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Photorealist Art

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
Apriel - underwater nude photograph - archival pigment 18 x 24"
Apriel - underwater nude photograph - archival pigment 18 x 24"

Apriel - underwater nude photograph - archival pigment 18 x 24"

By Alex Sher

Located in Beverly Hills, CA

This underwater nude photograph showcases delicate interplay between light, shadow, and movement as hair cascades weightlessly around the topless subject's contemplative profile. The...

Category

2010s Photorealist Art

Materials

Archival Paper, Archival Pigment

No Way - black & white nude photograph - archival pigment print 22x35"
No Way - black & white nude photograph - archival pigment print 22x35"

No Way - black & white nude photograph - archival pigment print 22x35"

By Alex Sher

Located in Beverly Hills, CA

A black and white photograph of a perfect woman's buttocks and her handcuffed hands giving a finger. Museum-quality archival pigment print on archival paper, personally signed by th...

Category

2010s Photorealist Art

Materials

Archival Paper, Archival Pigment, Digital Pigment

DIVE
DIVE

DIVE

Located in Zofingen, AG

"Be like water, my friend" by Bruce Lee. When Lee said "be like water," he called upon people to embrace flexibility and the ability to adapt to changing circumstances. He asserted ...

Category

2010s Photorealist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Waves of Freedom
Waves of Freedom

Waves of Freedom

Located in Zofingen, AG

"Waves of Freedom" captures the moment when water washes away all constraints and expectations, allowing the soul to breathe freely. Each brushstroke symbolizes the journey toward in...

Category

2010s Photorealist Art

Materials

Oil, Wood Panel

Joe Dallesandro Andy Warhol Trash promo photo
Joe Dallesandro Andy Warhol Trash promo photo

Joe Dallesandro Andy Warhol Trash promo photo

By Jack Mitchell

Located in Wilton Manors, FL

Jack Mitchell, American Photographer (1925-2013). Joe Dallesandro, ca. 1973. 11 x 14 inches; 12 x 15 inches framed. Period print from artist's studio. The image was intended for ...

Category

1970s Photorealist Art

Materials

Photographic Paper

Winter Fishing - underwater nude photograph - print on paper 43" x 60"
Winter Fishing - underwater nude photograph - print on paper 43" x 60"

Winter Fishing - underwater nude photograph - print on paper 43" x 60"

By Alex Sher

Located in Beverly Hills, CA

Winter Fishing by Alex Sher presents a striking underwater nude photograph featuring a young naked woman entangled in fishing nets beneath dark waters. The monochromatic palette crea...

Category

2010s Photorealist Art

Materials

Archival Paper, Archival Pigment

Ripples - underwater black & white nude photograph - archival pigment print
Ripples - underwater black & white nude photograph - archival pigment print

Ripples - underwater black & white nude photograph - archival pigment print

By Alex Sher

Located in Beverly Hills, CA

Underwater nude black and white photograph of a perfect female torso wrapped in sunlight. Original gallery quality archival pigment print on archival paper signed by the artist, fur...

Category

2010s Photorealist Art

Materials

Archival Paper, Archival Pigment

"Pear II" Original Artwork, 24kt Gold on Museum Glass
"Pear II" Original Artwork, 24kt Gold on Museum Glass

"Pear II" Original Artwork, 24kt Gold on Museum Glass

By Kate Breakey

Located in Denver, CO

About the artist: Kate Breakey is internationally known for her large-scale, richly hand-colored photographs including her acclaimed series of luminous portraits of birds, flowers a...

Category

2010s Photorealist Art

Materials

Gold Leaf

"Cherry" Original Artwork, 24kt Gold on Museum Glass
"Cherry" Original Artwork, 24kt Gold on Museum Glass

"Cherry" Original Artwork, 24kt Gold on Museum Glass

By Kate Breakey

Located in Denver, CO

About the artist: Kate Breakey is internationally known for her large-scale, richly hand-colored photographs including her acclaimed series of luminous portraits of birds, flowers a...

