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.
"In Repose" (2025) By Matt Talbert, Original Oil Painting, Portrait
By Matt Talbert
Located in Denver, CO
Matt Talbert's "In Repose" (2025) is an original, handmade oil painting on panel that depicts a portrait of a brunette seated at a table in deep contemplation. Artist bio/statement...
Oil, Panel
$3,650
VENDEDORA Signed Lithograph, Portrait Seated Young Girl, Mexican Fruit Seller
Located in Union City, NJ
VENDEDORA, a limited edition lithograph by the renowned American-born Mexican sculptor and printmaker Elizabeth Catlett(b.1915–2012) depicts a sensitive black and white portrait of a...
Lithograph
Woman Feeding Goldfish in a Dutch Interior, c. 1870
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Frans Moormans (Dutch, 1831-1893) The Goldfish Bowl, c. 1870 Oil on panel, 8 1/2 x 6 1/4 inches FRAMED: 19 1/2 x 14 1/4 inches (approx.) Signed at lower right: “Frans. Moormans” B...
Oil, Wood Panel
$6,750
The Antelope and the Cockatiel by Ginny Williams Still Life Oil Paintig, Bird
Located in Atlanta, GA
Known for her figurative and allegorical works, Williams brings emotional depth and visual intrigue to every painting. This square-format piece is perfect for collectors drawn to c...
Oil, Canvas
David De Noter Still Life with Curious Cat
By David Emile Joseph de Noter
Located in San Francisco, CA
David De Noter: 1818-1892. Well listed Belgian painter with auction results as high as $142,000. Most famous for his still lifes. This fantastic little gem of a curious cat skipping...
Oil
Animal scene Duck hunting with dogs 18th century Swedish Master by Philip Korn
Located in Stockholm, SE
Monogrammed lower left: Johan Philip Korn (1728 - 1796), was a Swedish painter. A beautiful landscape, with a backwater in which carefree ducks swim, hunters and their dogs in passion, in the background you can see a city with a bell tower. Old masters have been depicting animals in their paintings since the Renaissance. In those days, hunting scenes were popular - there is always a share of emotional participation in them. Here it is necessary to understand that in previous centuries people looked at hunting as a means of obtaining food, therefore naturalism dominates in the painting of the old masters. Old oil painting on wooden panel, in a non-original frame of the 19th century. Size app.: 49 x 64 cm (roughly 19.3 x 25.2 in) and nice golden gesso frame ca 65.5 x 81.5 cm (roughly 25.8 x 32.1 in). Very Good condition, age wear, cracks on a wooden board, minor losses, retouches, cleared and conserved. Please study good resolution images for overall cosmetic condition. In person actual painting may appear darker or brighter than in our pictures, strictly depending on sufficient light in your environment. Weight of app. 6.4 kg is going to measure some 10 kg volume weight packed for shipment. Johan Philip Korn first began his career as a decorative painter. He was a student of artist Johan Sevenbom (1721-1784). After further studies he changed to landscape painting in the Rococo style of French artist François Boucher (1703–1770) and often after Dutch copper engravings. In 1759, Korn became master of the Stockholm...
Wood, Oil
White Cherries, Oil Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
Three juicy cherries line up on a table, with the light enhancing their luminous and vibrant color. The sharp and detailed rendition of the fruit imparts a re...
Oil
$10,580
«Light of Hope» – Hyperrealism Ocean Splash Wave at Sunset Oil Painting
Located in Zofingen, AG
Created in March 2022, during the first weeks of the war in Ukraine, Light of Hope carries a deep emotional resonance. This hyperrealistic seascape unites the fiery energy of a sunse...
Board, Wood Panel, Oil
$5,479Sale Price|20% Off
Sheep by Mountain Waterfall in Lake District England an Original Oil on Canvas
Located in Preston, GB
Sheep by Mountain River Waterfall in the Lake District of England - an Original Oil on Canvas by 20th Century Modern British Artist, Peter Coulthard. Art measures 30 x 20 inches Fra...
Canvas, Cotton Canvas, Oil
coastal landscape, bohuskusten, c. 1920s
Located in Stockholm, SE
Watercolor on paper signed Axel Hilleström unframed 39.5 x 72 cm (15.6 x 28.3 in) framed 50 x 83 cm (19.7 x 32.7 in) This expansive watercolor depicts a sandy shoreline along the Sw...
