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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.

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Item Ships From: USA
Style: Realist
Domingo In Salzburg, Slim Aarons Estate Edition
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Spanish tenor Placido Domingo in the back of a car at Mozartplatz in Salzburg, in front of the Mozart memorial, August 1981. Slim Aarons Estate Edition, Certificate of Authenticity ...
Category

1980s Realist Art

Materials

Lambda

Everblooming, 20 x 10, Still Life, Oil Painting
Located in Denver, CO
Introducing "Everblooming," an original oil on mounted linen by contemporary artist Robin Cole, dated 2024. The painting, sized at 20 x 10 inches (50.80 x 25.40 cm), with framed dime...
Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Oil

Slim Aarons 'Fan Mail', Estate Edition
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Marilyn Monroe (1926 - 1962), wearing a red negligee trimmed with black lace, sorts out her fan mail shortly after her film 'The Asphalt Jungle' had been released, Beverly Hills, 195...
Category

1950s Realist Art

Materials

Lambda

New York City Urban Painting Winter Brooklyn Bridge by Michael Budden
Located in Chesterfield, NJ
An oil painting on canvas by award winning contemporary artist Michael Budden that showcases the bustling life and the beautiful Brooklyn Bridge in winter. The image measures 20 x 24...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Art

Materials

Oil

Study III (Surrender), 6 x 4, Waterfall Landscape, Oil Painting
Located in Denver, CO
Robin Cole's "Study III (Surrender)" is an original 2023 oil on mounted linen painting that conveys a compelling narrative of emotional release. The artwork's dimensions are 6 x 4 in...
Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Oil

Study II (Surrender), 6 x 4, Waterfall Landscape, Oil Painting
Located in Denver, CO
"Study II (Surrender)" by Robin Cole is a 2023 original work, utilizing oil on mounted linen to exquisite effect. The painting's dimensions of 6 x 4 inches, set within a 10.5 x 7.5-i...
Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Oil

Study (The Space Between), 8 x 10, Landscape, Oil Painting
Located in Denver, CO
Explore the delicate nuances of Robin Cole’s “Study (The Space Between),” a 2023 oil on linen original, sized at 8 x 10 inches. This artwork is thoughtfully framed, with the external...
Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Oil

Study (Terra Incognita), 6 x 8, Landscape, Oil Painting
Located in Denver, CO
Step into the mysterious allure of the natural world with Robin Cole's "Study (Terra Incognita)," a captivating original oil on mounted linen painting from 2023. This piece, measurin...
Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Oil

Study IV (Surrender), 9 x 5.75, Waterfall Landscape, Oil Painting
Located in Denver, CO
Introducing "Study IV (Surrender)," a profound oil on mounted linen by Robin Cole, created in 2023. This painting, with dimensions of 9 x 5.75 inches (22.86 x 14.60 cm) and an elegan...
Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Oil

Study (A New Light), 6 x 8 Oil Painting
Located in Denver, CO
Delve into the serene twilight with Robin Cole's original oil painting, "Study (A New Light)," created in 2023. Offered directly by the artist, this exquisite piece captures the evoc...
Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Oil

Study (Stardust), 7 x 12, Landscape, Oil Painting
Located in Denver, CO
Robin Cole's "Study (Stardust)," a 2023 oil on panel, invites the viewer into the cosmic dance of interstellar beauty. This exquisite piece, measuring 7 x 12 inches, is framed to a s...
Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Oil

The Same Moon, 20 x 13, Landscape, Oil Painting
Located in Denver, CO
Behold the quiet majesty of "The Same Moon," an evocative oil on panel by the artist Robin Cole, crafted in the year 2024. This original painting, sized at 20 x 13 inches (50.80 x 33...
Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Oil

Vantage Point, 27 x 36, Landscape, Oil Painting
Located in Denver, CO
Robin Cole’s “Vantage Point” is a compelling 2024 oil on mounted linen piece that transports the viewer to a serene natural setting, enveloped by a captivating double rainbow. Measur...
Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Oil

Embryo IV, 6 x 6 Oil Painting
Located in Denver, CO
"Embryo IV" by Robin Cole is a profound exploration of creation and cosmos, masterfully depicted in oil on panel. This 2023 piece, measuring 6 x 6 inches (15.24 x 15.24 cm) and frame...
Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Oil

Embryo II, 6 x 6 Oil Painting
Located in Denver, CO
Encounter the vibrant mystery of creation with Robin Cole's "Embryo II," an exquisite oil on panel from 2023. This piece, measuring 6 x 6 inches (15.24 x 15.24 cm), beautifully frame...
Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Oil

Maiden, Mother, 14.75 x 10.5, Portrait, Oil Painting
Located in Denver, CO
Available now is Robin Cole's "Maiden, Mother," a striking oil on mounted linen portrait from 2021. This intimate artwork measures 14.75 x 10.50 inches, and the framed dimensions pre...
Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Oil

