Skip to main content

Realist Art

REALIST STYLE

Realist art attempts to portray its subject matter without artifice. Similar to naturalism, authentic realist paintings and prints see an integration of true-to-life colors, meticulous detail and linear perspectives for accurate portrayals of the world. 

Work that involves illusionistic techniques of realism dates back to the classical world, such as the deceptive trompe l’oeil used since ancient Greece. Art like this became especially popular in the 17th century when Dutch artists like Evert Collier painted objects that appeared real enough to touch. Realism as an artistic movement, however, usually refers to 19th-century French realist artists such as Honoré Daumier exploring social and political issues in biting lithographic prints, while the likes of Gustave Courbet and Jean-François Millet painting people — particularly the working class — with all their imperfections, navigating everyday urban life. This was a response to the dominant academic art tradition that favored grand paintings of myth and history. 

By the turn of the 20th century, European artists, such as the Pre-Raphaelites, were experimenting with nearly photographic realism in their work, as seen in the attention to every botanical attribute of the flowers surrounding the drowned Ophelia painted by English artist John Everett Millais.

Although abstraction was the guiding style of 20th-century art, the realism trend in American modern art endured in Edward Hopper, Andrew Wyeth and other artists’ depictions of the complexities of the human experience. In the late 1960s, Photorealism emerged with artists like Chuck Close and Richard Estes giving their paintings the precision of a frame of film.

Contemporary artists such as Jordan Casteel, LaToya Ruby Frazier and Aliza Nisenbaum are now using the unvarnished realist approach for honest representations of people and their worlds. Alongside traditional mediums, technology such as virtual reality, artificial intelligence and immersive installations are helping artists create new sensations of realism in art.

​​Find authentic realist paintings, sculptures, prints and more art on 1stDibs.

to
1,575
4,863
2,859
2,540
1,887
1,752
Overall Width
to
Overall Height
to
339
1,168
5,533
6,887
119
75
123
138
170
571
1,086
1,089
721
287
203
112,749
62,360
57,600
26,552
14,655
9,377
6,520
5,579
4,189
3,046
2,398
2,377
2,238
651
6,933
4,719
1,592
5,606
2,819
2,090
1,737
1,734
1,252
1,233
1,073
926
920
846
828
682
678
671
623
587
545
522
482
7,824
5,551
2,859
2,783
2,592
2,683
136
98
89
70
4,005
3,804
9,157
3,819
Style: Realist
Fragility of Strength
Fragility of Strength

Fragility of Strength

Located in Zofingen, AG

The moment before everything changes, where strength teeters on the edge of fragility. DETAILS ● 100% original hand-painted ● The painting is textured ● The picture is painted with ...

Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

"Der Maler in der Landschaft" original etching

"Der Maler in der Landschaft" original etching

Located in Henderson, NV

Medium: original etching. Printed in 1919 and published in Berlin by Paul Cassirer. Plate size: 6 1/2 x 4 1/4 inches (165 x 110 mm). Not signed.

Category

1910s Realist Art

Materials

Etching

Pomegranates
Pomegranates

Pomegranates

Located in Zofingen, AG

The serene ceramic jar anchors the composition, creating a quiet dialogue between matte surfaces and glossy fruit. The carefully draped striped tablecloth introduces rhythm and movem...

Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

India Madras Painting on board Portrait of Serving Girl with Pot c 1910
India Madras Painting on board Portrait of Serving Girl with Pot c 1910

India Madras Painting on board Portrait of Serving Girl with Pot c 1910

Located in Norfolk, GB

Madras School C 1910 Acrylic on board 11.5" x 8" Address on verso This painting dating to the early 20th century, c 1910, shows a young woman, possibly from Madras (see info on reve...

Category

1910s Realist Art

Materials

Mixed Media, Board

Five Maiko (Apprentices) Having lunch – Original hand-colored Meiji era photo
Five Maiko (Apprentices) Having lunch – Original hand-colored Meiji era photo

Five Maiko (Apprentices) Having lunch – Original hand-colored Meiji era photo

Located in Middletown, NY

Yokohama, Japan: c 1890. Hand-tinted albumen print, 8 x 10 1/2 inches (203 x 266 mm), numbered B04 in negative, small spots of fixer on lower right corner, pencil inscription on ver...