Paper, Watercolor
Highland Stream with Sheep
Located in Hillsborough, NC
William Beattie-Brown (1831-1909) RSA, (Royal Scottish Academy) painted 'Highland Stream with Sheep ' in crisp detailed oil paint on canvas. Beattie-Brown excels in water rapids and ...
Canvas, Oil
Japan – Geisha Girl with Fan – Hand-colored albumen print
By Baron Raimund von Stillfried
Located in Middletown, NY
Yokohama, Japan: c 1885. Hand-tinted albumen print, 10 1/2 x 8 inches (268 x 204 mm), hand-numbered 1103 in negative. Unmounted; housed in an archival mat with clear mounting corner...
Watercolor, Photographic Paper
"“Orientalist Scene"
Located in Edinburgh, GB
Unidentified Artist Orientalist Scene Oil on canvas Framed: 162 x 221 cm Canvas: 144 x 200 cm No signatured This striking large-scale oil painting presents a dramatic Orientalist co...
Oil, Canvas
$775
Principal Mosque Boulak, Cairo, Egypt: Original 19th C. Lithograph by D. Roberts
Located in Alamo, CA
This is an original 19th century duotone lithograph entitled "Principal Mosque at Boulak" by David Roberts, from his Egypt and Nubia volumes of the large folio edition, published in ...
Lithograph
$2,120Sale Price|20% Off
Early 20th Century Likeness of Jack London
Located in Soquel, CA
Early 20th Century Likeness of Jack London Wonderful portrait of a gentleman with a striking likeness to Jack London by Robert Alexander Graham (American,...
Linen, Oil
Carriers On - Three Male Figures, Framed, Original oil painting
Located in Chicago, IL
This oil painting on panel titled "Carriers On", depicts a quiet procession of repeated figures, each bowed forward in a gesture of weight and endurance. Rendered in warm, earthy ton...
Oil, Panel
$840
19th Century European Panoramic Oil Painting Seaside Scene Donkey Drivers Signed
Located in Stockholm, SE
This exquisite antique panoramic late 19th-century oil painting presents a tranquil Mediterranean coastal scene bathed in sunset light. Two donkey drivers have paused to rest on a sa...
Canvas, Wood, Oil
$1,975Sale Price|26% Off
"Luster" (2024) Oil Painting by Karen Offutt, Female Portrait
By Karen Offutt
Located in Denver, CO
Karen Offutt's (US based) "Luster" is an original, handmade oil painting that depicts a portrait of a woman on an abstracted background. The painting is framed, with overall dimensio...
Oil, Panel
$990Sale Price|20% Off
River Meadow with Cattle & Cottage in the English Countryside by British Artist
Located in Preston, GB
River Meadow with Cattle & Cottage in the English Countryside by British Artist, Tony Mercier (Born 1945) Art measures 16 x 12 inches Frame measures 20 x 16 inches Signed Vintag...
Canvas, Cotton Canvas, Oil
$35,000
"Sudbourne Premier: Suffolk Punch Stallion" Herbert Haseltine, 1927 Bronze
Located in New York, NY
Herbert Haseltine Sudbourne Premier: Suffolk Punch Stallion, 1927 Signed left side: © HASELTINE / MCMXXVII Bronze, dark brown patina, parcel gilding ...
Bronze
European Cityscape #1
Located in San Francisco, CA
This artwork "European Cityscape" c. 1990 is a oil painting on hard board by Argentinian artist Henry D. Ramirez. It is signed at the lower left corner by the artist. The hard board ...
Oil
$340Sale Price|20% Off
"Not True: Good Accounts Make Good Friends" Satirical French Illustration
Located in Soquel, CA
"Not True, Good Accounts Make Good Friends" Satirical French Illustration Comical illustration by Gaston Hoffmann (French, 1883-1977) titled "Ce n'est pas vrai, les bons comptes fon...
Paper, Lithograph
$1,753Sale Price|35% Off
Mountain Lake Oil Painting of a Loch in the Scottish Highlands by British Artist
Located in Preston, GB
Mountain Lake Oil Painting of a Loch in the Scottish Highlands by British Artist, Andrew Grant Kurtis M.A.(Lon) B.Des.(Hons) L.S.I.A.D. Art measures 24 x 18 inches Frame measures 29 x 23 inches As an artist of both classical and traditional style, Andrew Grant Kurtis excels in his paintings of...
