cyanotype process a...

Category

2010s Realist Photography

Materials

Paper, Archival Paper, Rag Paper, Photogram

Realist photography for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a wide variety of authentic Realist 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, purple, red, pink and other colors. Many Pop art paintings were created by popular artists on 1stDibs, including Slim Aarons, Pico Garcez, Kind of Cyan, and Massimo Listri. 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 photography, so small editions measuring 3.94 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 $105 and tops out at $75,000, while the average work sells for $3,000.