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.
Minimal Triptych of Calm Costa Rica Shore, Handmade Cyanotype on Paper, Blue
By Kind of Cyan
Located in Barcelona, ES
This series of cyanotype triptychs showcases the beauty of nature scenes, including stunning beaches and oceans, as well as the intricate textures of water, forests, and skies. These...
Paper, Monotype
WHAT THE WATER SEES– Blue Sea Over Stone Surface
Located in Zofingen, AG
A quiet revelation from the depths. This painting invites you to see the world through the eyes of water — fluid, luminous, and infinitely sensitive. Rocks, usually firm and still, s...
Canvas, Oil
$2,400
"Reign" (2024) By Michele Kortbawi Wilk, Oil Painting with Silver Leaf
Located in Denver, CO
Michele Kortbawi Wilk's "Reign" is a 2024 oil on linen with silver leaf, measuring 12 x 12 inches, that depicts a white horse mid jump with a crown dangling from a string in its mout...
Silver
Sea View from Menton, Côte d'Azur, France. By Johan Peter von Wildenradt
Located in Stockholm, SE
Born in Helsingør, Denmark, in 1861, Johan Peter von Wildenradt studied at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts in Copenhagen under the renowned Laurits Tuxen. In the late 1880s, he...
Oil, Wood Panel
Vintage American Modernist Shoe Shine Interior Scene Realist Framed Oil Painting
Located in Buffalo, NY
Impressive early American modernist interior oil painting. Framed. Oil on canvas. Signed. Image size, 20H by 20L.
Canvas, Oil
23rd Street Sunset, Oil Painting
By Nick Savides
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
A woman walks west along East 23rd Street, catching her reflection in a store window. Farther off, figures cast long shadows toward the pavement. The restrained...
Oil
"Big Ben in Garden" Portrait of a Bulldog by Arthur Wardle (England, 1864-1949)
Located in SANTA FE, NM
"Big Ben in Garden" Antique Dog Portrait of a Bulldog Arthur Wardle (England, 1864-1949) Pastel on paper Circa 1900 13 x 9 (17 x 12) inches Though he made his reputation with large...
Pastel
Michael Standing
By Peter Brooke
Located in Pasadena, CA
Provenance Acquired by the gallery directly from the artist EXHIBITIONS California Art Clubs 95th Annual Gold Medal Juried Exhibition April 2 - 23...
Bronze
French Contemporary Art by Claudine Picard - Manequins
Located in Paris, IDF
Claudine Picard is a French artist born in 1949 who lives & works in Sainte Marie, France. She is graduated from the Ecole Nationale des Arts Décoratifs in 1973 (ENSAD).
Canvas, Oil
Japan – A geisha playing the gekkin - Hand-colored Meiji Period photograph
Located in Middletown, NY
Yokohama, Japan: c 1880's. Hand-tinted albumen print, 10 1/8 x 8 inches (258 x 203 mm), unmounted; pencil inscription in Japanese on verso; light cockling [Nagasaki University Libra...
Watercolor, Photographic Paper
$650
White Fronts Along the Coast (White Fronted Geese, Ireland Landscape)
Located in Wilton Manors, FL
Robert W. Milliken (Irish, 1920-2014). White Fronts Along the Coast, ca. 1960. Watercolor on paper, image measures 14.5 x 19.5 inches; 21.5 x 26.5 inches framed. Signed lower right. ...
Watercolor
"Study"
Located in Edinburgh, GB
A ballerina, before her performance; the scene depicts her warming up, lit from behind. The first version was sold at auction by Christie’s; this work is the second version, exhibite...
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
Portrait of a Lady Sewing - British 19th century art Newlyn School oil painting
Located in Hagley, England
This beautiful late 19th century portrait oil painting is attributed to circle of Walter Langley. It has the hallmarks of the Newlyn School of artists such as the subject matter, com...
Oil
"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
Narcissus. Original Oil Painting with Flowers by Irina Trushkova
Located in Zofingen, AG
These stunning spring narcissus are placed in a transparent vase. The bright yellow flowers create a vivid color contrast against the silvery blue background focusing the viewer's ey...