Canvas, Oil
Oil on Canvas “Debbie Harry” by Christina Major 40 x 77
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Words within painting: High tide, let the water wash away what my heart hides And show me all the things that Your love finds Chase away the shadows in my mind with Your light It's ...
Oil
Doorway of the Doges, Venice
Located in New York, NY
Donald Shaw MacLaughlin (1876-1938), Doorway of the Doges, Venice, etching with plate tone, 1909, signed bottom right [also signed and dated in the plate]. Reference: Marie Bruette 1...
Etching
Coastal Solitude, Original Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
In this evocative watercolor painting, artist Vic Roschkov captures the quiet resilience of a coastal sanctuary. Bathed in the crisp light of a northern afterno...
Watercolor
The Fox and the Lion
Located in Pasadena, CA
Provenance Acquired by the gallery directly from the artist Signed "2017 WM. Stout" on upper right Artist Statement "I drew and painted a series of Aesop's Fables that featured fox...
Ink, Watercolor, Board
$1,575Sale Price|25% Off
Still Life Violin & Sheet Music Oil on Canvas Signed Hessler, Framed
Located in Plainview, NY
Still Life Violin & Sheet Music Oil on Canvas Signed Hessler, Framed : A finely rendered trompe-l’Œil still life attributed to Otto Rudolf Hessler ( German 1856- 1942) depictin...
Oil
Rathaus in Vienna
Located in San Francisco, CA
This artwork "Rathaus in Vienna" c. 1960 is an original color etching by noted Austrian artist Josef Eidenberger, 1899-1991. It is hand signed in pencil by the artist. The plate mark...
Etching
$788Sale Price|45% Off
Realist Portrait, Mid-Century Oil On Card, The Babushka. Oil.
Located in Cotignac, FR
Mid-Century realist oil on card of a peasant woman, dated 1963 to the reverse. Artist unknown. Presented in gilt and painted wood frame under glass. A charming, grounded painting of...
Oil, Cardboard
$19,230
Franz Müller-Gossen – Sailing Ships in Rough Sea, 1908, Seascape, Marine
By Franz Müller-Gossen
Located in Berlin, DE
Impressive and monumental maritime oil painting on canvas by Franz Müller-Gossen (German, 1871–1946), signed and dated ’08 lower right. Depicted is a dramatic scene of sailing vesse...
Canvas, Oil
$5,000
Copy of "Wall Street - The Noon Hour" by Felicie Waldo Howell created in 1925
Located in New York, NY
A beautiful copy by an unknown artist, of the original painting "Wall Street - The Noon Hour" originally created in 1925 by the great American artist Felicie Waldo Howell (1897-1968)...
Oil, Wood Panel
Vintage David Hockney poster, XIV Olympic Winter Games 1984, The Skater
Located in New York, NY
Vintage David Hockney poster for the XIV 1984 Olympic Games in Sarajevo published as part of the official 1984 Olympic Fine Art Posters Series. The Olympic Committee commissioned 15 ...
Lithograph
Weightlessness
Located in Zofingen, AG
In the embrace of water, weightlessness becomes our faithful companion, allowing us to temporarily free ourselves from the burden of everyday life and experience the lightness of bei...
Oil, Wood Panel
Jackson Creek Florida, Oil Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
Nestled amidst the vibrant foliage, Jackson Creek emerges as the centerpiece of artist Kent Sullivan's realistic piece. The flowing water possesses an idyllic allure amidst the lush landscape, reflecting the verdant bounty that thrives along its banks. The meeting of land and water echoes the harmonious balance co-existing within this ecologically diverse region. The work serves as a poetic reminder of the profound beauty lying within reach and demanding our respect. With every delicate brushstroke, Kent invites us to reflect on the value of nature's magnificence and our shared responsibility to protect and cherish these invaluable treasures.
