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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
Butterfly Collector #12
Located in New York, NY
Coming from the world of Street art, Lis Sam is a self-taught artist. Born in Tunisia in 1989, he arrived in France at the age of 11, where he entered the world of craftsmanship, dev...
Category

2010s Photorealist Art

Materials

Plexiglass, Paper

Butterfly Collector #11
Located in New York, NY
Coming from the world of Street art, Lis Sam is a self-taught artist. Born in Tunisia in 1989, he arrived in France at the age of 11, where he entered the world of craftsmanship, dev...
Category

2010s Photorealist Art

Materials

Plexiglass, Paper

Butterfly Collector #10
Located in New York, NY
Coming from the world of Street art, Lis Sam is a self-taught artist. Born in Tunisia in 1989, he arrived in France at the age of 11, where he entered the world of craftsmanship, dev...
Category

2010s Photorealist Art

Materials

Plexiglass, Paper

Butterfly Collector #9
Located in New York, NY
Coming from the world of Street art, Lis Sam is a self-taught artist. Born in Tunisia in 1989, he arrived in France at the age of 11, where he entered the world of craftsmanship, dev...
Category

2010s Photorealist Art

Materials

Plexiglass, Paper

Butterfly Collector #8
Located in New York, NY
Coming from the world of Street art, Lis Sam is a self-taught artist. Born in Tunisia in 1989, he arrived in France at the age of 11, where he entered the world of craftsmanship, dev...
Category

2010s Photorealist Art

Materials

Plexiglass, Paper

Butterfly Collector #7
Located in New York, NY
Coming from the world of Street art, Lis Sam is a self-taught artist. Born in Tunisia in 1989, he arrived in France at the age of 11, where he entered the world of craftsmanship, dev...
Category

2010s Photorealist Art

Materials

Plexiglass, Paper

Butterfly Collector #6
Located in New York, NY
Coming from the world of Street art, Lis Sam is a self-taught artist. Born in Tunisia in 1989, he arrived in France at the age of 11, where he entered the world of craftsmanship, dev...
Category

2010s Photorealist Art

Materials

Plexiglass, Paper

Butterfly Collector #5
Located in New York, NY
Coming from the world of Street art, Lis Sam is a self-taught artist. Born in Tunisia in 1989, he arrived in France at the age of 11, where he entered the world of craftsmanship, dev...
Category

2010s Photorealist Art

Materials

Plexiglass, Paper

Butterfly Collector #4
Located in New York, NY
Coming from the world of Street art, Lis Sam is a self-taught artist. Born in Tunisia in 1989, he arrived in France at the age of 11, where he entered the world of craftsmanship, dev...
Category

2010s Photorealist Art

Materials

Plexiglass, Paper

Butterfly Collector #3
Located in New York, NY
Coming from the world of Street art, Lis Sam is a self-taught artist. Born in Tunisia in 1989, he arrived in France at the age of 11, where he entered the world of craftsmanship, dev...
Category

2010s Photorealist Art

Materials

Plexiglass, Paper

Butterfly Collector #2
Located in New York, NY
Coming from the world of Street art, Lis Sam is a self-taught artist. Born in Tunisia in 1989, he arrived in France at the age of 11, where he entered the world of craftsmanship, dev...
Category

2010s Photorealist Art

Materials

Plexiglass, Paper

Butterfly Collector #1
Located in New York, NY
Coming from the world of Street art, Lis Sam is a self-taught artist. Born in Tunisia in 1989, he arrived in France at the age of 11, where he entered the world of craftsmanship, dev...
Category

2010s Photorealist Art

Materials

Plexiglass, Paper

Automn Shadow
Located in New York, NY
Coming from the world of Street art, Lis Sam is a self-taught artist. Born in Tunisia in 1989, he arrived in France at the age of 11, where he entered the world of craftsmanship, dev...
Category