Canvas, Oil, Lacquer
$575
Minaret El Rhamree in Cairo, Egypt: Original 19th C. Lithograph by D. Roberts
Located in Alamo, CA
This is an original 19th century duotone lithograph entitled "Minaret of the Mosque El Rhamree" by David Roberts, from his Egypt and Nubia volumes of the large folio edition, publish...
Lithograph
Fruit Bowl and Candle - original realism still life acrylic painting art
Located in London, Chelsea
We offer complimentary worldwide shipping and cover all tariffs and import taxes for this artwork. Laura Critchlow’s "Fruit Bowl and Candle" is a poetic still life that marries clas...
Acrylic, Board
19th Century Child and Dog Portrait
Located in San Francisco, CA
Fabulous 19th Century oil on canvas portrait of a child with their dog. It is signed and dated 1872 underneath the gold matting. I cannot decipher the signature. Painting could be ei...
Oil
Gone Fishing, Original Painting
By Dwight Smith
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
A weathered wooden boathouse rests quietly above calm, gray water. A bright green bicycle leans against its side, hinting at the presence of someone who has ste...
Watercolor
$4,000
The Shell, oil painting on copper, Style of Realism, Florence, Sound of Sea
Located in Houston, TX
Shell is inspired by the moment you put your ear to a shell and hear the sound f the sea. If you are silent and close your eyes and believe, you may hear it. The Painting is experime...
Copper
"Turner" Realist Dog Portrait in the Field Oil Painting on Carved Wood Panel
By Chaval
Located in New York, NY
With the medium of traditional oil paint, this charming piece by Chaval is exceptionally detailed and thought-provoking. Following a realist approach, yet depicting some playful impe...
Oil, Wood Panel
Rosa. Maltese. Dog. Black. Cream. Blue. Animal. Lettering.
Located in Oslo, NO
This small yet delicate and elegant work is a portrait of a dog. The realistic image is set against a black and blue background with geometric and text elements, giving the work a un...
Canvas, Oil
$4,000Sale Price|50% Off
Monkey
Located in Wilton Manors, FL
Mark Morrison (1895-1964) Monkey, ca. 1940 Carved New Hampshire granite 8.5" by 5", height is 16.5" Provenance: Estate of Mrs. Mark Morrison. Born: Kingfisher, OK Education: ...
Granite
$68,000
Dream Big
Located in Colorado Springs, CO
Original Bronze sculpture inscribed by the Artist with their signature and edition number. 3/7
Bronze
$975
The Sphinx & Pyramid, Giza, Egypt: Original 19th C. Lithograph by David Roberts
Located in Alamo, CA
This is an original 19th century duotone lithograph entitled "Side View of the Great Sphinx" by David Roberts, from his Egypt and Nubia volumes of the large folio edition, published ...
Lithograph
$4,800
Nigella: Large Signed Limited Edition Contemporary Botanical Photograph, Flowers
Located in Bryn Mawr, PA
This is a signed, limited edition (of 10) framed botanical photograph of several Nigella stems with blossoms on a black background. It is printed on a thin, durable aluminum panel. T...
Metal
Hotel Du Cap-Eden-Roc, Estate Edition, Mid-Century Modern Photograph
By Slim Aarons
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This late-1970s photograph, taken by society photographer Slim Aarons, features guests around the swimming pool at the Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc, in Antibes on the French Riviera. This ...
Lambda
Alfresco Dining, Antibes, Estate Edition, Mid-Century Modern Photograph
By Slim Aarons
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This late-1960s photograph, taken by society photographer Slim Aarons, features guests dining at the Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc in Antibes on the French Riviera, August. This is an estat...
Lambda
Alfresco Dining, Antibes, Estate Edition, Mid-Century Modern Photograph
By Slim Aarons
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This late-1960s photograph, taken by society photographer Slim Aarons, features guests dining at the Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc in Antibes on the French Riviera, August. This is an estat...