About the Artist
There are more places Kent Sullivan would like to paint than he ever will be able. Employing many of the Hudson River School methods in his landscapes, Kent captures the ephemeral interactions of clouds, sun and earth with his delicate use of color and gesture. His work is published in two prominent books: "Art of the National Parks" and "Picturing Florida." He has lectured at museums and been sought after by many large corporations. “Several years ago I had the incredible fortune of being part of the NASA art program. Five paintings are now part of the Smithsonian Collection. At one gathering at the Kennedy Space Center...
Oil
$4,500
Hyper-Realistic Painting of Safari Jungle Animals in Foliage for 1994 Zooball
Located in Houston, TX
Hyper-realistic painting of jungle animals by Houston based artist Andy Dearwater. The work features a menagerie of animals including a zebra, gori...
Paper, Gouache
Among the Wildflowers, green, blue, river, nature, realism
Located in Cumming, GA
This original landscape painting of a quiet river scene captures the serene beauty of untouched nature. A gentle curve of pale blue water winds through lush green grasses, framed by ...
Canvas, Acrylic
Christ Church, Oxford 1675 engraving by David Loggan
By David Loggan
Located in London, GB
To see our other views of Oxford and Cambridge, scroll down to "More from this Seller" and below it click on "See all from this seller" - or send us a message if you cannot find the ...
Engraving
Wien Opernring
Located in San Francisco, CA
This artwork titled "Wien Opernring" 1921, is a color etching by Austrian artist Luigi Kasimir 1881-1962. It is hand signed by the estate in pencil at the lower center. The plate mar...
Etching
$1,200
Beach Ocean Impressionistic Seascape Oil Painting Oxford Md Boat Michael Budden
Located in Chesterfield, NJ
Oxford Light 11 x 14 unframed and 17.25 x 20.25 framed signed LR Oxford Light is an oil painting on panel by award winning contemporary artist Michael Budden that showcases a beauti...
Oil
$640Sale Price|20% Off
Garlic II - realistic painting
Located in New York, NY
This hyperrealistic painting by Roni Yoffe is from her latest body of works. It is oil on wood and comes not framed, but framing options are available. "My paintings in recent years ...
Wood, Oil
$1,923Sale Price|20% Off
"A peony", Realism, figurative, flowers, pastel colors
Located in MADRID, ES
Realism, figurative, flowers, pastel colors
Canvas, Oil
$380Sale Price|20% Off
Sepia Toned Photograph - Portrait of Ruth - Berkeley 1968
Located in Soquel, CA
Photo portrait of a woman by Arnulf Rabl (German-American, 1942-2016). In this soft portrait, the woman has her head turned slightly down, with closed eyes. There is light striking t...
Photographic Paper, Silver Gelatin
"Satyrs and Nymphs in a Landscape"
By Daniel Vertangen
Located in Edinburgh, GB
Attributed to Daniel Vertangen (1601–1683) – "Satyrs and Nymphs in a Landscape" Artist: Attributed to Daniel Vertangen (1601–1683) Title: "Satyrs and Nymphs in a Landscape" Medium:...
Canvas, Oil
Mickalene Thomas, Portrait de Priscilla Le Petit Chien official COA S/N, Framed
Located in New York, NY
Mickalene Thomas Portrait de Priscilla Le Petit Chien, 2012 Pigment print on 100% cotton rag paper Edition 141/150 Frame included with official COA affixed to the back Hand numbered ...
Laid Paper, Permanent Marker, Digital Pigment
The Journey's End II Cyanotype Photograph, Hand-printed, 18x10", ed 3 of 10
Located in Oakland, CA
Unframed. 2023. Signed on the back. Narrower than "The Journey's End." This photograph was taken a year after the artist's husband died, revisiting the same path but photographing ...
Photogram
$33,500
Yin Yong Chun, "Porcelain Jar with Roses", 32x43 Floral Still Life Oil Painting
Located in Saratoga Springs, NY
This piece, “Porcelain Jar with Roses”, is a 32x43 oil painting on canvas by artist Yin Yong Chun. Featured is an abundant bouquet of creamy white roses spilling outward from a delic...
Canvas, Oil
Saint Mark's Basilica Interior Oil Painting, Framed, 1911
Located in Lake Worth Beach, FL
Saint Mark's Basilica Venice Oil Painting Signed, lower left dated, titled verso. Romanesque Bizantine Basilica. canvas 35"x45" framed 46.5 x56.5. Frank LeB...
