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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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Style: Realist
19th Century British "On the Medway. Morning"
19th Century British "On the Medway. Morning"

19th Century British "On the Medway. Morning"

Located in San Francisco, CA

Masterfully executed 19th century British oil on canvas. This fabulous piece depicts a possible battle scene at Medway, which in the 1600s the Dutch had a huge victory against the Br...

Category

19th Century Realist Art

Materials

Oil

Slim Aarons 'Desert House Party' (Poolside Series, Slim Aarons Estate Edition)
Slim Aarons 'Desert House Party' (Poolside Series, Slim Aarons Estate Edition)

Slim Aarons 'Desert House Party' (Poolside Series, Slim Aarons Estate Edition)

By Slim Aarons

Located in Los Angeles, CA

Discover this stunning photograph from Slim Aarons sought-after Palm Springs 'Poolside' series. 'Desert House Party' encapsulates the essence of vintage 1970s glamour, captured with vibrant color palette of bold yellow, crisp white, and vibrant turquoise, synonymous with the classic Palm Beach aesthetic. This coveted photograph, taken in 1970, presents an intimate glimpse into a poolside party at a desert house, a Palm Springs masterpiece by famed architect Richard Neutra for Edgar J. Kaufmann. This is not just a photograph, but an entry into the world of luxury, architecture, and the golden era of Palm Springs. Highlighted in the image are industrial designer Raymond Loewy, known for his unparalleled design philosophy, central and standing, and Nelda Linsk, elegantly dressed in a radiant yellow, an iconic cultural patron and the wife of prominent art dealer Joseph Linsk. Also captured in the frame is Helen Dzo Dzo, the former fashion model, gracefully adorned in white lace, adding a touch of timeless elegance to the vibrant gathering. The photograph artistically integrates the natural beauty of the Palm Springs landscape...

Category

1970s Realist Art

Materials

Lambda

Cat Animal Watercolor on Paper Handmade Painting, One of a Kind

Cat Animal Watercolor on Paper Handmade Painting, One of a Kind

Located in Granada Hills, CA

472 Artist: Artyom Abrahamyan, Work: Original Painting, Handmade artwork, One of a Kind Medium: Watercolor on Paper Year: 2025 Style: Classic Art Title: Cat Size: 12 x 16 inch, (30...

Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Paper, Watercolor

Marx. Dog. Dachshund. Animals. Dogs. small. Black. White.
Marx. Dog. Dachshund. Animals. Dogs. small. Black. White.

Marx. Dog. Dachshund. Animals. Dogs. small. Black. White.

Located in Oslo, NO

This small but elegant work is a black-and-white portrait of a dog. It is painted using the signature technique of oil on photographic paper (reverse side). Thick, plasticized photog...

Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Paper, Oil

19th-Century Portrait of A Woman in A Lace Bonnet
19th-Century Portrait of A Woman in A Lace Bonnet

19th-Century Portrait of A Woman in A Lace Bonnet

Located in San Francisco, CA

The label on the back has faded with time, but it appears to read “His Great Grandmother’s Portrait presented to George Michael Beauridge on his 18th birthday by his Aunt (?) July 10...

Category

19th Century Realist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Sepia Toned Photograph - Portrait of Ruth - Berkeley 1968
Sepia Toned Photograph - Portrait of Ruth - Berkeley 1968

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...

Category

1960s Realist Art

Materials

Photographic Paper, Silver Gelatin

Still life with peppers Oil Painting by Igor Sventitski
Still life with peppers Oil Painting by Igor Sventitski

Still life with peppers Oil Painting by Igor Sventitski

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 and sold unframed, stretched, and ready to...

Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Oil

Interstate, Oil Painting
Interstate, Oil Painting

Interstate, Oil Painting

By Jesse Aldana

Located in San Francisco, CA

Artist Comments
Artist Jesse Aldana presents a skyscape from a ground-level angle in realistic detail. White clouds, flattened in their haste, race across the sky. It leaves ...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Art

Materials

Oil

Influence of Red (male portrait)
Influence of Red (male portrait)

Influence of Red (male portrait)

By Gilbert Lewis

Located in Wilton Manors, FL

Gilbert Lewis (b.1945). Influence of Red (male portrait), ca. 1990s. Oil on masonite panel, 16 x 20 inches. Signed upper right. Excellent condition. Measures 18 x 22 inches in custom gold leaf float frame. Original gallery labels affixed on verso. Provenance: estate of the artist. Artist statement: Figurative art is a vital active process. The image has its own meaning; not storytelling, not just a picture of a face or a flower. Neither is it simply an exercise in the arrangement of shapes or colors. I want to translate my immediate impression into paint to present the image of an outstretched branch of flowers or a face – direct and simple. My art reflects human concerns expressed symbolically, through fantasy and in a more concrete manner in the process of making the representation itself. Art is my response to the image, the end result of an active process of exploration of the limits of the paint on paper within the confines of representation. The painting of a face is not just a face. My feelings are expressed through these images. My paintings speak to anyone in touch with their own humanity; to anyone else my art may be dismissed as “to personal”. Biography: Gilbert Braddy Lewis born September 25, 1945 in Hampton, Va. Son of David Blake Lewis (born in Atlanta, Ga.) and Gladys Louise Braddy [Lewis] (of Sanford, Fl.); brother of David Blake Lewis (Jr.) and Linda Lewis [Hunter]. The family resides at 3 South Linden Street, Hampton, Va. 1953 until 1962 “I studied from the age of seven, in Virginia, with two well-known Tidewater artists, Jean Craig and the late Allan Jones. The teaching methods of carefully observed studies from nature in charcoal or tempra paint, derived, of course, from the original French academic model, conveyed its impact on my early development; however, my eye and consciousness were mostly activated by the reproductions on the studio wall of works by Botticelli, Da Vinci, and Michelangelo.” Gilbert Lewis in Contemporary Philadelphia Artists: A Juried Exhibition, (Philadelphia Museum of Art 2000), p. 145 1963-68 Studies at Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts with Franklin Watkins, Hobson Pittman, Morris Blackburn, and Walter Stuempfig. While a student at PAFA he shares apartment [261 South 21st Street] with PAFA students, Jody Pinto and Barbara Sosson. In 1967 he receives PAFA’s: Bergman Prize in Painting; M. Herbert Syme Prize; and Samuel Cresson Memorial Travelling Scholarship. The latter award enables Lewis to travel to Europe during the summer of 1967 where he visits museums. “In 1967, after having seen the Italian master’s work while on scholarship from the Pennsylvania Academy, I was to realize my great influences and to discover the earlier Sienese masters whose clarity and energy still move me.” Gilbert Lewis in Contemporary Philadelphia Artists: A Juried Exhibition, (Philadelphia Museum of Art 2000), p. 145 1968 Horizontal painting [of an interior with a seated woman and cat by a large window] reproduced in black and white in school catalog for Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts 1968-1969, p. 24. Other students whose works are reproduced include Clayton Anderson, Barkley...

Category

1990s Realist Art

Materials

Masonite, Oil

Great Tit, Bird, Watercolor Handmade Painting, One of a Kind

Great Tit, Bird, Watercolor Handmade Painting, One of a Kind

Located in Granada Hills, CA

155 Artist: Artyom Abrahamyan, Work: Original Painting, Handmade artwork, One of a Kind Medium: Watercolor on Paper, Year: 2023 Style: Classic Art, Title: Great Tit,, Size: 12 x ...

Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Paper, Watercolor

Garlic II - realistic painting
Garlic II - realistic painting

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 ...

Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Wood, Oil

404. Exit Not Found
404. Exit Not Found

404. Exit Not Found

Located in Zofingen, AG

The world offers fewer exits. Fewer phone booths. Fewer places to disconnect from the noise. In this striking, hyperreal scene, a woman walks alone past a red booth glowing in the ni...

Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Cotton Canvas, Acrylic

Pigeon

Pigeon

Located in Colorado Springs, CO

Original oil painting signed by the Artist in the lower left corner. Unframed.