2010s Photorealist Art

Materials

Plexiglass, Paper

Purple Orchid 2
Located in New York, NY
Coming from the world of Street art, Lis Sam is a self-taught artist. Born in Tunisia in 1989, he arrived in France at the age of 11, where he entered the world of craftsmanship, dev...
Category

2010s Photorealist Art

Materials

Plexiglass, Paper

Purple Orchid 1
Located in New York, NY
Coming from the world of Street art, Lis Sam is a self-taught artist. Born in Tunisia in 1989, he arrived in France at the age of 11, where he entered the world of craftsmanship, dev...
Category

2010s Photorealist Art

Materials

Plexiglass, Paper

Purple Orchid 3
Located in New York, NY
Coming from the world of Street art, Lis Sam is a self-taught artist. Born in Tunisia in 1989, he arrived in France at the age of 11, where he entered the world of craftsmanship, dev...
Category

2010s Photorealist Art

Materials

Plexiglass, Paper

Shadow Diptyque
Located in New York, NY
Coming from the world of Street art, Lis Sam is a self-taught artist. Born in Tunisia in 1989, he arrived in France at the age of 11, where he entered the world of craftsmanship, dev...
Category

2010s Photorealist Art

Materials

Paper, Plexiglass

Ancient Blessing
By Roseta Santiago
Located in Missouri, MO
Ancient Blessing, 2006 Roseta Santiago Oil on Canvas Signed Middle Left 42 x 48 inches 43 x 50 inches with frame Roseta Santiago was born and raised in Washington D.C. She started ...
Category

Early 2000s Photorealist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Bob Dylan, "Bowling For Dollars" Liverpool, England 1966
Located in Austin, TX
Bob Dylan, mock Olympic curling tryouts, Liverpool, England, 1966 by Barry Feinstein All limited-edition prints released by the Estate of Barry Feinstein are embossed in the margin ...
Category

Late 20th Century Photorealist Art

Materials

Archival Pigment

Bob Dylan "Licensed Betting Office" Sheffield, England 1966
Located in Austin, TX
Bob Dylan, leaving betting office, Sheffield, England, 1966 by Barry Feinstein. All limited-edition prints released by the Estate of Barry Feinstein are embossed in the margin of th...
Category

Late 20th Century Photorealist Art

Materials

Archival Pigment

Bob Dylan, The Royal Albert Hall, London 1966
Located in Austin, TX
Bob Dylan taken during his sound check at the Royal Albert Hall, London, England, 1966 All limited-edition prints released by the Estate of Barry Feinstein are embossed in the margi...
Category

Late 20th Century Photorealist Art

Materials

Archival Pigment

Bob Dylan, Trying on boots, England 1966
Located in Austin, TX
Bob Dylan taken while trying on boots, in England, 1966 by Barry Feinstein All limited-edition prints released by the Estate of Barry Feinstein are embossed in the margin of the pri...
Category

1960s Photorealist Art

Materials

Archival Pigment

Bob Dylan, Liverpool, England 1966
Located in Austin, TX
Bob Dylan by Barry Feinstein, taken on the cobbled streets of Liverpool, England, 1966 All limited-edition prints released by the Estate of Barry Feinstein are embossed in the margi...
Category

1960s Photorealist Art

Materials

Archival Pigment

Bob Dylan "The Giant" Liverpool, England 1966
Located in Austin, TX
Bob Dylan “The Giant” by Barry Feinstein, Liverpool, England, 1966 All limited-edition prints released by the Estate of Barry Feinstein are embossed in the margin of the print recto...
Category

Late 20th Century Photorealist Art

Materials

Archival Pigment

Bob Dylan, "Kids On Steps" Liverpool, England 1966
Located in Austin, TX
Bob Dylan taken by Barry Feinstein, Liverpool, England, 1966 All limited-edition prints released by the Estate of Barry Feinstein are embossed in the margin of the print recto. The ...
Category