Category

2010s Photorealist Art

Materials

Gold Leaf

Winter Fishing - underwater nude photograph - print on paper 35" x 49"
Winter Fishing - underwater nude photograph - print on paper 35" x 49"

Winter Fishing - underwater nude photograph - print on paper 35" x 49"

By Alex Sher

Located in Beverly Hills, CA

Winter Fishing by Alex Sher presents a striking underwater nude photograph featuring a young naked woman entangled in fishing nets beneath dark waters. The monochromatic palette crea...

Category

2010s Photorealist Art

Materials

Archival Pigment, Archival Paper

Apriel - underwater black & white nude photograph - archival pigment 43"x52"
Apriel - underwater black & white nude photograph - archival pigment 43"x52"

Apriel - underwater black & white nude photograph - archival pigment 43"x52"

By Alex Sher

Located in Beverly Hills, CA

"Apriel" captures a serene underwater moment in striking black and white. This fine art underwater photograph showcases delicate interplay between light, shadow, and movement as hair...

Category

2010s Photorealist Art

Materials

Archival Paper, Archival Pigment

City - 4 , 1977 Large Painting
City - 4 , 1977 Large Painting

City - 4 , 1977 Large Painting

By Hilo Chen

Located in Rochester Hills, MI

Artist: Hilo Chen Title: City - 4 Year: 1977 Painting oil on canvas Size 54 x 54 inches 137 x 137 cm Contemporary photo-realist painter Hilo Chen (Yee-Lum) was born in 1942 in Taiwan and later became an American citizen. He is noted for his paintings of nudes and flowers. Chen's as painter is nothing less than superb. The skin tones of his nudes seem more "real" than life itself. You feel as though you can almost touch these women who are so oblivious to being observed. Chen's work is held in public collections at: The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York, NY; San Jose Museum of Art, San Jose CA...

Category

1970s Photorealist Art

Materials

Oil

"Languishing, " Oil Painting, Reclining Female Nude
"Languishing, " Oil Painting, Reclining Female Nude

"Languishing, " Oil Painting, Reclining Female Nude

By Karen Offutt

Located in Denver, CO

Karen Offutt's "Languishing" is an original, handmade painting that depicts a nude female figure covered by a sheer black fabric with peonies in the foreground. About the Artist: K...

Category

2010s Photorealist Art

Materials

Panel, Oil

Vase of Spring Light-original realism still life oil painting-contemporary art
Vase of Spring Light-original realism still life oil painting-contemporary art

Vase of Spring Light-original realism still life oil painting-contemporary art

Located in London, Chelsea

This exceptional artwork is currently on display and available for sale at Signet Contemporary Art Gallery and online. Vase of Spring Light by Ann Goldberg captures the vibrant cont...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Photorealist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Artem (5071) - In Celebration of Pride Month
Artem (5071) - In Celebration of Pride Month

Artem (5071) - In Celebration of Pride Month

Located in New Orleans, LA

Stone and Press Gallery is excited to offer several works in celebration of the LGBTQ community. This impression is printed on Hahnemuhle archival paper. Hahnemühle FineArt, Inc. ...

Category

2010s Photorealist Art

Materials

Photographic Paper, Digital

No Way - black & white nude photograph - archival pigment print 43 x 68"
No Way - black & white nude photograph - archival pigment print 43 x 68"

No Way - black & white nude photograph - archival pigment print 43 x 68"

By Alex Sher

Located in Beverly Hills, CA

A black and white photograph of a perfect woman's buttocks and her handcuffed hands giving a finger. Original gallery quality print signed by the artist. Digital archival pigment p...