Pruned, 12 x 12, Still Life, Oil Painting
Located in Denver, CO
Robin Cole's "Pruned," a 2024 original, is an intimate oil on mounted linen painting that measures 12 x 12 inches, encased in a frame that extends the dimensions to 17 x 17 inches. T...
Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Oil

Stardust, 23 x 41, Landscape, Oil Painting
Located in Denver, CO
Artist Statement 'Stardust' “Our little planet floats like a mote of dust in the morning sky,” writes Carl Sagan. “All that you see, all that we can see, exploded out of a star bill...
Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Oil

Remember When, 30 x 30, Landscape, Oil Painting
Located in Denver, CO
Robin Cole's 2023 piece, "Remember When," is a poignant example of the artist's engagement with the classical landscape genre, presented in oil on mounted linen. The dimensions of th...
Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Oil

Ladder to the Stars, 24 x 18 Oil Painting
Located in Denver, CO
Discover the ethereal beauty of Robin Cole’s “Ladder to the Stars,” a 2023 original oil on panel masterpiece measuring 24 x 18 inches. The framed dimensions add a grandeur presence a...
Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Oil

Mama, Paint!, 24 x 24, Landscape, Oil Painting
Located in Denver, CO
Discover "Mama, Paint!" a profound expression of the atmospheric wonders as envisioned by Robin Cole. Completed in 2024, this original oil on mounted linen artwork, spanning 24 x 24 ...
Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Oil

"First Steps" Oil Painting
Located in Denver, CO
Austin Howlett's "First Steps" is an original, handmade oil painting that depicts a tall female figure walking through a snow covered landscape. Artis...
Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Panel, Oil

Racing Horses
Located in Clinton Township, MI
Kentucky Derby lovers---this is for you! Horse racing whether it the the Belmont or the Preakness--decorate for your home party with this moving oil painting rendition of racing ho...
Category

Late 20th Century Realist Art

Materials

Oil

Embryo I, 6 x 6 Oil Painting
Located in Denver, CO
Robin Cole's "Embryo I," a 2023 original, is a mesmerizing oil on panel that measures 6 x 6 inches (15.24 x 15.24 cm) with a striking framed dimension of 12 x 12 inches. This piece, ...
Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Oil

Blood Moon, 9 x 12 Oil Painting
Located in Denver, CO
Robin Cole's "Blood Moon," a 2024 oil and gold on panel, is a captivating piece measuring 9 x 12 inches, presented within a frame sized at 13.50 x 16.50 inches. Available on 1st Dibs...
Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Oil

A New Light II, 12 x 12 Oil Painting
Located in Denver, CO
Robin Cole's "A New Light II," a 2023 original, captures the essence of dawn in an oil on linen masterpiece. Sized at a square 12 x 12 inches and framed to a commanding 20 x 20 inche...
Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Oil

Tide Pool IV, Painting, Oil on Canvas
Located in Yardley, PA
An original oil seascape painting of shells and shell fragments scattered in a tidal pool. This is the 5th in my series of tide pool paintings. The paintings in this collection are i...
Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Oil

Snorkeling In Hawaii, Painting, Oil on Canvas
Located in Yardley, PA
This is a 6-panel original oil painting featuring a collection of my favorite reef fish in Hawaii set in a spectacular offshore beach setting at Bali Hai on the island of Kauai. Each...
Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Oil

Andean Motmot, Bird, Watercolor Handmade Painting, One of a Kind
Located in Granada Hills, CA
174 Artist: Artyom Abrahamyan, Work: Original Painting, Handmade artwork, One of a Kind Medium: Watercolor on Paper Year: 2023 Style: Classic Art Title: Andean Motmot Size: 12 x 16...
Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Paper, Watercolor

Tide Pool IV, Painting, Oil on Canvas
Located in Yardley, PA
An intricate and textural painting of seashells and shell rubble in a tide pool. This is a 40â€
Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Oil

Porte Saint Denis, Paris
Located in San Francisco, CA
This artwork titled "Porte Saint Denis, Paris" c.1929 is a color etching by Austrian artist Luigi Kasimir 1881-1962. It is hand signed in pencil by the artist estate at the lower cen...
Category

Early 20th Century Realist Art

Materials

Etching

John Muench at Joan Whitney Payson Gallery of Art (Signed by John Muench)
Located in New York, NY
John Muench at Joan Whitney Payson Gallery of Art (Signed by John Muench), ca. 1982 Offset lithograph poster (Hand signed by John Muench) Hand-signed by artist, Pencil signed by John...
Category