1960s Photorealist Art

Materials

Archival Pigment

Bob Dylan "Fans Looking in Limo" The Royal Albert Hall, London, 1966
Located in Austin, TX
Musician Bob Dylan with fans looking into his limousine, London, England, 1966 by Barry Feinstein. All limited-edition prints released by the Estate of Barry Feinstein are embossed ...
Category

Late 20th Century Photorealist Art

Materials

Archival Pigment

Bob Dylan - "The Times They Are A-Changin'" cover
Located in Austin, TX
Barry Feinstein's iconic cover for Bob Dylan's 1964 album, The Times They Are A-Changin'. Take in New York City, 1963. All limited-edition prints released by the Estate of Barry Fei...
Category

Late 20th Century Photorealist Art

Materials

Archival Pigment

Solitaire (It's 3am), Photorealist Oil on Canvas Painting by Nicholas Maravell
Located in Long Island City, NY
Solitaire (It’s 3am) Nicholas Maravell, American Date: 1992 Oil on Canvas, signed, titled and dated in marker on verso Size: 78 x 54.5 in. (198.12 x 138.43 cm)
Category

1990s Photorealist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Shimmer Abstraction, Photorealist Acrylic Painting on Aluminum by David Kessler
Located in Long Island City, NY
Shimmer Abstraction David T. Kessler, American (1950) Date: 2005 Acrylic on Brushed Aluminum mounted to board, signed, titled and dated on verso Size: 48 x 72 in. (121.92 x 182.88 cm)
Category

Early 2000s Photorealist Art

Materials

Metal

T-Series "After The Hunt" by Harnett, Photorealist Painting by John Clem Clarke
Located in Long Island City, NY
T-Series “After The Hunt” by Harnett John Clem Clarke, American (1937–2021) Date: 1983 Mixed Media on Canvas, titled and dated in marker on verso Size: 72.5 x 55.5 in. (184.15 x 140....
Category

1980s Photorealist Art

Materials

Canvas, Mixed Media

Porcelain Alliance
Located in New York, NY
Edition of 7 With his works included in the permanent collection at the Norton and the New Britain Museum, Drew Tal’s successful career has been nothing but a soaring ascension into...
Category

2010s Photorealist Art

Materials

Plexiglass, Photographic Film, Dye, Photographic Paper, Photogravure, Ph...

Incognito
Located in Singapore, SG
Handmade resin domes on board with unparalleled craftsmanship by Nemo Jantzen. Every inch of this piece is made by hand, with careful attention to detail. "Paradise" is a stunning pi...
Category

2010s Photorealist Art

Materials

Epoxy Resin

Domenico
Located in Cape Town, ZA
Craig Cameron-Mackintosh is a South African contemporary painter and filmmaker recognised for his distinctive oil portraits. His artistic journey began in 2015, after a decade-long hiatus from painting following high school. He initially pursued a degree in Motion Picture Medium, which has significantly influenced his artistic style, incorporating elements reminiscent of cinematography such as silhouettes and photographic effects like blurriness and overexposure. Cameron-Mackintosh gained notable acclaim when he won the Sanlam Portrait Award in 2019 for his portrait titled "Lesela." His work often explores themes of identity and perception, particularly through the use of silhouette motifs that obscure traditional identifiers such as age and gender. He has also produced and directed documentaries, including "Billy Monk – Shot in the Dark," which chronicles the life of a prominent South African photographer. ‘Dominico’ formed part of his inclusion in EBONY/CURATED’s main booth at the 2023 Investec Cape Town Art Fair, where he exhibited alongside Anico Mostert, Feni Chulumanco, Ian Garrett, Ismail Yilmaz, Kimathi Mafafo, Rentia Retief, Richard Butler...
Category

2010s Photorealist Art

Materials

Cotton Canvas, Oil

A Map of the World
Located in Greenwich, CT
Map Room at the Public Library, Bryant Park, NYC Born in New York City in 1959, Max Ferguson started as a filmmaker, making award-winning animated films as a teenager. But it was wh...
Category