Lambda
Catch Up by the Pool, California, Estate Edition, Mid-Century Modern Photograph
By Slim Aarons
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This early 1970s photograph, taken by society photographer Slim Aarons, features former fashion model Helen Dzo Dzo Kaptur (in white lace), Nelda Linsk (in yellow), wife of art deale...
Lambda
Catch Up by the Pool, California, Estate Edition, Mid-Century Modern Photograph
By Slim Aarons
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This early 1970s photograph, taken by society photographer Slim Aarons, features former fashion model Helen Dzo Dzo Kaptur (in white lace), Nelda Linsk (in yellow), wife of art deale...
Lambda
Ralpha's, Oil Painting
By Nick Savides
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
A nocturnal painting depicts Ralph’s Famous Italian Ices and Ice Cream on Avenue A in the East Village. It's a tranquil October night, with the server idly ...
Oil
Another way, Painting, Oil on Canvas
Located in Yardley, PA
The work is listed in catalogue of White & Weiss contemporary art auction. Auction had taken place in Bratislava in November 2010. My still life paintings vary from lively decorativ...
Oil
$4,851
Memento - 21st Century Realistic Still-life Painting with books and a bird
Located in Nuenen, Noord Brabant
Jeanine Donkers Memento 80 x 60 cm ( framed included in price) Measurement with included frame: 88 x 68 cm Oil on wood panel Jeanine Donkers' paintings offer a world filled with fa...
Oil, Wood Panel
Charming Love, Painting, Oil on Canvas
Located in Yardley, PA
One-of-a-kind Realism Original Oil Painting on canvas by Gardani available for you. Hand signed by the Artist front and back, comes with official Gardani Certificate of Authenticity ...
Oil
$2,995
Richard Haas - Puck Corner, SOHO, New York signed/N architectural art, Framed
By Richard Haas
Located in New York, NY
Richard Haas Puck Corner, SOHO, New York, 1971 Etching and Aquatint (affixed to white matting) Hand signed and numbered 10/100 by the artist on the lower front Elegantly matted and f...
Pencil, Etching, Aquatint
$460Sale Price|20% Off
Sleeping Nude Figurative
Located in Soquel, CA
Drawing of a sleeping nude woman by S. LeDrew (20th Century). Signed "S. LeDREW" in the lower right corner. Presented in a double mat of dark red and whi...
Paper, Conté
$533
"Botany 6" Original floral painting.Small circular canvas. Gift. Home decor
Located in Oslo, NO
This artwork is a striking circular floral composition, depicting a vibrant bouquet against a textured white background. The centerpiece is a lush arrangement of blue and violet blos...
Canvas, Oil
Shallaburg
Located in San Francisco, CA
This artwork titled "Schallaburg" 1970, is an original colors etching by noted Austrian artist Josef Eidenberger, 1899-1991. It is hand signed in pencil by the artist. The plate mark...
Etching
Wrong Side of the Tracks, Original Oil Painting
Located in Denver, CO
Mark Harrison's (UK based) "Wrong Side of the Tracks" is an oil painting that depicts an illuminated storefront on the outskirts of a city with a towering night skyline in the the ba...
Oil
$60,000
"Mother and Child" Important 19th Century Oil Painting
By Paul Alexandre Alfred Leroy
Located in New York, NY
A wonderful depiction of mother and child displayed in a gold round ornate frame with intricate details.
Canvas, Oil
$2,361Sale Price|50% Off
River Landscape of Glenfinnan in the Scottish Highlands by 20th Century Artist
Located in Preston, GB
Original Oil Painting of River Landscape of Glenfinnan in the Scottish Highlands by 20th Century Artist, Robert Egginton. Art measures 30 x 22 inches Frame measures 36 x 28 inches Presented in the highest quality hand-finished off-white Frinton moulding. Robert Egginton was born in Devon in 1943 and is a landscape painter in watercolours and oils. He paints mainly Scottish scenes in an accurate pictorial manner, with a bright palette. He is the grandson of Wycliffe Egginton RI (1875-1951) and nephew of Frank Egginton...
Oil, Canvas, Cotton, Cotton Canvas, Board
$2,464Sale Price|20% Off
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...
