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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
Blissful moments, Painting, Acrylic on Canvas
Located in Yardley, PA
Unique resin ocean painting with gold sand beach and frothy splashing waves, inspired by The Turks and Caicos Islands This painting does not need to be framed, the painted image i...
Category

2010s Photorealist Art

Materials

Acrylic

Little wave #1, Painting, Acrylic on MDF Panel
Located in Yardley, PA
"Little wave" is part of the "Ocean Waves" collection inspired by the colors ocean has in the Bahamas. Calm splashing waves, warm and teal turquoise ocean, clear blue sky. Peace and ...
Category

2010s Photorealist Art

Materials

Acrylic

Blue Crabs and Fishing Ball, Painting, Watercolor on Paper
Located in Yardley, PA
Blue Crabs on an old boat rudder with a Japanese fishing ball. :: Painting :: Photorealism :: This piece comes with an official certificate of authenticity...
Category

2010s Photorealist Art

Materials

Watercolor

The King Tide
Located in Natchez, MS
A beautiful and deceptively simple example of Sloan's work. The King Tide is a seascape, speaking on climate change - specifically sea level rise. Adding to the surrealistic nature ...
Category

2010s Photorealist Art

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic

The Glory of Real Estate
Located in West Hollywood, CA
Eva Carzul’s artwork, “The Glory of Real Estate,” ingeniously infuses humor as the artist shares her personal experiences with the viewer. With one hand clutching keys to an undisclo...
Category

2010s Photorealist Art

Materials

Acrylic

Bon Appetit!, Painting, Oil on MDF Panel
Located in Yardley, PA
Bright red cherries oil painting. Food, taste, berries. Oil on a gallery hardboard. Certificate of Authenticity included. I use all professional packing materials to make su...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Photorealist Art

Materials

Oil

Icelandic Waterfall-Photograph
Located in Chesterfield, MI
Waterfall in Iceland in geothermal area. Photograph taken from a helicopter perspective. Measures 8 x 10 inches and is Unframed. Also available: 5 x 7 inches.
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Photorealist Art

Materials

Photographic Paper

Unstable Affection
Located in West Hollywood, CA
In Eva Carzul’s painting, “Unstable Affection,” a comedic portrayal unfolds, vividly illustrating the visual representation of emotional fragility and instability. Perched atop a box adorned with cautionary tape proclaiming “Fragile,” the figure dons mismatched shoes and, in a comical twist, manages to ensnare herself with her own fishing line. The true essence of instability emanates from the exaggerated facial features...
Category

2010s Photorealist Art

Materials

Acrylic

Little wave #2, Painting, Acrylic on MDF Panel
Located in Yardley, PA
Inspired by The Turks And Caicos ocean colors Different shades of blue tones, turquoise, teal, aqua, gold and white This painting does not need to be framed, the painted image exte...
Category

2010s Photorealist Art

Materials

Acrylic

"Waterfall with Spray and Shrubs" Small Landscape with Waterfall, Sky, Greenery
Located in Wellesley, MA
"Waterfall with Spray and Shrubs," Oil on Panel, 12 x 12 x 3/4 inches, is a meticulously painted rendition of a waterfall on a summer day. The top half of the painting is dominate...
Category

2010s Photorealist Art

Materials

Oil, Wood Panel

Assisi II, dramatic diptych architectural print monochromatic black and white
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Edition of 30 + 10AP Print unusual vertical diptych by master printer Agnes Murray
Category

1980s Photorealist Art

Materials

Archival Ink, Archival Paper

Roanheads Chimneys #3, 2018
Located in Brooklyn, NY
This original oil on birch-wood panel is a signature painting of Roanheads, Scotland by Agnes Murray. Ms. Murray is notable for capturing the crystalline quality of northern light. ...
Category

2010s Photorealist Art

Materials

Oil, Panel

Peaceful ocean, Painting, Acrylic on Canvas
Located in Yardley, PA
Dealing with depression, PTSD and anxiety, painting is a form of therapy for me. In this painting I create a peaceful and safe space for the child and adult in me both, a place to ...
Category