2010s Photorealist Art

Materials

Oil, Panel

KING V
Located in Singapore, SG
Nails and thread on wood in plexiglass. One-of-a-kind original artwork. In his latest body of work, the Dutch artist Nemo Jantzen is combining skills obtained in earlier years of hi...
Category

2010s Photorealist Art

Materials

Thread

Intergalactic
Located in Singapore, SG
Nails and thread on wood in plexiglass. One-of-a-kind original artwork. In his latest body of work, the Dutch artist Nemo Jantzen is combining skills obtained in earlier years of hi...
Category

2010s Photorealist Art

Materials

Thread

Silence Is Golden
Located in Singapore, SG
Nails and thread on wood in plexiglass. One-of-a-kind original artwork. In his latest body of work, the Dutch artist Nemo Jantzen is combining skills obtained in earlier years of hi...
Category

2010s Photorealist Art

Materials

Thread

Out of Focus
Located in Singapore, SG
Nails and thread on wood in plexiglass. One-of-a-kind original artwork. In his latest body of work, the Dutch artist Nemo Jantzen is combining skills obtained in earlier years of hi...
Category

2010s Photorealist Art

Materials

Thread, Acrylic

Who’s Laughing Now
Located in Singapore, SG
Nails and thread on wood in plexiglass. One-of-a-kind original artwork. In his latest body of work, the Dutch artist Nemo Jantzen is combining skills obtained in earlier years of hi...
Category

2010s Photorealist Art

Materials

Thread

Finding the light
Located in Rye, NY
Meditation. Prayer. Focusing on the breath. Clearing the mind. Letting go of the world that can distract us, rob us, from moments of true peace. These paintings capture individuals i...
Category

2010s Photorealist Art

Materials

Paper, Acrylic

State of Grace
Located in Rye, NY
Meditation. Prayer. Focusing on the breath. Clearing the mind. Letting go of the world that can distract us, rob us, from moments of true peace. These paintings capture individuals i...
Category

2010s Photorealist Art

Materials

Paper, Acrylic

The Psychotropic Splendor of Utopian Intoxication
Located in Greenwich, CT
Still life of grapes, wine and foliage against an ocean background
Category

2010s Photorealist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

"Party of Two"
Located in Scottsdale, AZ
In our quick paced culture, we are hyper-stimulated with visual media, which has caused our sense of vision to become blind to many things of incredible loveliness and consequence, s...
Category

2010s Photorealist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

"On the Edge"
Located in Scottsdale, AZ
In our quick paced culture, we are hyper-stimulated with visual media, which has caused our sense of vision to become blind to many things of incredible loveliness and consequence, s...
Category

2010s Photorealist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

"Circle of Light II"
Located in Scottsdale, AZ
In our quick paced culture, we are hyper-stimulated with visual media, which has caused our sense of vision to become blind to many things of incredible loveliness and consequence, s...
Category

2010s Photorealist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

"Fading Moment"
Located in Scottsdale, AZ
In our quick paced culture, we are hyper-stimulated with visual media, which has caused our sense of vision to become blind to many things of incredible loveliness and consequence, s...
Category

2010s Photorealist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

"Closing In"
Located in Scottsdale, AZ
In our quick paced culture, we are hyper-stimulated with visual media, which has caused our sense of vision to become blind to many things of incredible loveliness and consequence, s...
Category

2010s Photorealist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

"Broken"
Located in Scottsdale, AZ
In our quick paced culture, we are hyper-stimulated with visual media, which has caused our sense of vision to become blind to many things of incredible loveliness and consequence, s...
Category

