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Realist Portrait Prints

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
BRUSSEL-SMITH SELF PORTRAIT Hand Drawn Stone Lithograph, Bearded Man w Pipe
Located in Union City, NJ
BRUSSEL-SMITH SELF PORTRAIT is an original hand drawn stone lithograph by the American artist Bernard Brussel-Smith, hand printed by Master printer Joseph Kleineman, JK Fine Art Edit...
Category

1970s Realist Portrait Prints

Materials

Lithograph

Young Woman With Long Hair, Signed Lithograph, Girl Braiding Her Hair Blue Skirt
Located in Union City, NJ
Young Woman With Long Hair is an original hand drawn (not digitally or photo reproduced) limited edition lithograph by the artist Raphael Soyer - Russian/American Social Realism Painter, 1899-1987. Printed at JK Fine Art Editions Co. using traditional hand lithography techniques on archival Arches printmaking paper 100% acid-free rag. Young Woman With Long Hair is a sensitive, realistically drawn portrait of a dark brown haired young woman wearing a white short sleeved blouse...
Category

1970s Realist Portrait Prints

Materials

Lithograph

STANDING SEAMSTRESS, Signed Lithograph Female Portrait Sewing Machine Dress Form
Located in Union City, NJ
STANDING SEAMSTRESS is an original hand drawn (not digitally or photo reproduced) limited edition lithograph by the artist Raphael Soyer - Russian/American Social Realism Painter, 18...
Category

1970s Realist Portrait Prints

Materials

Lithograph

James McBey
Located in New York, NY
Gerald Leslie Brockhurst (1890-1978), James McBey, etching, 1931, signed in pencil lower right [also signed in the plate, in reverse, lower right just under the borderline, and title...
Category

1930s Realist Portrait Prints

Materials

Etching

Firework. 1970, paper, silk screen printing, 85x61 cm
Located in Riga, LV
Firework. 1970, paper, silk screen printing, 85x61 cm Josif Elgurt (1924-2007) Born in 1924 in Kishinev in Romania. In 1947 resumed his art studies in Kishinev. Since 1952 he has l...
Category

1970s Realist Portrait Prints

Materials

Paper, Screen

Portrait of Slevogt
Located in New York, NY
Emil Orlik (1870-1932), Portrait of Slevogt, etching, 1921, signed in pencil and numbered (27/100) [also signed and dated in the plate], from the presumed edition of 100. In very goo...
Category

1920s Realist Portrait Prints

Materials

Etching

Cap'n A.B Dick (A) gray fisherman portrait sou'wester hat R.B. Kitaj lithograph
Located in New York, NY
Kitaj’s drawing is of a fisherman in profile, wearing a sou’wester: a collapsible rain hat. The image is a wry portrait, ostensibly of Albert Blake Dick, ...
Category

1970s Realist Portrait Prints

Materials

Lithograph

Homeless. 19th Century Etching
By Charles-Jean-Louis Courtry
Located in Brecon, Powys
A very poignant depiction. A H Marsh is one of the English artists who devoted themselves to the representation of pathetic subjects. The gravity of this painter's idea is always to ...
Category

Late 19th Century Realist Portrait Prints

Materials

Etching

A Galway Peasant (also, An Irish Peasant)
Located in New York, NY
Gerald Brockhurst (1890-1978), A Galway Peasant (also, An Irish Peasant), etching, 1920, signed in pencil lower right. Reference: Fletcher 10, from the edition of 55, third state (of...
Category

1920s Realist Portrait Prints

Materials

Etching

Ballroom Dancing
Located in Chesterfield, MI
Couples Ballroom Dancing is a very attractive print that is VERY nicely framed-- A wonderful accent to a living room or bedroom! 16 x 16 in size an...
Category

20th Century Realist Portrait Prints

Materials

Lithograph

Similitudes
Located in New York, NY
Jean- Louis Forain (1852-1931), Similitudes, etching and drypoint, not signed [signed in the plate upper right], 1880, from the total edition of 545, on wove paper, in generally good...
Category

1880s Realist Portrait Prints

Materials

Drypoint

YOUNG WOMAN RED VEST Signed Lithograph, Standing Woman Hair Up, Green Dress
Located in Union City, NJ
YOUNG WOMAN RED VEST is an original hand drawn (not digitally or photo reproduced) limited edition lithograph by the artist Raphael Soyer - Russian/American S...
Category

1970s Realist Portrait Prints

Materials

Lithograph

Una (Portrait of a Creole Lady)
Located in New York, NY
Gerald Leslie Brockhurst (1891-1978), Una (Portrait of a Creole Lady), etching, 1929, signed in pencil lower right, and also inscribed by the artist: “2nd State, GB”. Reference: Flet...
Category