2010s Photorealist Art

Materials

Acrylic

contemporary realist watercolor painting car closeup parking lot signed
Located in Milwaukee, WI
"'59 Cadillac" is an original signed watercolor by Bruce McCombs. It depicts the back end of a gleaming Cadillac with exquisite attention to reflection and light. 22 1/4" x 29 5/8"...
Category

1990s Photorealist Art

Materials

Watercolor

SIMPSON, Painting, Oil on Canvas
Located in Yardley, PA
DETAILS: Oil on canvas, size 16x48x1.5 inches - 40X120X4 cm - sides are painted to match the painting SUPPORT: gallery canvas, wrapped around the sides and stapled to the back SIGN...
Category

2010s Photorealist Art

Materials

Oil

CAPOLAGO, Painting, Oil on Canvas
Located in Yardley, PA
DETAILS: Oil on canvas, size 28X40X1.5 inches - 70X100X4 cm - Sides are painted to match the painting SUPPORT: gallery canvas, wrapped around the sides and stapled to the back SIGN...
Category

2010s Photorealist Art

Materials

Oil

Black Bear with Legs
Located in Bozeman, MT
This is a framed original drawing on paper. Adonna Khare is an America Artist mainly focused on carbon pencil on paper drawings. She received her Masters of Fine Art from California...
Category

2010s Photorealist Art

Materials

Archival Paper, Carbon Pencil

Mountain Lake - Black and White Figurative - Landscape Photography
Located in Soquel, CA
Mountain Lake - Black and White Landscape Photography Skillful black and white photograph of a lake in the mountains by by Bill Clark (American, 20th Century). Dramatic rock format...
Category

Late 20th Century Photorealist Art

Materials

Photographic Paper

--
Located in Fairfield, CT
Her oil on canvas images are photorealistic and gorgeous.
Category

2010s Photorealist Art

Materials

Oil

White Crucifixion- Self Portrait With Marc Chagall, Painting, Acrylic on MDF
Located in Yardley, PA
On this painting you see me looking at Marc Chagall's 1938 painting White Crucifixion. The painting dramatically calls attention to the persecutio...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Photorealist Art

Materials

Acrylic

"Counterpoise, " Original Color Lithograph signed by Jeanette Pasin-Sloan
Located in Milwaukee, WI
"Counterpoise" is an original color lithograph by Jeanette Pasin-Sloan. It features a number of brightly colored hyper-realistic shining glassware. The artist signed the piece lower ...
Category

Early 2000s Photorealist Art

Materials

Lithograph

Self, Painting, Oil on Canvas
Located in Yardley, PA
I Painted It Over A Period Of One Year Between 2014-15, Using A Photo As A Reference. This Painting Was Chosen For Ruth Borchard Self-portrait Prize 2015 Exhibition :: Painting :: Ph...
Category

2010s Photorealist Art

Materials

Oil

Silver placer., Painting, Acrylic on Canvas
Located in Yardley, PA
Silver placer. Blue water, waves, serene views, ocean shine, glare on the water create an atmosphere of relaxation, romance. Made in the style of realism. Part of a permanent series ...
Category

2010s Photorealist Art

Materials

Acrylic

Liquor Deli
Located in Fairfield, CT
For nearly twenty years, Thompson has focused primarily on painting old neon signs that have somehow avoided the wrecking ball - the signs that have live...
Category

2010s Photorealist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

RL 0301
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 Art

Materials

Photographic Film, Photographic Paper, Digital, Photogram, Archival Pigm...

San Pietro
Located in Milano, MI
Photo taken at San Pietro - Rome Marcelo Soulé (Buenos Aires, 1958) trained at the Artistic Lyceum and the Brera Academy in Milan. He lives and works be...
Category

2010s Photorealist Art

Materials

Black and White, Inkjet, Pigment

Space Traffic
Located in Boca Raton, FL
OPAC, the Organization of Photorealist Artists and Collectors, presents Cesar Santander Space Traffic Original Oil Painting 18" x 24" original painting on board. This is a unique,...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Photorealist Art

Materials

Oil, Board

71_mg_0355
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 Art

Materials

Photographic Film, Photographic Paper, Digital, Archival Pigment, Digita...

