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.
$680Sale Price|20% Off
Impressionistic Realistic Moonlight Landscape Oil Painting Michael Budden
Located in Chesterfield, NJ
Crescent Moonrise Study oil/panel 8 x 6 unframed 14.25 x 12.25 x 1 framed. Signed LR Crescent Moonrise is an oil painting on canvas by award winning contemporary artist Michael Bud...
Oil
Evolution
Located in Zofingen, AG
The painting features two pieces of art. The difference between their creation is about 2000 years. The first is the sculpture, Venus de Milo, the most famous of all ancient Venuses....
Canvas, Oil
$1,593
«Under a Heavy Sky» — Realistic Oil Seascape of Turquoise Waters and Storms
Located in Zofingen, AG
The sky lowers itself, as if reaching for the sea. Dense and dark, it carries an unspoken weight. The turquoise water does not resist — it glows from within, breathing steadily, ac...
Oil, Canvas
«The Calm Before the Rain» — Hyperrealistic Oil Landscape Painting
Located in Zofingen, AG
The sky slowly gathers its weight, holding the promise of rain. Clouds breathe in silence — light still lingers in their folds, yet the depth beneath them darkens. The sea remains c...
Canvas, Oil
"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.
Etching
$107Sale Price|20% Off
British Chalk Pencil Sketch of a Cow With Horns Facing Away
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...
Chalk, Graphite
Fromage
Located in Zofingen, AG
This original oil painting captures a still life scene viewed from above, inviting you to explore its intimate details. At the center, a wooden board showcases a variety of cheeses, ...
Canvas, Oil
Fragility of Strength -Contemporary Seascape Oil Painting of Breaking Ocean Wave
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 ...
Canvas, Oil
Mid Century Oil Painting -- The White Persian Kitten, Signed
Located in Soquel, CA
Mid Century Figurative -- White Persian Kitten by Mildred Kaucher Charming mid century portrait of a white Persian kitten with blue eyes and pink ears and nose by Los Gatos artist M...
Metal
"Through the Flames of Sunset" — Realistic Oil Seascape with Sailing Boat at Fie
Located in Zofingen, AG
A lone sailboat drifts quietly across the glowing sea as the sky burns with the last light of sunset. Fire and water meet at the horizon, capturing a fleeting moment of silence and w...
Canvas, Oil
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 reverse), The colours follow the conventions of a genre of art called Company School painting...
Mixed Media, Board
$1,400
1899 Irma Vauthier Antique Oil Painting European Genre Scene by Gilt Frame
Located in Palm Coast, FL
An atmospheric late 19th-century European School oil on canvas depicting a poignant rural genre scene of women and children gathered beside a stone cross, set within a sweeping, wind...
Oil
$1,593
“Line of Stillness” — Contemporary Seascape Painting of Calm Ocean Horizon
Located in Zofingen, AG
This work is about how formality dissolves when you’re surrounded by the right people. What is usually governed by rules, timing, and expectations quietly turns into something softer...
Canvas, Oil
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...
Canvas, Oil
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...
Oil
Listed Artist Hewett Jackson Original Oil Painting Tall Ship Seascape Framed
Located in Palm Coast, FL
Up for sale is a large original oil painting on canvas by listed maritime artist Hewett R. Jackson (1914–2007). This striking nautical scene depicts a majestic tall sailing ship brea...
Oil
Natalie. Nude, oil painting, woman, vertical, realism
Located in Oslo, NO
The portrait depicts a beautiful girl in the prime of her youth, when her whole life is ahead and full of hope. Despite the fact that it depicts a specific person, this portrait can ...
Canvas, Oil
"The Dark Waters" Painting, Acrylic on Canvas, Signed
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...
Cotton Canvas, Acrylic
“Where Everything Begins” — Hyperrealistic Seascape at Dawn
Located in Zofingen, AG
A moment of silence between night and day. The sea still holds the coolness and depth of darkness, yet the first path of sunlight already appears on the water — a sign of beginning, ...
Canvas, Oil
$2,263
Cowboy: The Freedom Rider- Western painting, American Artist, Horse painting
Located in Oslo, NO
cowboy, horse, prairie, Western art, Western painting, American art, American artist, freedom, Wild West "This painting was inspired by American Westerns and the films of the Wild W...