2010s Photorealist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

"Bluebird", Oil Painting
Located in Denver, CO
Daniel Sprick's (US based) "Bluebird" is an original, handmade oil painting that depicts a still life with a bird skeleton, a blue jar, a blue bowl and a broken eggshell. Currently on display at the Madden Museum through April 28, 2024, but available for shipping in early May. About the artist: "Upon first glance, viewers might think Daniel's works are photographs because of their stunningly realistic elements. However, the longer we look at one of his paintings, the more we become aware that they are anything but a part of our world. We encounter Sprick's paintings not so much as statements, but more as experiences, whereby we engage deeply with his creativity. - Timothy J. Standring, exhibition curator and Gates Foundation Curator at the Denver Art Museum. Daniel Sprick's Fictions: Recent Works includes more than 30 examples of the Colorado artist's portraiture and still life paintings that blur the line between realism and abstraction. His meticulous representation of everyday objects and stirring interpretation of the human form provide viewers a new way to look at the world. Born: May 1, 1953, Little Rock, Arkansas Education: AA-Mesa College, Grand Junction...
Category

2010s Photorealist Art

Materials

Oil, Board

Mississippi Street Intersection
Located in Palo Alto, CA
Created in 2007, this color soft ground etching with aquatint on paper is hand-signed and dated by Robert Bechtle (San Francisco, 1932 - Berkeley, 2020)...
Category

Early 2000s Photorealist Art

Materials

Etching, Aquatint

Inked In Kyoto
Located in New York, NY
Reka Nyari’s erotically charged photographs engage cultural narratives surrounding gender and sexuality. A master at the art of storytelling, Nyari’s newest series, GEISHA INK, documents Ginzilla, a dramatically-posed young woman whose naked body is lavishly-adorned with tattoos. A champion of feminine fortitude, Nyari has long been fascinated with the art of capturing women without pretense. Recognizing strength in the vulnerability of the nude female form, she chooses most often to photograph women...
Category

2010s Photorealist Art

Materials

Plexiglass, Photographic Film, Archival Ink, Archival Paper, Photographi...

The Bride
Located in New York, NY
With his works included in the permanent collection at the Norton and the New Britain Museum, Drew Tal’s successful career has been nothing but a soaring ascension into the global ar...
Category

2010s Photorealist Art

Materials

Plexiglass, Photographic Film

Sight Unseen
Located in New York, NY
With his works included in the permanent collection at the Norton and the New Britain Museum, Drew Tal’s successful career has been nothing but a soaring ascension into the global ar...
Category

2010s Photorealist Art

Materials

Plexiglass, Photographic Film, Photographic Paper

Empire
Located in New York, NY
With his works included in the permanent collection at the Norton and the New Britain Museum, Drew Tal’s successful career has been nothing but a soaring ascension into the global ar...
Category

2010s Photorealist Art

Materials

Plexiglass, Photographic Film, Photographic Paper

Mosaic
Located in New York, NY
With his works included in the permanent collection at the Norton and the New Britain Museum, Drew Tal’s successful career has been nothing but a soaring ascension into the global ar...
Category

2010s Photorealist Art

Materials

Plexiglass, Photographic Film, Photographic Paper, Photogram

Nomad
Located in New York, NY
With his works included in the permanent collection at the Norton and the New Britain Museum, Drew Tal’s successful career has been nothing but a soaring ascension into the global ar...
Category

2010s Photorealist Art

Materials

Plexiglass, Photographic Film, Photographic Paper, Photogram

Children of God II
Located in New York, NY
With his works included in the permanent collection at the Norton and the New Britain Museum, Drew Tal’s successful career has been nothing but a soaring ascension into the global ar...
Category

2010s Photorealist Art

Materials

Plexiglass, Photographic Film, Photographic Paper, Photogram

Porcelain Alliance
Located in New York, NY
With his works included in the permanent collection at the Norton and the New Britain Museum, Drew Tal’s successful career has been nothing but a soaring ascension into the global ar...
Category

2010s Photorealist Art

Materials

Plexiglass, Photographic Film, Photographic Paper, Photogram

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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