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Art

Materials

Oil

Igoshev, V. A. – Young Reindeer Herder, Peoples of the Russian North
Igoshev, V. A. – Young Reindeer Herder, Peoples of the Russian North

Igoshev, V. A. – Young Reindeer Herder, Peoples of the Russian North

Located in Firenze, IT

Signed lower left V . Igoshev. Dated 1961 Old labels from soviet period gallery. Painted in 1961, this work belongs to Vladimir Igoshev’s celebrated cycle dedicated to the Indigenous...

Category

Mid-20th Century Realist Art

Materials

Oil

The Maiden - British Newlyn exhib art nude Laura Knight portrait oil painting
The Maiden - British Newlyn exhib art nude Laura Knight portrait oil painting

The Maiden - British Newlyn exhib art nude Laura Knight portrait oil painting

By Harold Knight

Located in Hagley, England

This stunning exhibited nude portrait oil painting is by noted British Newlyn School artist Harold Knight. `The Maiden` was painted at Dozmary. The Belgrave Gallery catalogue 1986 suggests the sitter is in fact his wife, Laura Knight the noted artist. The sensuous understanding of the flesh tones and anatomy reveals the qualities that established Knight's reputation as a leading portrait painter after the War. This picture may be dated to c.1916. A really lovely portrait by a much sought after artist. Signed lower left. Provenance. Fifty Years Ago Exhibition, RWS Galleries, June 1965, no. 200. Miles Lamdin Gallery, London. Belgrave Gallery February 1986 which suggests in their catalogue the sitter is Laura Knight. Shades of British Impressionism...

Category

1910s Realist Art

Materials

Oil

Changing Chapters-original modern seascape sunset oil painting-contemporary art
Changing Chapters-original modern seascape sunset oil painting-contemporary art

Changing Chapters-original modern seascape sunset oil painting-contemporary art

Located in London, Chelsea

This exceptional artwork is currently on display and available for sale at Signet Contemporary Art Gallery and online. "Changing Chapters" by Eva Volf is a captivating seascape maste...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Forgotten Dwelling, Original Painting
Forgotten Dwelling, Original Painting

Forgotten Dwelling, Original Painting

Located in San Francisco, CA

Artist Comments
A weathered farmhouse stands silent against a late fall sky, its boarded windows holding the echoes of another time. Dry grasses and bare trees seem to lean inw...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Art

Materials

Watercolor

Garden Scene Called Pergola Noor by Female Artist Clara Löfgren
Garden Scene Called Pergola Noor by Female Artist Clara Löfgren

Garden Scene Called Pergola Noor by Female Artist Clara Löfgren

Located in Stockholm, SE

Clara Löfgren (1843–1923) Sweden Pergola Noor, c.1890 oil on canvas laid down on board no signature unframed: 27.7 x 26.7 cm (10.9 x 10.5 in) framed: 35 x 34 cm (13.8 x 13.4 in) P...

Category

1890s Realist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil, Board

Winter Moonlight Nocturne Snow Scene Landscape Oil Painting by Michael Budden
Winter Moonlight Nocturne Snow Scene Landscape Oil Painting by Michael Budden

Winter Moonlight Nocturne Snow Scene Landscape Oil Painting by Michael Budden

By Michael Budden

Located in Chesterfield, NJ

An oil painting on canvas by award winning contemporary artist Michael Budden that showcases a beautiful winter nocturne landscape. The long foreground shadows accent the effect of ...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Art

Materials

Oil

Hercules Mourning the Death of his Cupbearer Hylas

Hercules Mourning the Death of his Cupbearer Hylas

By Mark Beard

Located in New York, NY

[Hippolyte-Alexandre Michallon (1849-1930)] Oil on canvas Signed in red, l.l. 48 x 60 inches, canvas size 54 x 66 inches in gold leaf frame 61 x 74 x 6 inches, framed This artwork is offered by ClampArt, located in New York City. “By his own account, the most ambitious work of Michallon’s career was a thirty-foot canvas depicting Noah’s Ark, which he exhibited in the Salon of 1875, where it went unmentioned by the critics. Preparatory work for this elaborate composition took him frequently to the Jardin des Plantes, where he made painstaking drawings and oil sketches of the animals on view. These studies were enthusiastically remarked upon by visitors to his studio, some of whom counseled him to give up history painting altogether and pursue the less dignified but presumably more lucrative career of animal painter. Following this advice, and profiting from the tremendous vogue in 1880s Europe for all things African...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Oysters and lemon
Oysters and lemon