Canvas, Oil, Linen
Сoffee tradition
Located in Zofingen, AG
Original oil painting on canvas, still life painting made under natural light. This artwork is painted using high-quality fine linen canvas. Signed on the front and back of artwork. ...
Canvas, Oil
$531
«Botany 4» Original floral painting. Circular small canvas . Gift . Home decor
Located in Oslo, NO
This artwork, a circular painting, deftly captures a vibrant botanical ensemble on a textured backdrop. Set against a muted, earthy background, the piece features an array of intrica...
Canvas, Oil
$389Sale Price|76% Off
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...
Oil, Stretcher Bars, Gesso
$600Sale Price|20% Off
New York City Theater Painting Michael Budden Phantom of the Opera Study
Located in Chesterfield, NJ
Mystical Phantom oil/panel 8x6 unframed, 13.38 x 11.25 framed signed LR Mystical Phantom is an oil painting study on canvas panel by award winning contemporary artist Michael Budden...
Oil
$8,134
Dolomite Landscape - Huge Italian Austrian Mountain River Waterfall Oil Painting
Located in Sevenoaks, GB
A beautiful and huge mid 19th century oil on canvas depicting a landscape in the Dolomites, by Karl Moser. Excellent quality work on exhibition scale by this important Austrian arti...
Canvas, Oil
"Guardian of the Plains" - Oil Animal Painting on Wood (2025)
Located in Denver, CO
"Guardian of the Plains" depicts a detailed buffalo profile against a warm yellow background. Inspired by Yellowstone National Park, the buffalo embodies wisdom, strength, and the en...
Wood, Oil
«A Second Before the Touch» — Hyperrealistic Seascape Oil Painting of Ocean Wave
Located in Zofingen, AG
The wave rises and comes to stillness. Light passes through the water and remains within it. Movement slows, almost disappearing. This moment still holds its form. Nothing is broken ...
Canvas, Oil
Listed Artist Hewett Jackson Original Oil Painting Tall Ship Seascape Large
Located in Palm Coast, FL
Up for sale is a large original oil painting on canvas by listed maritime artist Hewett R. Jackson (1914–2007). This striking nautical scene depicts a majestic tall sailing ship brea...
Oil
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...
Canvas, Oil
La Fille du Régiment
Located in Wilton Manors, FL
WILLIAM WEGMAN (b. 1943) 'La Fille du Régiment', 2007 SIGNED Vintage Oversized Artist's Photography Poster Commissioned for the Metropolitan Opera's 2007-2008 season, renowned arti...
Offset
Pair of Large & Small Hyperreal Pink Glass Balloon Sculptures
Located in East Quogue, NY
Pair of Small & Large Hyperreal Blue Glass Water Balloon Sculptures by Dylan Martinez. Dylan Martinez’s hyperrealistic water balloons are made of solid sculpted glass sandblas...
Glass, Blown Glass
Balerina on a Cube Sculpture, Realism Style, Ballet Series, 38cm Tall
Located in Zofingen, AG
This sculpture depicts a dancer sitting on a cube. Thin lines, graceful refined shapes give the figure weightlessness. The body is made in realism manner and shows the dancer's tired...
Marble, Bronze
"Return of the Prodigal Son" Realist Acrylic Painting on Canvas
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...
Cotton Canvas, Acrylic
Metsälampi (Forest Pond), 1942
Located in Stockholm, SE
Metsälampi (Forest Pond) is a 1942 oil painting on panel by the Finnish artist Ragnar Ungern, depicting a forest pond with overhanging trees reflected in its still waters. Created in...
Oil, Wood Panel
Pocket Peach - original realism still life fruit - 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...
Canvas, Oil
Pocket Raspberry - original realism still life fruit - 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...
Canvas, Oil
Pocket Blue Damson - original realism still life fruit - 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...
Canvas, Oil
$1,800
Cortina d'Ampezzo, Estate Edition, Mid-Century Modern Photograph
By Slim Aarons
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This mid-1980s photograph, captured by society photographer Slim Aarons, features people snowboarding in Cortina d'Ampezzo. This is an estate-stamped and hand-numbered edition of 15...
Lambda
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...
Oil, Board, Laid Paper
"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 ...