Canvas, Oil
$1,775Sale Price|25% Off
Early 20th century Italian Marble sculpture - Erotic nude scene
Located in Varmo, IT
Marble bas-relief sculpture - Erotic scene. Italy, early 20th century. 26 x 26 cm (not signed). Made entirely of carved white marble. Depicting an erotic scene. - This item is so...
Marble
"Purple Brass and Citrus" Realist Still-Life Oil Painting on Canvas
By Jeff Legg
Located in Denver, CO
Jeff Legg's (US based) "Purple Brass and Citrus" is an oil painting created in 2022 depicting a golden brass jar with purple leaves, grapes and orange citrus. About the artist: Jeff...
Oil, Canvas
Sonoma Coast
Located in Burlingame, CA
Warm sand and blue surf featured in this California coastline scene with distant rolling hills. 'Sonoma Coast', oil painting on canvas by Willard Dixon, who is one of the finest American contemporary realist painters today. Dixon has painted coastal landscapes for 35 years, capturing the undeniable beauty of the West with its grand and humble spirit. The same sensitivity can be found in his urban street scenes that offer viewers a resting place to contemplate our rapidly changing world, and his portraiture, which largely focuses on his artist friends and illustrious colleagues. Willard Dixon’s work can be found in numerous distinctive private and public collections, as well as the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMoMA), the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, and the Oakland Museum of California. Dixon's work is collected worldwide. 'Sonoma Coast' is 36 x 56 inches. Oil on canvas. It is traditionally framed in thin, minimal natural oak with an outer dimension of 37 x 57 inches. Artist signed and dated. Condition is excellent / as new. Painted in late 2020. From Andra Norris Gallery in California. Born: Kansas City MO, 1942 Education: Art Students League, New York, NY Cornell University Brooklyn Museum School San Francisco Art Institute, M.F.A. 1969 Awards and Commissions N.E.A. Fellowship Grant- 1989 California Supreme Court Mural Commission- 1998 Las Vegas Federal Courthouse Commission, G.S.A.-1998 Teaching 1989-90: San Francisco State University 1975: San Francisco Art Institute Realism Seminar 1974-76: Academy of Art College, San Francisco, CA 1973-74, 1976: California College of Arts and Crafts, Oakland, CA 1971-72: California State University, Hayward, CA One Man Exhibitions 2015: Willard Dixon Portraits College of Marin Fine Art Gallery, Kentfield 2014: SFMOMA Artists Gallery, San Francisco, CA. 2008: SFMOMA Artists Gallery, San Francisco, CA. 2005: Fischbach Gallery, NYC,NY 2005: Dolby Chadwick Gallery, San Francisco, CA 2004: Fischbach Gallery, NYC, NY. 2002: Earl McGrath Gallery, Los Angeles, CA 2002: Bolinas Museum, Bolinas, CA 2001: Hackett Freedman Gallery, San Francisco, CA 2000: Fischbach Gallery, NYC , NY 2000: Hearst Art Gallery, St. Mary’s College, Moraga, CA 1998: Hackett Freedman Gallery, SF, CA 1997: Tatistcheff/Rogers Gallery, Los Angeles, CA 1996, 1995: Contemporary Realist Gallery (now Hackett Freedman Gallery) 1994: Fischbach Gallery 1993: Contemporary Realist Gallery 1992: Fischbach Gallery 1991: Earl McGrath Gallery, 454 North, Los Angeles, CA 1990: Fischbach Gallery 1989: William Sawyer Gallery, San Francisco, CA 1988: Gallery 454 North, Los Angeles, CA 1987: Fischbach Gallery 1987: Gallery 454 North 1986: William Sawyer Gallery 1985: Fischbach Gallery 1984: Harris Gallery, Houston, Tx 1984: William Sawyer Gallery 1983, 1982: Fischbach Gallery 1981: William Sawyer Gallery 1980,1979: Tortue Gallery, Los Angeles, CA 1976, 1975: William Sawyer Gallery 1973, 1972: William Sawyer Gallery Selected Group Exhibitions 2017: SHIFT / with Elizabeth Barlow, Kim Frohsin, Erin Parrish...