1980s Realist Art

Materials

Lithograph, Offset, Pencil

Hunting Dogs, Landscape by 19th Century French painter, period frame
Located in Doylestown, PA
"Hunting Dogs" is a 26 x 21.5 inches, oil on canvas landscape of two dogs on the trail by the river. The canvas is signed "G Boucher" in the lower left. G. Boucher is a listed artis...
Category

19th Century Realist Art

Materials

Oil, Canvas

Hunting Dogs with Geese, Landscape by 19th Century French painter
Located in Doylestown, PA
"Hunting Dogs with Geese" is a 26 x 21.5 inches, oil on canvas landscape of two dogs on the trail by the river. The canvas is signed "B Lanoux" in the lower left. B. Lanoux is a lis...
Category

19th Century Realist Art

Materials

Oil, Canvas

Boats in Harbor
Located in Clinton Township, MI
Boats are in the harbor which is captured by an unknown artist who is painting in oil. Vibrant colors dominate this original.painting.
Category

Late 20th Century Realist Art

Materials

Oil

Fiesole Path
Located in Sag Harbor, NY
Painted en plein air in Fiesole, Italy, just outside of the bustling city of Florence. Artist Bio Angel Ramiro Sanchez was born in 1974 in Maracaibo, Venezuela. At age six was accepted with full scholarship into the Instituto the Niños Cantores del Zulia, school for musically gifted children. At age fourteen he began five years of apprenticeship with the realist painter, Abdon J. Romero, an eminent specialist in murals for churches and public buildings. In 1993, a study grant from Mgr. Gustavo Ocando Yamarte, Founder the Niños Cantores, enabled him to travel to Florence, Italy, where he studied at the renowned Accademia di Belle Arti, graduating Magna Cum Laude in 1997. At the same time, he was enrolled at The Florence Academy of Art,founded by painter Daniel Graves, where he received a diploma in Painting. Ramiro was appointed senior painting instructor at The Florence Academy of Art in 1997, and is currently Director of the Advanced Painting Program. Ramiro paints only from life, searching for accuracy beyond physical appearance to reach the psychological state of his subject. He believes the painter must draw his information from "all five senses" to tell the complete human story. Ramiros work is predominantly represented by th e Grenning Gallery in Sag Harbor, New York, but also Scriba Gallery, venice, Italy, Jack Meier Gallery, Houston, Tx. Ramiros works can be found in numerous private collections in Europe, The United States and South America. Public collections include: The Fondazione Stelline, Milan, Italy. The Fremantle Foundation for Foreing Artist in Tuscany at Villa Peyron, Florence, Italy and The Muscarelle Museum of Art at the College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, VA. USA. He shares his life and passion for art with his wife, the artist Melissa Franklin-Sanchez. Education 1993-1997 Florence Academy of Art, directed by Daniel Graves, Florence, Italy. 1993-1997 Accademia di Belle Arti di Firenze Graduated Magna Cum Laude, Thesis: Historic and Technical Notes of Academic Realism Today. 1995 Florence, Italy: Michael John Angel...
Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Oil, Panel

Portrait of a Woman
Located in Wilton Manors, FL
Elizabeth Osborne (American/Philadelphia, b. 1936) Untitled (Portrait of a Lady), 1974. Watercolor painting on paper, signed and dated lower right. Unframed. Size: 22.75'' x 30...
Category

1970s Realist Art

Materials

Watercolor, Rag Paper

Yacht Wanderer (Slave Ship)
Located in Jacksonville, FL
When you gaze upon "Yacht Wanderer (Slave Ship)" by William Gay Yorke, you're not just looking at a maritime painting; you're peering into a fragment of history with profound and com...
Category

1870s Realist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

The Citadel of Cairo, Evening
By Robert Swain Gifford
Located in Jacksonville, FL
Oil on canvas mounted on board. As twilight descends over the ancient city of Cairo, the iconic silhouette of the Citadel emerges against the fading light. This is the scene that Robert Swain...
Category

1870s Realist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil, Board

Al Pacino in the Godfather
Located in Clinton Township, MI
Signed by the artist, this painting of Al Pacino from the film The Godfather is a great conversation piece for any "man cave". It is a lithograph signed by the artist. Framing optio...
Category

Late 20th Century Realist Art

Materials

Lithograph

Costa Rica Endless Summer - Oil On Canvas - Landscape Painting By Dante Rondo
Located in Carmel, CA
Any novelist battling through writer’s block might be excited to encounter Dante Rondo, whose life has been a collage of free-spirited experiences that would satisfy the most vicario...
Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Oil

'Notre Dame, Paris' — 1920s Realism
Located in Myrtle Beach, SC
Anton Schutz, 'Notre Dame, Paris', etching, 2nd state, 1927. Signed, titled, and annotated '2nd State', in pencil. Signed and dated in the plate, lower left. A superb, richly-inked...
Category