Oil, Panel
"Forest shadows", green, Landscape Paintings, paper, vertical, mixed media
Located in Oslo, NO
This expressive mixed media sketch on paper (study for a large painting) captures the essence of a dense forest landscape with bold brushstrokes and layered textures. The interplay o...
Paper, Acrylic, Pencil
Fireflies II - contemporary, figurative, portrait, oil on canvas
Located in Bloomfield, ON
This realistic oil portrait of a young man is by Daniel Hughes. In a field surrounded by the magical glow of dozens of fireflies, a young man stands alone, looking towards hills in ...
Oil, Canvas
"What?.." Surreal Figurative Painting, Acrylic on Canvas, Signed
Located in Zofingen, AG
This painting invites the viewer into a quiet, surreal moment suspended between reality and dream. A young woman, draped in black, leans forward onto a round wooden table, her postur...
Acrylic, Cotton Canvas
"The New Scene of Van Eyden" Acrylic on Canvas, Signed
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...
Acrylic, Cotton Canvas
$108Sale Price|20% Off
British Chalk Pencil Sketch of a Horse Patiently Waiting at The Wooden Fence
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...
Chalk, Graphite
$108Sale Price|20% Off
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...
Chalk, Graphite
$2,242
«Eternal Pulse» – Ocean Wave Oil Painting in Refined Vert Bosphore Palette
Located in Zofingen, AG
The sea knows no rest. It breathes, it lives, it calls — in every movement, in every shimmer of light. This wave is a moment between calm and storm, a breath that holds eternity with...
Oil, Wood Panel
"What Am I Looking At?.." Signed Acrylic Painting, Realist
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...
Acrylic
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...
Canvas, Oil
Pocket Double Strawberries- original realism still life fruit - 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...
Canvas, Oil
$3,493Sale Price|35% Off
Pair - Ornately framed Oval English River Flower Scenes with Swans, Cows, Sheep
Located in Preston, GB
Pair - Ornately framed Oval English River Flower Scenes with Swans, Cows, Sheep by British Contemporary Artist, David Morgan (Born 1964) Signed Originals, Oil on canvas. Framed in t...
Canvas, Oil, Cotton, Wood, Paint
“Whisper of the Tides» — Hyperrealistic Oil Painting of Ocean Sunset and Waves
Located in Zofingen, AG
The gentle light of the sunset dissolves into the foamy surf, tinting the waves with shades of rose and gold. In this moment, the ocean seems to whisper its eternal secrets, flowing ...
Oil, Wood Panel
$2,900
"Kaleidoscope #2" by Lindsey Kustusch, Contemporary Still-Life, Oil Painting
Located in Denver, CO
Lindsey Kustusch's "Kaleidoscope #2" is a compelling handmade original oil on wood panel artwork, measuring 20 x 16 inches. This 2025 piece is a primary market item, arriving for Kus...
Oil, Wood Panel
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.
Cotton Canvas, Acrylic
$420
Costa Rica Beach Foam, Shoreline Seascape, Minimal Blue, Limited Edition Print
By Kind of Cyan
Located in Barcelona, ES
This is an exclusive handprinted limited edition cyanotype of a Sandy Shore with Foam. Details: + Title: Sandy Shore with Foam + Edition Size: 100 + Stamped and Certificate of Aut...
Emulsion, Monotype, Paper
$107Sale Price|20% Off
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...
Chalk, Graphite
$3,000Sale Price|70% Off
Rattlesnake
Located in Wilton Manors, FL
Mark Morrison (1895-1964) Rattlesnake , ca. 1950 Carved pink Texas granite 13.5" wide, 13" deep, height is 7" Repair and conservation to uppermost part of snake's body. Provena...
Granite
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 ...
Ink, Paper
$2,560Sale Price|20% Off
"Astana. Expo Plaza"
Located in Edinburgh, GB
Astana. Expo Plaza When architecture becomes a dream come true Before you is evidence of the meeting of classical painting with the futuristic genius of architecture. In 2018, Alex...
Oil
Romantic British painter - 19th century landscape painting - Fisherman
Located in Varmo, IT
English painter (19th century) - River landscape with fisherman receiving a letter. 123 x 99.5 cm unframed, 128 x 104.5 cm framed. Oil on canvas, in a giltwood frame. - Work signe...
Canvas, Oil