Jimi Hendrix Experience 1967 Contact Sheet by Gered Mankowitz
Located in Austin, TX
The Jimi Hendrix Experience, London 1967 by Gered Mankowitz Signed limited edition 16x20" print, signed and numbered by Gered Mankowitz featuring Gered's embossed stamp. Also avai...
Category

Late 20th Century Photorealist Art

Materials

Archival Pigment

MARTE, Painting, Oil on Canvas
Located in Yardley, PA
This painting make me serene and calm, its sweet colours and shades are a caress to the spirit, while the dynamism of the wine in this masculine form (hence the name Marte) gives a n...
Category

2010s Photorealist Art

Materials

Oil

Silver Circus, hyper realistic colorful painting w/ abstract qualities
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Oil on canvas Doug Newton’s hyper-real paintings observe reality, explore translucency, reflections and luminosity, and dazzle the viewer with all the ways light can transform our pe...
Category

2010s Photorealist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

"Reflection 8th Street Grille, " Watercolor signed by Bruce McCombs
Located in Milwaukee, WI
"Reflections 8th Street Grille" is an original signed watercolor by Bruce McCombs. It depicts the storefront window of a cafe. This view does not allow the viewer to see much of the ...
Category

Early 2000s Photorealist Art

Materials

Watercolor

Coral reef Australia #1, Painting, Acrylic on Wood Panel
Located in Yardley, PA
Coral reef painting - inspired by the amazing aerial views of The great Barrier Reef in Australia Dealing with depression, PTSD and anxiety, painting is a form of therapy for me. In ...
Category

2010s Photorealist Art

Materials

Acrylic

Plums with a cup, Painting, Oil on MDF Panel
Located in Yardley, PA
100% Handmade Original Oil Painting © 2023 Albert Kechyan. All rights reserved :: Painting :: Photorealism :: This piece comes with an official certificate of authenticity signed...
Category

2010s Photorealist Art

Materials

Oil

"Ranas / Frogs". Contemporary, Realism, animal, figurative, hyperrealist
Located in MADRID, ES
"Ranas / Frogs". Contemporary, Realism, animal, figurative, hyperrealism, photorealim
Category

2010s Photorealist Art

Materials

Watercolor

Red Spirals, colorful ribbon and candy, super realism neutral toned background
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Oil paint on canvas colorful whimsical
Category

2010s Photorealist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

"Still Life of Yellow Watermelon" Modern Still-Life Food Photography
Located in Wellesley, MA
"I am a professional food and still life photographer with over 30 years experience based in New York City. My attention to detail and strong sense of composition has allowed me to ...
Category

2010s Photorealist Art

Materials

Archival Pigment

true blue, Painting, Acrylic on Canvas
Located in Yardley, PA
Unique original aerial ocean painting with white sand beach and frothy splashing waves, inspired by The Australian Great Barrier Reef Different shades of blue, turquoise, teal, aqua...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Photorealist Art

Materials

Acrylic

"Berries and Cream" Photo-Realist Still Life 3 Fruits in Glass Compote on Blue
Located in Wellesley, MA
Mary Ellen Johnson is internationally recognized as one of the top Photo Realist painters working today whose extraordinary area of expertise is large-scale, unimaginably realistic, stunningly beautiful and delightful images of food. Currently available is this gorgeous bowl of raspberries, blueberries and strawberries with whipped cream, a mouth-watering slice of cherry pie with vanilla ice cream, an equally amazing strawberry parfait sundae, and a delicious slice of cherry cheesecake: Mary Ellen Johnson "Berries and Cream" Oil on Wood Panel 24 x 20 Inches Note: This painting is framed in white wood. The artist has also completed many commissioned food paintings including the Canadian Government's request for images of 5 of Canada's favorite foods which subsequently became stamp images - and The Cheesecake Factory's two commissions for their corporate headquarters and the owners' Malibu beach house. A quote from the artist: “I make the panels large to give a monumental feeling to the painting when viewed. These large images not only confront the viewer with their size but with their tremendous sense of extravagance. My work explores the deep connection that food has with humanity.” Mary Ellen Johnson Johnson further describes herself as a ‘Precision Realist’ whose primary subject is food. Sold works include paintings of PB & J sandwiches, pancakes with blueberries and syrup, banana splits, ice cream, hot dogs, cupcakes, waffles, muscles and sushi, among others. Unequaled for their brilliance and dramatic depictions of mundane subjects with their connotations of nostalgia, comfort and tradition, it is also her scale, cropping and over the top technical skill that renders these works so overwhelmingly appealing! MARY ELLEN JOHNSON Born: 1967, West Long Branch, NJ. Education: 1989, Ringling School of Art and Design, Sarasota ONE PERSON EXHIBITIONS: Beth Urdang...
Category