Oysters and lemon

Located in Zofingen, AG

The bird’s eye view, strong light on the mother-of-pearl of oysters and folds create this image. The medium used is oil on canvas, which allows to capture the vibrant color, delicate texture, and the play of light on the subject matter. The iridescent oysters contrast on a black plate focusing the viewer's eye towards the center of the composition. Color palette in “Oysters and lemon...

Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Robin Bird Watercolor on Paper Handmade Painting, One of a Kind

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...

Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Paper, Watercolor

A Gentle Breath, Contemporary Original Art, Skyscape Painting, Meditation Art
A Gentle Breath, Contemporary Original Art, Skyscape Painting, Meditation Art

A Gentle Breath, Contemporary Original Art, Skyscape Painting, Meditation Art

By Charlotte Elizabeth

Located in Deddington, GB

A Gentle Breath is an orignal skyscape painting by Charlotte Elizabeth. Charlotte Elizabeth is available online and in our gallery at Wychwood Art. Charlotte has been working with paint professionally for over fifteen years. A prestigious training in theatre design preceded a busy career as a Theatrical Scenic Artist in London’s West End...

Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic

Painting of the English Countryside with River Otters by Modern British Artist
Painting of the English Countryside with River Otters by Modern British Artist

Painting of the English Countryside with River Otters by Modern British Artist

By James Wright

Located in Preston, GB

Traditional Oil Painting of the English Countryside with River Otters by Modern British Landscape Artist Art measures 30 x 20 inches Frame measures 36 x 26 inches James Wright...

Category

Late 20th Century Realist Art

Materials

Canvas, Cotton Canvas, Oil

CRYSTAL SILENCE
CRYSTAL SILENCE

CRYSTAL SILENCE

Located in Zofingen, AG

shipped in roll A moment of pure stillness beneath the shimmering surface. This painting captures the meditative beauty of crystal-clear water, where light dances across smooth ston...

Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Berries in a golden bowl
Berries in a golden bowl

Berries in a golden bowl

Located in Zofingen, AG

The scene is set with a quiet reverence—a simple golden bowl, brimming with the last treasures of the season. These are not just fruits; they are memories of sunlight, gathered and p...

Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Pathway to the Past, Original Painting
Pathway to the Past, Original Painting

Pathway to the Past, Original Painting

Located in San Francisco, CA

Artist Comments
A rustic blue cottage, weathered by time, nestles among vibrant wildflowers. It was once the home of a widow who lost her loving h...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Art

Materials

Acrylic

Portrait of an Edwardian Lady - British 1900 art female portrait oil painting
Portrait of an Edwardian Lady - British 1900 art female portrait oil painting

Portrait of an Edwardian Lady - British 1900 art female portrait oil painting

By Ralph Peacock

Located in Hagley, England

This stunning British Edwardian portrairt oil painting is by noted 19th century born portrait painter Ralph Peacock .Painted circa 1900 it is a seated portrait of a lady in a black dress with shiffon sleeves and beautiful pink flowers in her lap. She is wearing considerable jewellery suggesting her wealth; an ornate ring, fleur de lys broach, a long string of pearls...

Category

Early 1900s Realist Art

Materials

Oil

View from the Bridge, Original Painting
View from the Bridge, Original Painting

View from the Bridge, Original Painting

By Candice Eisenfeld

Located in San Francisco, CA

Artist Comments
A quiet river winds through a grove of trees. The warm glow at the horizon in mid-October creates a dreamlike mist and softens the scene.Artist Candice Eisenfel...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Art

Materials

Acrylic

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.