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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
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

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

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

"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

"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

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

"The Nightmare of Childhood"
"The Nightmare of Childhood"

"The Nightmare of Childhood"

By Kateryna Kostyk

Located in Zofingen, AG

Original artwork description: This is the very enemy that made me afraid to go out into the yard. Everyone who grew up in the countryside knows the fear that fills a child's heart wh...

Category

2010s Photorealist Art

Materials

Charcoal, Archival Paper

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

Joanne, Signed Lithograph by John Kacere
Joanne, Signed Lithograph by John Kacere

Joanne, Signed Lithograph by John Kacere

By John Kacere

Located in Long Island City, NY

Artist: John Kacere, American (1920 - 1999) Title: Joanne Year: 1979 Medium: Lithograph, signed and numbered in pencil Edition: 300 Size: 19 x 25 inches Image Size: 15.5 in. x 23 in...

Category

1970s Photorealist Art

Materials

Lithograph

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Pancakes and Blackberries-original realism still life painting-contemporary Art
Pancakes and Blackberries-original realism still life painting-contemporary Art

Pancakes and Blackberries-original realism still life painting-contemporary Art

By Heidi von Faber

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

Linen, Acrylic

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

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

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

Swimmer
Swimmer

Swimmer

Located in Zofingen, AG

With each dip into the water, the swimmer experiences a renewing sensation, as if every droplet washes away fatigue and brings forth strength. In this fluid motion, an almost etherea...

Category

2010s Photorealist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

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

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

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

Yosemite Blue Mountain, Cyanotype on Watercolor Paper, Landscape in Indigo
Yosemite Blue Mountain, Cyanotype on Watercolor Paper, Landscape in Indigo

Yosemite Blue Mountain, Cyanotype on Watercolor Paper, Landscape in Indigo

By Kind of Cyan

Located in Barcelona, ES

This is an exclusive handprinted limited edition cyanotype. This cyanotype shows one of the mountains in beautiful Yosemite National park in California. Details: + Title: Yosemite Blue Mountain + Year: 2021 + Edition Size: 100 + Stamped and Certificate of Authenticity provided + Measurements : 70x100 cm (28x 40 in.), a standard frame size + All cyanotype prints are made on high-quality Italian watercolor paper * Frame is for illustrative purposes only. Artwork shipped carefully rolled and packaged in a tube. WHAT IS A CYANOTYPE? The cyanotype (a.k.a. sun-print) process is one of the oldest in the history of photography, dating back to the 1840's. Cyanotypes were then made famous by Anna Atkins, considered the first female photographer. Inspired by nature, we feel the need to look back at a craft that is handmade, analogue, and using an all-natural light source: the sun. Our cyanotypes are made by coating high-quality Italian watercolor paper with a light-sensitive emulsion. We then expose it in direct sunlight for several minutes using a photo negative to get the best image quality. Finally, the print is washed and fixed with water to stop the reaction and prevent fading. What you get is an amazing, royal blue image...

Category

2010s Photorealist Art

Materials

Emulsion, Watercolor, Photographic Paper, C Print, Engraving, Etching, M...

Mono-Poli III - Realism, Photorealistic Oil Painting, Colorful, Hyperrealism

Mono-Poli III - Realism, Photorealistic Oil Painting, Colorful, Hyperrealism

Located in Salzburg, AT

„He is a declared painter with full awareness of his conceptual past. His works, near to photo-realism, show objects in a garish intense coloristic. It is the process of painting, the transition from the idea to a perfect canvas, which is most important for Toman. The object is just a pretext, the valuable is the studio and the picturesque amatory, which makes it possible to copy the material fragments of life.“ (Panteon) Born 1966, studied 1986-87 at the Institute of Artistic Education UMCS Lublin/studio Prof. Mieczysław Herman, 1988-93 at the Faculty for Painting/Academy of Fine Arts, Cracow, diploma in the studio of Prof. Włodzimierz Kunz; 1995-97 Ecole Regionale des beaux-arts in Rennes/France, diploma with distinction under direction of Prof. Gerard Baldet...

Category

2010s Photorealist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

David Bowie The Archer
David Bowie The Archer

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 Art

Materials

Archival Pigment

David Bowie and Elizabeth Taylor signed Lifetime Edition

David Bowie and Elizabeth Taylor signed Lifetime Edition

By Terry O'Neill

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. Signed limited edition, silver gelatin print ...

Category

1970s Photorealist Art

Materials

Silver Gelatin

David Bowie "Watch That Man IV" by Sukita
David Bowie "Watch That Man IV" by Sukita

David Bowie "Watch That Man IV" by Sukita

By Masayoshi Sukita

Located in Austin, TX

16" x 20", signed limited edition print of David Bowie by Masayoshi Sukita. Taken at RCA Studios, New York, 1973. As featured in the new movie, Moonage Daydream. This print is also ...

Category

Late 20th Century Photorealist Art

Materials

C Print

Girl in a Chair, Large Painting by Bill Wiman
Girl in a Chair, Large Painting by Bill Wiman

Girl in a Chair, Large Painting by Bill Wiman

By Bill Wiman

Located in Long Island City, NY

Artist: Bill Wiman, American (1940 - ) Title: Girl in a Chair Year: 1978 Medium: Oil on Canvas, signed Size: 82 x 83.5 in. (182.88 x 212.09 cm) Frame: 83 x 84.5 inches

Category

1970s Photorealist Art

Materials

Oil, Canvas

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

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.