2010s Photorealist Art

Materials

Oil, Wood Panel

The happy place, Painting, Acrylic on Canvas
Located in Yardley, PA
Original, one-of-a-kind, hand painted, inspired by the aerial view of The Bahamas and Turks And Caicos Islands from in my last vacation there Dealing with depression, PTSD and anxiet...
Category

2010s Photorealist Art

Materials

Acrylic

RL 2
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 Art

Materials

Photographic Film, Photographic Paper, Digital, Photogram, Archival Pigm...

Solar power, Digital on Paper
Located in Yardley, PA
A beautiful sunflower on a black background :: Digital :: Photorealism :: This piece comes with an official certificate of authenticity signed by the artist :: Ready to Hang: No :: S...
Category

2010s Photorealist Art

Materials

Digital

Rajah of Sarawak - Mid-Century Mens Magazine - Pulp Adventure Magazine
Located in Miami, FL
Male illustration Illustration - Sir James Brooke, Rajah of Sarawak, KCB (29 April 1803[1] – 11 June 1868), was a British adventurer whose exploits in the Malay Archipelago...
Category

1950s Photorealist Art

Materials

Gouache

Ken Orton, "Mandrake" Rainbow Glass Bottle Still Life Photorealist Oil Painting
Located in Saratoga Springs, NY
Ken Orton's "Mandrake" is a 54x36 original oil painting on canvas. This painting depicts a still life setting featuring multiple antique bottles and jars. The bottles range in size, color and shape, the most prominent of is Presto jar. Light from the background adds depth and interest to the composition, and the warm orange tones shining through the foreground glass compliments the subtle soft blues and greens within the clear glass. The artist chooses to paint larger than life still lives, cropping in closely and creating a fish-eye lens effect for more impact. Every detail from the reflections on the table, to the illusion of the raised letters on the bottles, is painted masterfully. About the artist: Ken Orton has dedicated his life to painting. His childhood was spent drawing the urban, industrial surroundings of Birmingham, England. At the Birmingham and then Manchester Colleges of Art he studied Art Education and after six years teaching in England accepted an offer to head the arts program at the Joan Miro Centro de Arte of the Baleares International School in Mallorca, Spain. For the next twenty years he would introduce the concepts of pictorial composition, color theory and draftsmanship to his students. Many of these students would go on to achieve great success in the many branches of the arts, architecture and music and remain close friends with their teacher to this day. An integral part of Orton’s perspective training for his students was the study of the ellipse. He often used glass cylinders to demonstrate how the perceived ellipses generated by variations in the circle's relationship to the eye-line could be used as a powerful tool in creating the appearance of a third dimension on a two dimensional surface. Later, after he had moved to America in 1999, he discovered a treasure trove of antique mason jars...
Category

2010s Photorealist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Eupholus Shoenherri, Contemporary Art Photorealist Oil Painting by Matthew Bober
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Eupholus Shoenherri 2019 Oil and metal leaf. on panel 5" x 7"unframed 8.25" x 8.25" framed Eupholus Shoenherri is a species of beetles from New Guinea. Many of the artist's works a...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Photorealist Art

Materials

Metal

I LOVE YOU, Painting, Oil on Canvas
Located in Yardley, PA
"I LOVE YOU" made with red and gold balloons on a black background. Several layers of paint, using traditionnal tools, :: Painting :: Photorealism :: This piece comes with an offici...
Category

2010s Photorealist Art

Materials

Oil

"I Believe in Ghosts" is a contemporary trompe l'oeil painting
Located in Sag Harbor, NY
"I Believe in Ghosts" is a contemporary trompe l'oeil painting of words scrambled with Casper the Friendly Ghost. The ghost in this case is not just Casper the Friendly Ghost, howe...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Photorealist Art