Cotton Canvas, Oil
$113Sale Price|20% Off
The Gates - New York Central Park
By Christo
Located in Winterswijk, NL
The artwork "The Gates - New York Central Park" by the artist Christo is extraordinary and an eye-catcher for every room Color offset on heavy paper B...
Color, Offset
Michigan Avenue, Chicago.
Located in San Francisco, CA
This artwork "Michigan Avenue, Chicago" 1930 is a colors etching by Austrian artist Luigi Kasimir 1881-1962. It is hand signed at the lower center in pencil by the artist. The plate ...
Etching
Feed Everyone (for the Black Panthers at 1960s Harvard Square Be-in) food in art
Located in New York, NY
Unknown Artist Feed Everyone, ca. 1969 Offset lithograph poster Frame included: held in original vintage metal frame Measurements: Framed 27.5 inches vertical by 16 inches vertical b...
Lithograph, Offset
Starfish. 2008. Canvas, oil, 50x65 cm
By Igor Maikov
Located in Riga, LV
Igor Maikov (1966) Education: 1981 - 1984 The Art Academy of Latvia 1973 - 1983 Salaspils Primary and Secondary School Exhibitions: 1994 - Group Exhibition «Rol-Art», Latvia ...
Canvas, Oil
"London in Shades of Blue" by Lindsey Kustusch, Realist Cityscape, Oil Painting
Located in Denver, CO
Lindsey Kustusch's "London in Shades of Blue" is a compelling handmade original oil on wood panel artwork, measuring 12 x 12 inches. This 2025 piece is a primary market item, arrivin...
Oil, Wood Panel
"Cloud Composition 9" Original Realist Skyscape with Clouds
Located in Denver, CO
"Cloud Composition 9" 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
$11,900
Large Dog Portrait: Grand Griffon Vendéen Hunting Dogs Jules Chardigny
Located in SANTA FE, NM
Double Portrait: Grand Griffon Vendéen Hunting Dogs Jules Chardigny (France, 1842-1892) circa 1870 Oil on canvas, signed 21 3/4 x 18 1/4 (29 1/8 x 25 frame) inches Though pairs of G...
Canvas, Oil
Japan – Samurai - Hand-colored Meiji Period photograph
Located in Middletown, NY
Yokohama, Japan: c 1890. Hand-tinted albumen print, 10 1/8 x 7 3/4 inches (258 x 198 mm), numbered B 1161 and captioned in negative at lower right; very light cockling, brightly col...
Watercolor, Photographic Paper
$1,137
Morning Harvest. Still-life, Oil. Abstract Realism, Yellow, Orange, Red, Small
Located in Oslo, NO
We are presented with a small still life depicting a basket of ripe fruits bathed in the morning sun. Bright light filters through the curtain, highlighting the upcoming sultry summ...
Canvas, Oil, Board
$1,800
Caracalla Therme, Estate Edition, Mid-Century Modern Photograph
By Slim Aarons
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This 1990s photograph, captured by society photographer Slim Aarons, features a woman experiences the Caracalla Therme spa in Baden-Baden, September 1990. This is an estate-stamped ...
Lambda
Sheep by River in Mountains of Lake District England - Original Oil on Canvas
Located in Preston, GB
Sheep by the River in the Mountains of the Lake District of England - an Original Oil on Canvas by 20th Century Modern British Artist, Peter Coulthard. Art measures 30 x 20 inches F...
Canvas, Cotton Canvas, Oil
"A Love From Above" (2025) Original Oil Painting, Warm Skyscape
Located in Denver, CO
"A Love From Above" by Kirsten Savage, an original handmade oil painting. Created in 2025, this artwork measures 24 x 48 inches with framed dimensions of 30 x 54 inches. The painting...
Oil, Panel
"Izki"
Located in Edinburgh, GB
Izki 50×70 Oleksandr Khrapachov reveals one of the Carpathians' most secret treasures — the mountain village of Izki, where every mountain has its own character, its own soul, its o...
Oil, Canvas