1920s Realist Art

Materials

Etching

Sunbathing in Venice, Slim Aarons Estate Edition, Italy
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Sunbathing in Venice A woman sunbathes wearing a novelty straw sun hat with built-in sunglasses, Venice, 1954. In this delightfully whimsical photograph by Slim Aarons, taken in 1...
Category

1950s Realist Art

Materials

Lambda

Skiing Waiters Estate Edition Photograph (Vintage Winter Snowscape)
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Three skiing waiters on a ski slope, circa 1960. In the foreground, a white-clad chef skis towards the viewer, offering a beautifully prepared bird on a tray. Behind him, a man in a ...
Category

1960s Realist Art

Materials

Lambda

Cheerful, Oil Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA

Artist Comments
At sunset, the sky shifts from blue to purple and pink. The sea subtly reflects the ethereal colors from above, adding glimmer to its surface. The soft clouds a...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Art

Materials

Oil

Challenge
Located in Raleigh, NC
Clipper ship by tge British artist Muchael Beddows.
Category

1980s Realist Art

Materials

Oil

Spring Palette, Painting, Oil on Canvas
Located in Yardley, PA
The sky’s reflection in the water is a reminder of the synergetic quality that demands that the branches reach upwards until their weight forces them to look downwards to the life-...
Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Oil

Crystal Light, Painting, Oil on Canvas
Located in Yardley, PA
“This colorful composition of the extended tree branches seeks to illustrate the drama and beauty of natural backlighting. The striking understanding of light and reflections compo...
Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Oil

Antique American 19th C Realist California River Landscape Oil on Canvas 1888
Located in Portland, OR
A good late 19th century realist oil on canvas California river landscape painting, circa 1888, by Albert Horatio Slade (1843-1922). The painting depicts a river through a mountainou...
Category

Late 19th Century Realist Art

Materials

Oil, Canvas

Original Portrait of Noir Crime Writer Cornell Woolrich
Located in Soquel, CA
Vintage Portrait of 1940's Noir Writer Cornell Woolrich Pencil portrait of famous 1930's 40's noir/crime writer Cornell George Hopley-Woolrich, circa 1980. Cornell George Hopley-Woo...
Category

1980s Realist Art

Materials

Paper, Pencil

"TWO MALLARDS" FLYING DUCKS FRAMED 23.25 X 27.25
Located in San Antonio, TX
Frank Weston Benson (1862-1951) Massachusetts Image Size: 15.5 x 15.5 Frame Size: 23.25 x 27.25 Medium: Charcoal on Paper Dated 1930 "Two Mallards Biography Frank Weston Benson (1862...
Category

1930s Realist Art

Materials

Charcoal

Momentum, dynamic realistic Horse drawing, charcoal on paper - white box frame
Located in Dallas, TX
This is a dynamic and unique charcoal on paper, framed on a beautiful custom white box frame - all archival materials. The painting perfectly captures the movement of the horse and t...
Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Charcoal, Acrylic, Archival Paper

Antique Dog Painting of a Terrier- "The Shah" George Earl (England, 1824-1908)
By George Earl
Located in SANTA FE, NM
Antique Dog Painting of a Terrier: “The Shah” George Earl (England, 1824-1908) Circa 1870 Oil on canvas. 12 ¾ x 12 ¾ (21 x 21 frame) inches. Orig...
Category

1860s Realist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Marble Sundae
Located in New Orleans, LA
A charming little realist painting of marbles in a sundae glass. Turned up in our inventory, new and never owned. Custom framed and ready to hang. Measu...
Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Oil

Enchanting Iconlike Painting of Alert Horses in a Charming Pastoral Scene
Located in Charleston, US
Valarie Wolf's horse painting, "Did You Hear That?", captures the essence of a gold-leaf-framed icon featuring two attentive horses set against a charming pastoral landscape. This en...
Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Oil

New York City Flags Winter Cityscape Urban Oil Painting by Michael Budden
Located in Chesterfield, NJ
Flags Above the Avenue The image measures 12 x 9 unframed, 18.5 x 15.5 framed An oil painting on canvas panel by award winning contemporary artist Michael Budden that showcases the ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Art

Materials

Oil

Breath of the Sea, Oil Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA

Artist Comments
The artwork captures the serenity of the ocean. Painted with oil paint and cold wax, the waves carry a slightly raised texture, adding to the realistic quality ...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Art

Materials

Oil

Split Rock Lighthouse
Located in Clinton Township, MI
"Split Rock Lighthouse" is a limited edition lithograph 38/500 signed by the artist Leo Kuschel and remarqued with a commemorative lighthouse stamp. The frame is in great condition.
Category

Late 20th Century Realist Art

Materials

Lithograph

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.

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