Category

Late 19th Century Realist Art

Materials

Watercolor, Photographic Paper

Large Floral Still Life Original Oil Painting on canvas Signed W. Adams Framed
Large Floral Still Life Original Oil Painting on canvas Signed W. Adams Framed

Large Floral Still Life Original Oil Painting on canvas Signed W. Adams Framed

Located in Palm Coast, FL

This expressive contemporary floral still life oil painting presents a lush, abundant bouquet arranged in a blue ceramic vase, set upon a rustic tabletop. The composition is animated...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Art

Materials

Oil

The Dark Waters
The Dark Waters

The Dark Waters

Located in Zofingen, AG

This refined contemporary painting combines narrative elegance with a strong visual signature. The striking red boat immediately anchors the composition, floating against richly text...

Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Cotton Canvas, Acrylic

Erotic French painter - 19th century figure drawings - Nudes - Ink on paper
Erotic French painter - 19th century figure drawings - Nudes - Ink on paper

Erotic French painter - 19th century figure drawings - Nudes - Ink on paper

Located in Varmo, IT

French painter (19th century) - Erotic scene. 17 x 24 cm unframed, 21.5 x 28.5 cm with frame (not signed). Old ink drawing on paper, in a wooden frame. Condition report: The paper...

Category

Mid-19th Century Realist Art

Materials

Ink, Paper

French school Still Life fruits Oil painting Signed
French school Still Life fruits Oil painting Signed

French school Still Life fruits Oil painting Signed

Located in Zofingen, AG

➡️Still Life painting from C Romey⬅️ ⏩It is signed C Romey⏪ Cecil Romey 1889-1973 ⭐Medium:⭐ Oil on canvas ⭐Technique: ⭐Impasto painting with expressive brushwork. ⭐Size:⭐55x38 c...

Category

1950s Realist Art

Materials

Oil, Stretcher Bars, Gesso

Crowded Street Scene From Luntmakargatan, Stockholm
Crowded Street Scene From Luntmakargatan, Stockholm

Crowded Street Scene From Luntmakargatan, Stockholm

Located in Stockholm, SE

Olof Arborelius (1842–1915) From Luntmakargatan, Stockholm oil on paper mounted on board signed with monogram “OA” unframed 24 × 30 cm (9.4 × 11.8 in) frame 35 × 41 cm (13.8 × 16.1...

Category

Early 1900s Realist Art

Materials

Oil, Board, Laid Paper

Pocket Double Strawberries- original realism still life fruit - contemporary art
Pocket Double Strawberries- original realism still life fruit - contemporary art

Pocket Double Strawberries- original realism still life fruit - contemporary art

By Dani Humberstone

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 Realist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

The ballet lover III
The ballet lover III

The ballet lover III

Located in Zofingen, AG

In this painting, I captured the quiet, tender moment of a ballerina preparing for her performance. Using oil, I aimed to convey the delicate balance of strength and grace—the warmth...

Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

"Cloud Composition 2" Original Realist Skyscape with Clouds
"Cloud Composition 2" Original Realist Skyscape with Clouds

"Cloud Composition 2" Original Realist Skyscape with Clouds

Located in Denver, CO

"Cloud Composition 2" is a realistic capturing of a golden skyscape, created with oil paint on panel. This piece is framed at 9.5 x 9.5 inches and is ready to hang. Jesse Mangerson ...

Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Oil, Panel

The Return of the Prodigal Son
The Return of the Prodigal Son

The Return of the Prodigal Son

Located in Zofingen, AG

This painting captures a quiet yet emotionally charged moment where symbolism gently emerges from everyday life. A woman embraces a black cat whose direct gaze creates an immediate p...

Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Cotton Canvas, Acrylic

Erotic French painter - 19th century figure drawings - Nudes - Ink on paper
Erotic French painter - 19th century figure drawings - Nudes - Ink on paper

Erotic French painter - 19th century figure drawings - Nudes - Ink on paper

Located in Varmo, IT

French painter (19th century) - Erotic scene. 24 x 17 cm without frame, 28.5 x 21.5 cm with frame (not signed). Old ink drawing on paper, in a wooden frame. Condition report: The ...

Category

Mid-19th Century Realist Art

Materials

Ink, Paper

Quiet day
Quiet day

Quiet day

Located in Zofingen, AG

A poised still life rendered in luminous oil, where light glides across a draped table, revealing the tender gleam of porcelain and the play of silken folds. Two white jugs, a cup a...

Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

A play about ballet
A play about ballet

A play about ballet

Located in Zofingen, AG

I poured my passion for ballet and light into this painting, capturing a dancer's quiet moment of reflection and dedication. With oil, I brought warmth and realism to her pose and ex...

Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Chinese Contemporary Art by Su Yu - 250USdollar
Chinese Contemporary Art by Su Yu - 250USdollar

Chinese Contemporary Art by Su Yu - 250USdollar

By Su Yu

Located in Paris, IDF

Oil on canvas Su Yu is a Chinese artist born in 1987 who lives and works in Beijing. He was an old student of prestigious art teachers as Shi Liang & Chen Danqing at Oil Paintin...

Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

What the F@ck Am I Looking At?
What the F@ck Am I Looking At?

What the F@ck Am I Looking At?

Located in Zofingen, AG

This artwork blends calm seaside serenity with an unexpected, dreamlike encounter. A solitary girl stands on the shore, dressed in timeless black-and-white attire, her posture compos...

Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Acrylic

Basket Of Red Cherries Still-Life Oil Painting With Gilt Frame
Basket Of Red Cherries Still-Life Oil Painting With Gilt Frame

Basket Of Red Cherries Still-Life Oil Painting With Gilt Frame

Located in Frederiksberg C, DK

This still life painting depicts a woven basket brimming with ripe cherries, delicately arranged on a tabletop against a subdued background. The cherries are rendered with a sheen, t...

Category

Late 19th Century Realist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Antique American Modernist Framed Dog Portrait Signed Large Oil Painting
Antique American Modernist Framed Dog Portrait Signed Large Oil Painting

Antique American Modernist Framed Dog Portrait Signed Large Oil Painting

Located in Buffalo, NY

Antique American dog portrait oil painting. Oil on board. Signed. Framed. Provenance from a Sag Harbor, NY collection. Handsomely framed in a wood molding. Excellent condition, rea...

Category

1920s Realist Art

Materials

Oil, Board

Antique English Watercolor - Countryside Landscape with Cows
Antique English Watercolor - Countryside Landscape with Cows

Antique English Watercolor - Countryside Landscape with Cows

Located in Soquel, CA

Antique English Watercolor - Countryside Landscape with Cows Miniature landscape with two cows in the foreground, signed "J.M. Myall 1910." One cow sits on the ground of a rolling h...

Category

1910s Realist Art

Materials

Paper, Watercolor

"Autumn has come"
"Autumn has come"

"Autumn has come"

Located in Edinburgh, GB

Autumn has arrived Oleksandr Khrapachov invites the viewer to an intimate encounter with nature in its most poetic attire. Created in 2015 during a plein air session, this work was ...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Art

Materials

Oil

The New Scene of Van Eyden
The New Scene of Van Eyden

The New Scene of Van Eyden

Located in Zofingen, AG

In The New Scene of Van Eyden, I reimagine a classical genre scene as a contemporary reflection on self-perception. Three figures — myself, my avatar, and the avatar’s companion — sh...

Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Cotton Canvas, Acrylic

British Chalk Pencil Sketch of Cows Resting In the Meadow
British Chalk Pencil Sketch of Cows Resting In the Meadow

British Chalk Pencil Sketch of Cows Resting In the Meadow

Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire

John Rabone Harvey ( 1966 - 1922) graphic and chalk deep green artist paper , unframed artist paper : 5.5 x 7 inches Provenance: private collection Condition: very good condition Ha...