Materials

Oil, Panel

"Hansen's Rexall Drugs, " Watercolor signed by Bruce McCombs
Located in Milwaukee, WI
"Hansen's Rexall Drugs" is an original signed watercolor by Bruce McCombs. It depicts front of a drug store and features its neon sign and reflective windows. This painting displays ...
Category

Early 2000s Photorealist Art

Materials

Watercolor

"Food Bouquet #1" Still-Life Contemporary Photography Purple Fruit and Flowers
Located in Wellesley, MA
"I am a professional food and still life photographer with over 30 years experience based in New York City. My attention to detail and strong sense of composition has allowed me to ...
Category

2010s Photorealist Art

Materials

Archival Pigment

Billboard Series. New York Soho. NYC. [Caustic Equal Spiral Curve]
Located in Henderson, NV
Clifford Singer is a well know photographer who has set aside Photorealism where he has incorporated his abstract geometric work in a billboard in New York's Soho.
Category

Early 2000s Photorealist Art

Materials

Canvas, Archival Pigment

Les bulles II (Bubbles II), Painting, Oil on Canvas
Located in Yardley, PA
Soap bubbles on a black background. Fine canvas with several layers of paint. :: Painting :: Photorealism :: This piece comes with an official certificate of authenticity signed by ...
Category

2010s Photorealist Art

Materials

Oil

Al Pasino, Painting, Oil on Canvas
Located in Yardley, PA
Al Pacino is an American actor, director, and screenwriter. The portrait is painted in oil on linen canvas. Realism. It is varnished, the sides are painted in the color of the painti...
Category

2010s Photorealist Art

Materials

Oil

Contemporary female artist still life watercolor fruit realism signed
Located in Milwaukee, WI
"Persimmons, Tangerines & Blue Kerchief" is an original watercolor painting by Alicia Czechowski. The artist signed the piece in the lower right. This painting depicts orange persimm...
Category

1960s Photorealist Art

Materials

Watercolor

The Human League "Mirror Man" 1982 single cover by Simon Fowler
Located in Austin, TX
Signed limited edition print of The Human League taken by Simon Fowler in 1982. This shot was used for the cover of the single "Mirror Man" Available in the following sizes: 12 x ...
Category

Late 20th Century Photorealist Art

Materials

Archival Pigment

Roanheads Chimneys #1, 2018
Located in Brooklyn, NY
This original oil on birch-wood panel is a signature painting of Roanheads, Scotland by Agnes Murray. Ms. Murray is notable for capturing the crystalline quality of northern light. ...
Category

2010s Photorealist Art

Materials

Oil, Panel

Bernadette Peters, 1977
Located in Washington, DC
Artist: Francesco Scavullo (after) Title: Bernadette Peters, 1977 Portfolio: A Photographic Retrospective, Volume I: Song Medium: Gelatin Silver Print Year: 2004 Edition: 106/150 Sig...
Category

Early 2000s Photorealist Art

Materials

Silver Gelatin

Ikea, Painting, Acrylic on Wood Panel
Located in Yardley, PA
In an Ikea store painting of I saw a woman and a man looking for so-called paintings. Of course the art they're looking at isn't real art, these are just prints on canvas not eve...
Category

Early 2000s Photorealist Art

Materials

Acrylic

Toothy Frog
Located in Bozeman, MT
This is a unframed original drawing on paper. Adonna Khare is an America Artist mainly focused on carbon pencil on paper drawings. She received her Masters of Fine Art from Californi...
Category

2010s Photorealist Art

Materials

Archival Paper, Carbon Pencil

David Bowie at The Dorchester Hotel 1972 - Artist Proof Print
Located in Austin, TX
Signed artist proof 20x24" print of David Bowie by Alec Byrne, taken at the Dorchester Hotel, July 1972 Signed by photographer, Alec Byrne and marked "AP" ...
Category

Late 20th Century Photorealist Art

Materials

Archival Pigment

Pink Sand Beach - Elafonisi Beach Greece #1, Painting, Acrylic on Canvas
Located in Yardley, PA
Pink sand beach painting - inspired by the amazing Elafonisi beach on the Crete Island in Greece Dealing with depression, PTSD and anxiety, painting is a form of therapy for me. In t...
Category

2010s Photorealist Art

Materials

Acrylic

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.

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