Oil, Cotton Canvas
Peacock Watercolor on Paper Handmade Painting, One of a Kind
Located in Granada Hills, CA
360 Artist: Artyom Abrahamyan, Work: Original Painting, Handmade artwork, One of a Kind Medium: Watercolor on Paper Year: 2024 Style: Classic Art Title: Peacock Size: 12 x 16 inch, ...
Paper, Watercolor
Large Scale Winter Twilight Landscape Painting by Artist Mauritz Lindström
Located in Stockholm, SE
This stunning winter landscape by Mauritz Lindström captures the serene yet striking beauty of a snow-laden scene illuminated by the warm glow of twilight. The interplay between the soft, colorful hues of the evening sky and the intricate, frost-covered branches creates an almost three-dimensional effect, drawing the viewer into the composition. The detailed rendering of the snow and the trees evokes a profound sense of coldness, making the atmosphere almost palpable. Measuring an impressive 101 x 152 cm (39 3/4 x 59 7/8 in) with the frame, this large-scale work is a testament to Lindström's mastery of light and texture. Arvid Mauritz Lindström...
Canvas, Oil
"Giraffe"
Located in Edinburgh, GB
This painting is a portrait of a giraffe. A native African animal, the giraffe is a graceful and beautiful creature that inspires and captivates with its beauty. The graphic techniqu...
Canvas, Oil
Study of a Pointer Running by Léon Espinasse (French 19th/20th)
Located in SANTA FE, NM
"Study of a Pointer Running" Léon Espinasse (French, c. 1870 to 20th century) Watercolor on paper Signed on right 15 x 11 1/2 (28 1/4 x 23 1/2 frame) inches A stunning exercise in ...
Watercolor, Paper
"Miami Beach"
Located in Edinburgh, GB
A series of paintings created during my studies at the Academy. A second life for academism, mothballs, restrictions, prohibitions, conditions, and laws. I take dry and boring academ...
Paper, Oil
Floral
Located in Zofingen, AG
This exquisite painting showcases a vibrant bouquet of bearded carnations, bursting with rich pink-red colors and intricate details. Each flower is depicted with delicate, fringed p...
Canvas, Oil
Robin Bird Watercolor on Paper Handmade Painting, One of a Kind
Located in Granada Hills, CA
Artist: Artyom Abrahamyan, Work: Original Painting, Handmade artwork, One of a Kind Medium: Watercolor on Paper Year: 2025 Style: Classic Art Title: Robin Size: 12 x 16 inch, (30x4...
Paper, Watercolor
Bicycles and Mushrooms - Original handsigned lithograph
Located in Paris, IDF
Roland Cat Bicycles and Mushrooms Original lithograph Handsigned in pencil Limited /275 copies On vellum 80 x 60 cm (c. 31.49 x 23.62 in) Excellent condition
Lithograph
$923Sale Price|20% Off
French Mid Century Still Life, Tablescape, Nature Morte. Oil on Board.
Located in Cotignac, FR
Large scale mid 20th Century French, oil on board, still life, tablescape, interior view, by Claude Barthélémy. Signed bottom left, presented in fine carved wood and gilt frame, with...
Oil, Board
$360Sale Price|20% Off
Contemporary Dessert Painting by Michael Budden Eclairs
Located in Chesterfield, NJ
Eclairs Image is 6 x 8 unframed, 11.5 x 13.5 framed. Signed LR An oil painting on canvas by award winning contemporary artist Michael Budden that showcases a pair of eclairs. This is...
Oil, Acrylic
'Portrait of a Man', oil on canvas by Jozef Isräels
Located in London, GB
Jozef Isräels (1824-1911) 'Portrait of a Man' Oil on canvas 72 x 57 cm, 90 x 77 cm (framed) 1861 Signed and dated middle left 'J. Israels 1861' Jozef Israëls was considered the l...
Canvas, Oil
$6,492
'The Hunting Dog' by Carl Friedrich Deiker (Wetzlar 1836 – 1892 Dusseldorf)
Located in Knokke, BE
Carl Friedrich Deiker Wetzlar 1836 – 1892 Dusseldorf German Painter 'The Hunting Dog' Signature: signed lower right 'C.F. Deiker' Medium: oil on panel Dimensions: image size 29 x 2...
Oil, Wood Panel