Category

2010s Photorealist Art

Materials

Archival Paper, Archival Pigment, Digital Pigment

Apriel - underwater black & white nude photograph - archival pigment 35 x 43"
Apriel - underwater black & white nude photograph - archival pigment 35 x 43"

Apriel - underwater black & white nude photograph - archival pigment 35 x 43"

By Alex Sher

Located in Beverly Hills, CA

"Apriel" captures a serene underwater moment in striking black and white. This fine art underwater photograph showcases delicate interplay between light, shadow, and movement as hair cascades weightlessly around the topless subject's contemplative profile. The monochromatic palette enhances the dreamlike quality, creating an ethereal atmosphere that transcends conventional portraiture. This evocative image continues the tradition of underwater fine art photography that explores themes of transformation and liminality. The composition's intimate perspective invites viewers to experience the boundary between worlds—a visual poetry of submersion and emergence that resonates within contemporary underwater portraiture. Original gallery quality archival pigment print on archival paper signed by the artist, furnished with certificate of authenticity. Limited edition of 24 Paper size: 36x44...

Category

2010s Photorealist Art

Materials

Archival Pigment, Archival Paper

Plums - Still Life Original Oil Painting
Plums - Still Life Original Oil Painting

Plums - Still Life Original Oil Painting

By Stuart Dunkel

Located in Los Angeles, CA

Stuart Dunkel has spent decades refining his hyper-realistic style. He paints realistic imagery based on real world inspirations. His paintings show that the everyday object can be f...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Photorealist Art

Materials

Oil, Board

NYC Shopping Couple
NYC Shopping Couple

NYC Shopping Couple

Located in Slovak Republic, SK

The picture is an edition ( Edit. of 50) and part of a book about NYC, which Kallay done in 1965 for a German book publisher.

Category

1960s Photorealist Art

Materials

Photographic Paper

Black & White Monochrome of a Female Nude by Contemporary American Photographer
Black & White Monochrome of a Female Nude by Contemporary American Photographer

Black & White Monochrome of a Female Nude by Contemporary American Photographer

Located in Preston, GB

Black & White Monochrome Photograph of a Female Nude by Contemporary by legendary American Photographer, Larry Colwell (1911-1972). Photo Size 9.5 x 6 inches - Signed on the rear Unmounted & Unframed Larry Colwell American, 1911-1972 Born 1911, Detroit, Michigan Died 1972, New Canaan...

Category

1950s Photorealist Art

Materials

Ink, Printer's Ink, Photographic Paper, Monoprint

Black & White Photograph of a Female Nude by Contemporary American Photographer
Black & White Photograph of a Female Nude by Contemporary American Photographer

Black & White Photograph of a Female Nude by Contemporary American Photographer

Located in Preston, GB

Black & White Photograph of a Female Nude by Contemporary American Photographer, Dan O'Neill. Dan is based in Brooklyn, New York. Photo Size 9.5 x 7.5 inches Unmounted & Unframed Dan has has work featured in the following magazines: BAZAAR • COSMOPOLITAN • 20 ANS • COMPANY • BIBA • CITY • SELF • L'OFFICIEL • SPIN • INTERVIEW • AMICA • YM • SUGAR • PLAYBOY • RIVIERA • ESSENCE His work has been used in adverts for: TRUE RELIGION • OSCAR DE LA RENTA • NIKE • VICTORIA'S SECRET • NORDSTROM • NIVEA • MACY'S • ROBERT COMSTOCK • BEDFORD • CONTREC • VICTORY • JUNKO YOSHIOKA • TARGET • EDDIE BAUER...

Category

Early 2000s Photorealist Art

Materials

Ink, Printer's Ink, Photographic Paper

MAN RAY (1890-1976), RAYOGRAPH, 1923 Photogravure, FIRST EDITION

MAN RAY (1890-1976), RAYOGRAPH, 1923 Photogravure, FIRST EDITION

By Man Ray

Located in Pembroke Pines, FL

Artist: Man Ray (American born, 1890 - 1976) Title: RAYOGRAPH Date Of Negative: 1923 Type Of Print: Authentic Vintage Sheet Fed Photogravure/Heliogravure. Date Of Print: 1934 1st Edi...

Category

1920s Photorealist Art

Materials

Photogravure

Fiesta Photography Mexico Stamped Karol Kállay

Fiesta Photography Mexico Stamped Karol Kállay

By Karol Kallay

Located in Slovak Republic, SK

Photography done for the publication Mexico/Volk und Welt Berlin 1968/stamped on the back with authors stamp.