Category

Mid-19th Century Realist Art

Materials

Chalk, Graphite

Portrait of an Edwardian Dandy (Man)
Portrait of an Edwardian Dandy (Man)

Portrait of an Edwardian Dandy (Man)

Located in Wilton Manors, FL

Portrait of an Edwardian Dandy Gentleman, 2003. Acrylic on canvas, 16 x 20 inches. Signed with monogram and dated lower right.

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Art

Materials

Cotton Canvas, Acrylic

British Chalk Pencil Sketch of Small White Sheep Lying Down
British Chalk Pencil Sketch of Small White Sheep Lying Down

British Chalk Pencil Sketch of Small White Sheep Lying Down

Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire

John Rabone Harvey ( 1966 - 1922) graphic and chalk deep green artist paper , unframed artist paper : 5.5 x 7 inches Provenance: private collection Condition: very good condition Ha...

Category

Mid-19th Century Realist Art

Materials

Chalk, Graphite

British Chalk Pencil Sketch of a Cow with Horns In The Water Loche
British Chalk Pencil Sketch of a Cow with Horns In The Water Loche

British Chalk Pencil Sketch of a Cow with Horns In The Water Loche

Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire

John Rabone Harvey ( 1966 - 1922) graphic and chalk deep green artist paper , unframed artist paper : 5.5 x 7 inches Provenance: private collection Condition: very good condition Ha...

Category

Mid-19th Century Realist Art

Materials

Chalk, Graphite

Ice Mill, Original Painting
Ice Mill, Original Painting

Ice Mill, Original Painting

Located in San Francisco, CA

Artist Comments
Artist Vic Roschkov presents a compelling architectural study of rural utility. The soaring vertical planes of the weathered mill create a rhythmic, geometric d...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Art

Materials

Watercolor

Ballerinas at the dressing room
Ballerinas at the dressing room

Ballerinas at the dressing room

Located in Zofingen, AG

In this piece, I captured the quiet, tender moments before the performance, where anticipation and grace blend beautifully. Using oil, I brought warmth and life to the dancers’ delic...

Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

"Cloud Composition 3" Original Realist Skyscape with Clouds
"Cloud Composition 3" Original Realist Skyscape with Clouds

"Cloud Composition 3" Original Realist Skyscape with Clouds

Located in Denver, CO

"Cloud Composition 3" is a realistic capturing of a golden skyscape, created with oil paint on panel. This piece is framed at 9.5 x 9.5 inches and is ready to hang. Jesse Mangerson ...

Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Oil, Panel

'Study of Three Horses' by Charles Verlat (1824 – Antwerp – 1890)
'Study of Three Horses' by Charles Verlat (1824 – Antwerp – 1890)

'Study of Three Horses' by Charles Verlat (1824 – Antwerp – 1890)

Located in Knokke, BE

Charles Verlaat 1824 – Antwerp – 1890 Belgian Painter Study of Three Horses Signature: not signed Medium: oil on paper mounted on panel Dimensions: image size 47 x 60, frame size 8...

Category

Mid-19th Century Realist Art

Materials

Oil, Wood Panel, Paper

Mountain Lake Forest Landscape Scene - Vintage 20th Century Oil Painting
Mountain Lake Forest Landscape Scene - Vintage 20th Century Oil Painting

Mountain Lake Forest Landscape Scene - Vintage 20th Century Oil Painting

Located in Preston, GB

Mountain Lake Forest Landscape Scene - Vintage 20th Century Oil Painting by J Bishop. Art measures 17 x 14 inches Frame measures 21 x 18 inches Vintage painting, ornate gold frame ...

Category

20th Century Realist Art

Materials

Canvas, Cotton Canvas, Oil

Realist art for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a wide variety of authentic Realist 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, purple, orange, red and other colors. Many Pop art paintings were created by popular artists on 1stDibs, including Slim Aarons, Michael Budden, Daniel Pollera, and Su Yu. 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 Realist art, so small editions measuring 0.1 inches across are also available.