1920s Realist Portrait Prints

Materials

Etching

Buffalo Bill 1899 Original Battle of San Juan Hill 1 sheet of a 24 sheet poster
Located in Southampton, NY
This rare original lithograph print is from 1899. It is one sheet of a huge 24 sheet poster that was created in 1899 to announce Buffalo Bills Wild West. The size of the complete 24 sheet poster would have been approx. 10 feet tall by 20 feet wide and would have been posted on barns and buildings in 1899 to promote Buffalo Bills Wild West before it would come to towns. This 1 sheet of the 24 sheet lithograph is in such good condition because it was found in the Lithographers draws of the print shop that created the poster. It is black and white because it was a proof that was used to create the final layout of the color poster. It indicates on the image that it is No. 2 Buffalo Bill San Juan Hill 1899, so it would have been the 2nd poster down on the left side of the large total image comprised of 24 separate sheets all unique to create the full image. You can see the two black printed lines on the left side indicate where the edge of the poster would have been. We have never seen a complete image of this rare 1899 poster. When we first acquired this rare proof over 20 years ago, we contacted the The Ringling Museum in Florida that houses a large Buffalo Bill poster...
Category

1890s Realist Portrait Prints

Materials

Paper, Ink, Lithograph

Desnudo de espalda
Located in New York, NY
Brown and black chalks and pencil on cream wove paper. Signed and dated in pencil, lower left recto.
Category

1960s Realist Portrait Prints

Materials

Chalk, Pencil

Dup...
Located in New York, NY
Honore Daumier (1808-1879), “Dup…”, lithograph, 1832, from the series Celebrites de la Caricature, plate 171. Reference: Delteil 45, Daumier Register 45, only state. In generally goo...
Category

1830s Realist Portrait Prints

Materials

Lithograph

SHOWER PORTRAIT (GOLD)
Located in Aventura, FL
Silkscreen on canvas with diamond dust. Hand signed, dated, and numbered on verso by the artist. Edition of 25. Canvas is not stretched. Artwork is in excellent condition. Certific...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Portrait Prints

Materials

Canvas, Screen

SHOWER PORTRAIT (SILVER)
Located in Aventura, FL
Silkscreen on canvas with diamond dust. Hand signed, dated, and numbered on verso by the artist. Edition of 25. Canvas is stretched. Artwork is in excellent condition. Certificate of authenticity included. All reasonable offers will be considered. About the Artist: Carole A. Feuerman is an American Hyper-Realist sculptor. Along with artists like Duane Hanson...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Portrait Prints

Materials

Canvas, Screen

SHOWER PROFILE (PINK)
Located in Aventura, FL
Silkscreen on canvas with diamond dust. Hand signed, dated, and numbered on verso by the artist. Edition of 25. Canvas is stretched. Artwork is in excellent condition. Certificate ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Portrait Prints

Materials

Canvas, Screen

Charles Lee Esq.
Located in Boston, MA
Chaloner Smith (Engraver not ascertained, Class III) 9. Published by C. Shepherd, Oct. 31, 1775 London. Inscribed in plate lower center: "Charles Lee, Efq. / Major General of the Continental Army in America. / Published as the Act directs 31 Octr. 1775 by C. Shepherd". Inscribed in plate lower left: "Thomlinson pinxt". Flag inscribed in plate: "An Appeal to Heaven...
Category

Late 18th Century Realist Portrait Prints

Materials

Mezzotint

SHOWER PROFILE (WHITE)
Located in Aventura, FL
Silkscreen on canvas with diamond dust. Hand signed, dated, and numbered on verso by the artist. Edition of 25. Canvas is stretched. Artwork is in excellent condition. Certificate ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Portrait Prints

Materials

Canvas, Screen

"Girl With Flowers, " Lithograph signed by an unknown artist (WJR)
Located in Milwaukee, WI
"Girl With Flowers" is a lithograph printed in brown, signed and dated in stone upper left WJR. It depicts the head of a girl with short hair surrounded by floating flowers. 14.5" ...
Category

1920s Realist Portrait Prints

Materials

Lithograph

SHOWER PROFILE (SILVER)
Located in Aventura, FL
Silkscreen on canvas with diamond dust. Hand signed, dated, and numbered on verso by the artist. Edition of 25. Canvas is not stretched. Artwork is in excellent condition. Certific...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Portrait Prints

Materials

Canvas, Screen

Judy
Located in West Hollywood, CA
A magnificent original lithograph by American artist Beth van Hoesen. Noted as a master printmaker, van Hoesen exhibited at the de Young Memorial Museum, San Francisco; Achenbach ...
Category

1970s Realist Portrait Prints

Materials

Lithograph

Judy
Price Upon Request

Realist portrait prints for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a wide variety of authentic Realist portrait prints 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 portrait prints created in this style to introduce contrast in an otherwise neutral space in your home, the works available on 1stDibs include elements of pink, orange, yellow and other colors. Many Pop art paintings were created by popular artists on 1stDibs, including Raphael Soyer, Carole Feuerman, Ronald Brooks Kitaj, and (after) David Hockney. Frequently made by artists working with Lithograph, and Etching 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 portrait prints, so small editions measuring 3.75 inches across are also available. Prices for portrait prints 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 $125 and tops out at $14,500, while the average work sells for $809.

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