Category

1960s Photorealist Art

Materials

Photographic Paper

Lotus No. 65 (Photo-Realist Still Life Painting of Pink & Green Lotus Flowers)
Lotus No. 65 (Photo-Realist Still Life Painting of Pink & Green Lotus Flowers)

Lotus No. 65 (Photo-Realist Still Life Painting of Pink & Green Lotus Flowers)

By Frank DePietro

Located in Hudson, NY

Photorealist still life painting on canvas of a light pink lotus flower with brown lotus pods and green petals against a light grey background "Lotus Number Sixty-Five" oil on canvas, 48 x 48 inches, 49 x 49 x 2 inches with a dark wood frame Signed lower left Excellent condition and ready to hang Painted with the exactness of a still life photograph, this hard edge realist painting by artist Frank DiPietro features a light pink lotus flower, with lush green leaves on a pale grey background. Inspired by close observations of the natural world and encounters with still moments that give us pause. Lines, shapes and colors encountered in nature, reveal the cycles of decay and regeneration that are life’s constant state of change. The work has a quiet, meditative quality. The subject is portrayed in a manner true to their existence in a specific time and place and selected based on considerations of visual relationships to formal elements of painting. Aspects of photo realism, hard edge and color field techniques are utilized to isolate the uniqueness of the subject’s detail, as well as emphasize flatness and illusion of depth within the two-dimensional space of the painting. About the artist: Frank DiPietro was born and raised in Scranton PA. He received a Bachelor of Art from Bloomsburg University in 1997, majoring in both Painting and Ceramics with a minor in Art History. In 2000 he earned a degree in Art Education from Moore College of Art and Design while continuing his studies in painting. Frank lived in Philadelphia for twelve years painting and teaching at several museums, art centers and schools in the region. In 2010 he and his family moved to Chester County PA, where he currently resides. Frank currently teaches painting classes and workshops at the Delaware Art Museum and Longwood Gardens...

Category

2010s Photorealist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

MAN RAY (1890-1976), FEMALE NUDE, 1930 Photogravure, FIRST EDITION

MAN RAY (1890-1976), FEMALE NUDE, 1930 Photogravure, FIRST EDITION

By Man Ray

Located in Pembroke Pines, FL

Artist: Man Ray (American born, 1890 - 1976) Title: FEMALE NUDE Date Of Negative: 1930 Type Of Print: Authentic Vintage Sheet Fed Photogravure/Heliogravure. Date Of Print: 1934 1st E...

Category

1920s Photorealist Art

Materials

Photogravure

Young Man Rising up out of the Sea. In Celebration of Pride Month
Young Man Rising up out of the Sea. In Celebration of Pride Month

Young Man Rising up out of the Sea. In Celebration of Pride Month

Located in New Orleans, LA

Stone and Press Gallery is excited to offer several works in celebration of the LGBTQ community. A signed Certificate of Authority will be included with all photographs. A nude yo...

Category

2010s Photorealist Art

Materials

Photographic Paper, Digital

Flame - underwater nude photograph - archival pigment print 18 x 24"
Flame - underwater nude photograph - archival pigment print 18 x 24"

Flame - underwater nude photograph - archival pigment print 18 x 24"

By Alex Sher

Located in Beverly Hills, CA

This intimate monochromatic underwater photograph captures a naked woman in a moment of quiet contemplation, her elegant form rising from the grainy bottom like a slender tongue of f...

Category

2010s Photorealist Art

Materials

Archival Paper, Archival Pigment

Greta Garbo "Mata Hari" Film Photograph by Clarence Sinclair Bull, 1931
Greta Garbo "Mata Hari" Film Photograph by Clarence Sinclair Bull, 1931

Greta Garbo "Mata Hari" Film Photograph by Clarence Sinclair Bull, 1931

By Clarence Sinclair Bull

Located in Soquel, CA

Greta Garbo "Mata Hari" Film Photograph by Clarence Sinclair Bull, 1931 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...

