Skip to main content

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.

to
1,521
5,455
3,240
2,721
2,021
1,856
Overall Width
to
Overall Height
to
332
1,182
6,407
7,397
122
75
120
144
171
713
1,297
1,396
897
317
198
119,610
64,447
56,395
28,636
14,489
9,592
6,687
6,081
4,208
3,166
2,546
2,321
2,124
580
7,565
5,219
1,831
5,923
2,975
2,179
1,843
1,797
1,312
1,269
1,141
1,008
986
882
849
710
709
691
638
632
590
560
518
8,190
5,780
3,658
3,418
3,417
3,558
133
98
84
4,092
4,832
10,101
4,097
Style: Realist
Senses

Senses

By Karen Offutt

Located in Denver, CO

"Senses," is an original oil painting by Karen Offutt. It is unframed, but ready-to-hang.

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Art

Materials

Oil, Panel

Maurice Milliere (1871-1946) An artist in his studio, oil on canvas signed
Maurice Milliere (1871-1946) An artist in his studio, oil on canvas signed

Maurice Milliere (1871-1946) An artist in his studio, oil on canvas signed

By Maurice Milliere

Located in Paris, FR

Maurice Milliere (1871-1946) An artist in his studio, signed lower right oil on canvas 46 x 27 cm framed : 52 x 33 cm It is particularly interesting to find Maurice Millière working in a genre very different from that for which he is best known: depictions of young Parisian women. This unique portrait shows Millière in a more original and intriguing light. It captures a painter in his studio, creating a scene with various details: canvases on the floor to the right, a stretcher frame on trestles and even shoes that must have been quite striking at the time. The painter appears to be taking a break to smoke and pose for Millière. There is a real sense of complicity between the two artists. At the same time, however, everything in this painting is carefully chosen and composed, such as the admirable red background against which the model stands out. Combining elements of both a portrait and a studio scene, the painter's intention was to create a unique piece that pays homage to the bond between the two artists. Maurice Georges Louis Millière was born in Le Havre in 187. He came from a working-class family in Le Havre; his father was a salesman for a merchant. Millière began by studying painting at the École des Beaux-Arts in Le Havre. He moved to Paris in 1889 and enrolled at the École des Arts Décoratifs, also attending certain workshops at the École des Beaux-Arts. His first notable graphic works were posters and sheet music for companies such as Le Boulch and Le Divan Japonais (1899). From 1917 onwards, he published large numbers of depictions of scantily clad women: first in Fantasio (1917), then in Bagatelles, La Vie parisienne, Le Frou-frou, Le Sourire, Le Gai-Paris, etc. At the end of 1920, he joined the République de Montmartre, a charitable association. Contemporary with those of Louis Icart, his “little women” were to enjoy great success outside France: during the 1920s, American periodicals reprinted his creations, as well as those of Suzanne Meunier and Georges Léonnec...

Category

1920s Realist Art

Materials

Oil

Italian painter - 19th century Baroque-style still life with fruit basket
Italian painter - 19th century Baroque-style still life with fruit basket

Italian painter - 19th century Baroque-style still life with fruit basket

Located in Varmo, IT

Italian painter (19th century) - Still life with fruit. 50 x 65 cm (without frame) - 64 x 76 cm (with frame). Oil on canvas, in carved and gilded wooden frame (not signed). This s...

Category

Mid-19th Century Realist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

ABSTRACT SHORELINE LANDSCAPE Original Lithograph, Hand Drawn, Trial Proof
ABSTRACT SHORELINE LANDSCAPE Original Lithograph, Hand Drawn, Trial Proof

ABSTRACT SHORELINE LANDSCAPE Original Lithograph, Hand Drawn, Trial Proof

Located in Union City, NJ

ABSTRACT SHORELINE LANDSCAPE is an original, hand drawn stone lithograph printed using hand lithography techniques on archival Arches paper 100% acid free paper, by the artist Ido Be...

Category

1970s Realist Art

Materials

Lithograph

The Seated Man – An Intimate Glimpse into Daily Life
The Seated Man – An Intimate Glimpse into Daily Life

The Seated Man – An Intimate Glimpse into Daily Life

Located in Stockholm, SE

This masterfully executed painting by Emerik Stenberg (1873–1927) captures an intimate and atmospheric moment. The composition features a seated man, engrossed in his daily chores, b...

Category

Early 20th Century Realist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Mad River View

Mad River View

By Frank P. Corso

Located in Greenwich, CT

Landscape oil painting of a clearing along Vermont's famed and picturesque Mad River. The scene shows a shallow part of the river with sandy shores and a small ford or waterfall by a...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Pinkie's Pizza
Pinkie's Pizza

Pinkie's Pizza

By Terry Thompson

Located in Burlingame, CA

'Pinkie's Pizza', oil on panel, 30 x 40 inches, proudly presented by Andra Norris Gallery in California. Terry Thompson looks for beauty in the often overlooked, painting in a photor...

Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

'Portrait of a Man in a Black Coat' - signed and dated 1903 'T Frans'
'Portrait of a Man in a Black Coat' - signed and dated 1903 'T Frans'

'Portrait of a Man in a Black Coat' - signed and dated 1903 'T Frans'

Located in Knokke, BE

Artist 19th - 20th century 'Portrait of a Man in a Black Coat' Signature: signed lower right and dated 1903 'TFrans 1903'; inscription lower left 'à mon bon ami J. Templinck, cordi...

Category

Early 20th Century Realist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

American Indian Navajo
American Indian Navajo

American Indian Navajo

By Ozz Franca

Located in San Francisco, CA

This artwork "American Indian, Navajo" is a offset lithograph on paper by noted Brazilan artist Ozz Franca, 1928-1991. The image size is 21 x 14.75 inches, framed size is 31.25 x 27 inches. Custom framed in a wooden brown/grey frame, with lith purple matting. It is in excellent condition. About the artist: Born October 2, 1928, França (pronounced FRON-suh) grew up in Sao Paulo, Brazil, and from an early age showed talent as an artist, as well as exceptional prowess as a competitive swimmer. At 14 he won first prize at the annual Spring Salon Art Competition. At 15, he qualified for the Brazilian Olympic Swimming Team. With two amazing talents, França was unsure what he should do with his life. Fate stepped in, and the Olympic Games were canceled the year França was to compete due to the outbreak of World War II. At that point, he decided to devote his life to art. He held his first one-man show at the age of 18. Following what he would later say was the best advice anyone ever gave him, França came to the U.S, to accept a scholarship in Utah. A year later, he moved to Hollywood and began doing movie illustration for Walt Disney. His projects included Lady and the Tramp and 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. He moonlighted as a swimmer when movie parts were available. França painted many subjects, but he is best known for his esoteric images of Native American women. França's art enters the world of fantasy and dreams, where the spiritual meets the sensual. His works, with their floating imagery and airy, muted colors, evoke an aura of mystery. França said he always painted his subjects, which primarily were women, either in profile, looking toward the edge of the painting, or looking over her shoulder, "so that anyone could walk into it." Joan Lee, print marketing professional, said that Ozz saw the spirituality and quiet dignity of Native American men and women. "there's a romance surrounding Native Americans that people appreciate seeing," said Lee. Ozz França died in 1991. Ozz Franca’s work is held in the collections of numerous celebrity, including: Jacqueline Onassis Lyndon B. Johnson Patty Duke Jerry Lewis Kim Novak Burt Lancaster Gig Young Tom Bradley Sammy Davis, Jr. Ronald Reagan Red Skelton...

Category

Late 20th Century Realist Art

Materials

Lithograph

Cecily Byrne as Mary Stewart - British art 30's actress portrait oil painting
Cecily Byrne as Mary Stewart - British art 30's actress portrait oil painting

Cecily Byrne as Mary Stewart - British art 30's actress portrait oil painting

By George Carr Drinkwater

Located in Hagley, England

Painted by George Carr Drinkwater, this vibrant oil on canvas depicts the actress of stage and screen Cecily Byrne as Mary Stuart. Painted circa 1930 it is a stunning evocative portrait of an actress who was famous throughout the 1930’s. A fine portrait of a long forgotten film star. Cecily Byrne (1889-1975) was an actress, known for Loyalties, Henry IV and Brown Sugar...

Category

1930s Realist Art

Materials

Oil

Le Soir a Venise, Realist Oil Painting on Canvas, Late 19th Century
Le Soir a Venise, Realist Oil Painting on Canvas, Late 19th Century

Le Soir a Venise, Realist Oil Painting on Canvas, Late 19th Century

Located in New York, NY

Legout Gérard was born in Saint-Lo Normandy, France on the 24th October 1856 and died in Paris on the 14th August 1924. He began his career as a banker, but around 1890 he discovered Concarneau and moved there in 1903 and in the same year became a full time professional artist. He was a member of ‘Le groupe de Concarneau’, a loosely joined network of like-minded friends and painters, most notably Henri Alphonse Barnoin...

Category

Late 19th Century Realist Art

Materials

Oil, Canvas

Cup of coffee and tangerine
Cup of coffee and tangerine

Cup of coffee and tangerine

By Irina Trushkova

Located in Zofingen, AG

"Cup of coffee and tangerine” is a celebration of the beauty that can be found in the simplest of things. The style of the painting is inspired by the Holland masters of the 17th cen...

Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Rathaus in Vienna
Rathaus in Vienna

Rathaus in Vienna

By Josef Eidenberger

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...

Category

Mid-20th Century Realist Art

Materials

Etching

Ferrari 250 GTO
Ferrari 250 GTO

Ferrari 250 GTO

By Marcello Petisci

Located in West Hollywood, CA

“Ferrari 250 GTO” by Marcello Petisci reimagines one of the most legendary sports cars in automotive history through a playful and contemporary lens. The classic Ferrari form is colo...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Art

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic

San Giorgio Maggiore, Painting, Acrylic on Canvas
San Giorgio Maggiore, Painting, Acrylic on Canvas

San Giorgio Maggiore, Painting, Acrylic on Canvas

Located in Yardley, PA

This is a painting I did using a composite of photos of the buildings, water and sky. I reworked many parts of this until I was satisfied. This painting took approximately 100 hour...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Art

Materials

Acrylic

Single Feather
Single Feather

Single Feather

By Susan Manchester

Located in Burlingame, CA

From her studio in Carmel by the Sea, Manchester draws inspiration from flight and the poetry of the natural world. Her recent Conté and pastel drawings, “Singular Feather,” is portr...

Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Conté, Pastel, Graphite

Pocket Yellow Plum by Dani Humberstone, Small Scale Art, Realist, Still life
Pocket Yellow Plum by Dani Humberstone, Small Scale Art, Realist, Still life

Pocket Yellow Plum by Dani Humberstone, Small Scale Art, Realist, Still life

Located in Deddington, GB

Pocket Yellow Quince by Dani Humberstone [2022] original and hand signed by the artist Oil paint on canvas Image size: H:5 cm x W:5 cm Complete Size of Unframed Work: H:5 cm x W:5 cm x D:3cm Frame Size: H:16 cm x W:16 cm x D:3.5cm Sold Framed Please note that insitu images are purely an indication of how a piece may look Please note that insitu images are purely an indication of how a piece may look. Pocket Yellow Quince is an original oil painting bay Dani Humberstone as part of her pocket fruit series.

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

"White flowers"
"White flowers"

"White flowers"

By Roman Dub

Located in Edinburgh, GB

This still life captivates with its lightness, where the airy petals of the peonies resemble weightless clouds; yet behind this idyll lies a profound symbolism. The contrasting brigh...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Art

Materials

Acrylic

Hyperreal Forest Green Glass Balloon Sculpture
Hyperreal Forest Green Glass Balloon Sculpture

Hyperreal Forest Green Glass Balloon Sculpture

By Dylan Martinez

Located in East Quogue, NY

Dark forest green glass water balloon sculpture by Dylan Martinez. 100% hot sculpted glass. Dylan Martinez’s hyperrealistic water balloons are made of solid sculpted glass sandblas...

Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Glass, Blown Glass

Yellow laces
Yellow laces

Yellow laces

By Ihar Sviancicki

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. ...

Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

"Castle Grounds, " Oil painting

"Castle Grounds, " Oil painting

By Judd Mercer

Located in Denver, CO

Judd Mercer's (US based) "Castle Grounds," is an original, handmade oil painting that depicts the green shore of land that casts a reflection of its emerald hued trees and foliage into the water. About the Artist: Judd Mercer is a watercolor painter based in Denver, Colorado. After attending art school for industrial design, Judd pursued a career in digital design and user experience and is co-owner of Elevated Third, a Denver-based digital agency. After committing to writing and illustrating a full-length fantasy novel in his spare time, Judd began watercolor painting around 2014, studying with teachers such as Alvaro Castagnet, Joseph Zbukvic...

Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Contemporary portrait "Near the Sea"
Contemporary portrait "Near the Sea"

Contemporary portrait "Near the Sea"

By Nataliya Bagatskaya

Located in Zofingen, AG

In this painting, I've aimed to capture a moment of sudden stillness and a muted connection between two figures against a coastal backdrop. Using acrylics, I have layered the realist...

Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Cotton Canvas, Acrylic

QUEEN MARY,  LONG BEACH,  CA -  ORIGINAL ARTIST DESIGN CONCEPT FOR PLACEMENT
QUEEN MARY,  LONG BEACH,  CA -  ORIGINAL ARTIST DESIGN CONCEPT FOR PLACEMENT

QUEEN MARY, LONG BEACH, CA - ORIGINAL ARTIST DESIGN CONCEPT FOR PLACEMENT

Located in Santa Monica, CA

QUEEN MARY, LONG BEACH, CA - ORIGINAL ARTIST DESIGN FOR THE PLACEMENT OF THE SHIP Watercolor and gouache on board, 20 x 36 inches. Signed and dated by the artist - Segroves, 1969. The original artist concept for the placement in Long Beach Harbor in 1969. Subsequently revised several times. The Queen after extensive renovation has just reopened to the public on December 14, 2022 Much larger than the Titanic, At 1,019 feet long and 81,000 tons (310 meters and 73,500 metric tons), the Queen Mary was one of the largest and most elegant ships of the early 20th century. From Wikipedia: The RMS Queen Mary is a retired British ocean liner that sailed primarily on the North Atlantic Ocean from 1936 to 1967 for the Cunard-White Star Line and built by John...

Category

1960s Realist Art

Materials

Watercolor, Gouache

Portrait of a Seated Lady - French 1880 Victorian art female portrait drawing
Portrait of a Seated Lady - French 1880 Victorian art female portrait drawing

Portrait of a Seated Lady - French 1880 Victorian art female portrait drawing

Located in Hagley, England

This lovely pencil and charcoal drawing is attributed to circle of French noted artist Jacques Joseph Tissot. Created around 1880 the drawing is of a woman relaxing on a reclining chair...

Category

19th Century Realist Art

Materials

Charcoal, Pencil

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.