Category

1930s Photorealist Art

Materials

Photographic Paper, Silver Gelatin

Life belt-original hyperrealism modern water oil painting-contemporary Art
Life belt-original hyperrealism modern water oil painting-contemporary Art

Life belt-original hyperrealism modern water oil painting-contemporary Art

Located in London, Chelsea

We offer complimentary worldwide shipping and cover all tariffs and import taxes for this artwork. This exceptional artwork is currently on display and available for sale at Signet C...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Photorealist Art

Materials

Oil, Board

No Way - black & white nude photograph - archival pigment print 35x55"
No Way - black & white nude photograph - archival pigment print 35x55"

No Way - black & white nude photograph - archival pigment print 35x55"

By Alex Sher

Located in Beverly Hills, CA

A black and white photograph of a perfect woman's buttocks and cuffed hands giving a finger. Original gallery quality print signed by the artist. Digital archival pigment print. P...

Category

2010s Photorealist Art

Materials

Archival Paper, Archival Pigment, Digital Pigment

MAN RAY (1890-1976), MRS ROWELL, 1930 Photogravure, FIRST EDITION

MAN RAY (1890-1976), MRS ROWELL, 1930 Photogravure, FIRST EDITION

By Man Ray

Located in Pembroke Pines, FL

Artist: Man Ray (American born, 1890 - 1976) Title: MRS ROWELL Date Of Negative: 1930 Type Of Print: Authentic Vintage Sheet Fed Photogravure/Heliogravure. Date Of Print: 1934 1st Ed...

Category

1920s Photorealist Art

Materials

Photogravure

1870's Antique Italian Hunting Scene trompe l’oeil Oil Painting Birds Game Gold
1870's Antique Italian Hunting Scene trompe l’oeil Oil Painting Birds Game Gold

1870's Antique Italian Hunting Scene trompe l’oeil Oil Painting Birds Game Gold

Located in Buffalo, NY

This striking 19th-century painting signed "A. Malevolti 1877 Florence" is a fine example of the trompe l’oeil tradition, in which artists skillfully render imagery that "tricks the ...

Category

1870s Photorealist Art

Materials

Oil, Board

Escape - underwater nude photograph - archival pigment print 26 x 35"
Escape - underwater nude photograph - archival pigment print 26 x 35"

Escape - underwater nude photograph - archival pigment print 26 x 35"

By Alex Sher

Located in Beverly Hills, CA

This contemplative monochromatic nude photograph captures a naked woman suspended in minimalist gray waters, surrounded by a constellation of air bubbles ascending toward an unseen s...

Category

2010s Photorealist Art

Materials

Archival Paper, Archival Pigment

No Way - black & white nude photograph - print on paper 15" x 23"
No Way - black & white nude photograph - print on paper 15" x 23"

No Way - black & white nude photograph - print on paper 15" x 23"

By Alex Sher

Located in Beverly Hills, CA

A black and white photograph of a perfect woman's buttocks and her handcuffed hands giving a finger. Original gallery quality archival pigment print on archival paper signed by the ...

Category

2010s Photorealist Art

Materials

Archival Paper, Archival Pigment, Digital Pigment

Athena - underwater nude photograph - archival pigment print
Athena - underwater nude photograph - archival pigment print

Athena - underwater nude photograph - archival pigment print

By Alex Sher

Located in Beverly Hills, CA

An underwater photograph of a naked young woman with a sward. Original gallery quality print signed by the artist. Digital archival pigment print on archival paper with metallic fi...

Category

2010s Photorealist Art

Materials

Archival Pigment

Photorealist art for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a wide variety of authentic Photorealist art 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 art 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, purple, orange and other colors. Many Pop art paintings were created by popular artists on 1stDibs, including Alex Sher, Gregory Block, Lowell Nesbitt, and Ian Hornak. Frequently made by artists working with Paint, and Oil Paint 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 art, so small editions measuring 0.79 inches across are also available. Prices for art 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 $585,000, while the average work sells for $2,404.