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
1,522
5,468
3,252
2,718
2,022
1,852
Overall Width
to
Overall Height
to
331
1,180
6,442
7,384
121
75
121
142
171
715
1,299
1,426
897
317
198
119,917
64,436
56,446
28,689
14,480
9,613
6,661
6,087
4,212
3,167
2,557
2,323
2,126
581
7,599
5,215
1,834
5,956
2,980
2,194
1,846
1,804
1,316
1,274
1,146
1,020
989
882
850
716
709
692
646
638
591
565
519
8,194
5,784
3,692
3,453
3,452
3,592
133
98
83
4,094
4,857
10,123
4,091
Style: Realist
Clocks and Peonies
Clocks and Peonies

Clocks and Peonies

By Alex Tabet

Located in Pasadena, CA

Acquired by the gallery directly from the artist Signed "Alexander Tabet" on lower right UNFRAMED: 12" x 16" FRAMED: 18.125" x 22.125" x 1.75" Artist Statement “’Clocks and Peonies’ explores the intricate balance between the passage of time and the ephemeral beauty of nature. At the heart of the composition rests a delicate vase, cradling a lavish bouquet of peonies in full bloom. Their petals unfurl in a graceful display of pinks and creams. Beside the peonies, an array of antique clocks stands...

Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Oil, Panel

British Chalk Pencil Sketch of Two Dapper Gentleman Fishing On The Riverbank
British Chalk Pencil Sketch of Two Dapper Gentleman Fishing On The Riverbank

British Chalk Pencil Sketch of Two Dapper Gentleman Fishing On The Riverbank

By John Rabone Harvey

Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire

John Rabone Harvey ( 1966 - 1922) graphic and chalk deep green artist paper , unframed artist paper : 7 x 5.5 inches Provenance: private collection Condition: very good condition Ha...

Category

Mid-19th Century Realist Art

Materials

Chalk, Graphite

Ice Mill, Original Painting
Ice Mill, Original Painting

Ice Mill, Original Painting

By Vic Roschkov

Located in San Francisco, CA

Artist Comments
Artist Vic Roschkov presents a compelling architectural study of rural utility. The soaring vertical planes of the weathered mill create a rhythmic, geometric d...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Art

Materials

Watercolor

Lost to Time, Original Painting
Lost to Time, Original Painting

Lost to Time, Original Painting

By Art Clark

Located in San Francisco, CA

Artist Comments
A weathered yellow cottage with a red roof stands alone on the prairie, surrounded by wildflowers and a rustic fence. Dark clouds gather overhead, adding a se...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Art

Materials

Acrylic

Light
Light

Light

By Irina Trushkova

Located in Zofingen, AG

"Light" is a painting that pays homage to the natural beauty of apple blossom. Painted with great precision and a keen eye for detail, this work exudes a contemporary realism infuse...

Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Oil

Lin Xu Still Life Original Oil Painting "Three Pomegranates"
Lin Xu Still Life Original Oil Painting "Three Pomegranates"

Lin Xu Still Life Original Oil Painting "Three Pomegranates"

By Lin Xu

Located in New York, NY

Title: Three Pomegranates Medium: Oil on canvas Size: 12 x 16 inches Frame: Framing options available! Condition: The painting appears to be in excellent condition. Note: This painti...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Portrait of a Seated Gentleman - British 19th century art portrait oil painting
Portrait of a Seated Gentleman - British 19th century art portrait oil painting

Portrait of a Seated Gentleman - British 19th century art portrait oil painting

By Thomas Lawrence (circle)

Located in Hagley, England

This striking British 19th century portrait oil painting is attributed to the circle of Sir Thomas Lawrence. Painted circa 1820 it is the portrait of a seated gentleman in a brown hi...

Category

Early 19th Century Realist Art

Materials

Oil

Moved Out, Original Painting
Moved Out, Original Painting

Moved Out, Original Painting

By Vic Roschkov

Located in San Francisco, CA

Artist Comments
A ghostly white, weathered house stands in contrast against the dark, looming trees. The worn texture and faded paint of its exterior capture a sense of aband...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Art

Materials

Watercolor

Seabed with Dolphin - Original handsigned lithograph
Seabed with Dolphin - Original handsigned lithograph

Seabed with Dolphin - Original handsigned lithograph

Located in Paris, IDF

Roland Cat Seabed with Dolphin Original lithograph Handsigned in pencil Limited /275 copies On vellum 90 x 63 cm (c. 35.43 x 24.8 in) Excellent condition

Category

1990s Realist Art

Materials

Lithograph

Monhegan Morning - Fog and Seagulls, Oil Painting
Monhegan Morning - Fog and Seagulls, Oil Painting

Monhegan Morning - Fog and Seagulls, Oil Painting

By Steve Boggs

Located in San Francisco, CA

Artist Comments
Mist lingers over the distant ocean, softening the horizon and capturing the mystic beauty of Monhegan Island in the early morning. Waves and currents weave thr...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Art

Materials

Oil

Margherita
Margherita

Margherita

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

Portrait of a Baby
Portrait of a Baby

Portrait of a Baby

Located in Wilton Manors, FL

Violet Oakley (1896-1961). Portrait of a Baby, ca. 1930. Conte crayon and pencil on laid paper, sheet measuring 11 x 14 inches. Framed measurement: 13.5 x 16.5 inches. Signed low...

Category

1930s Realist Art

Materials

Conté, Laid Paper

Romantic Autumn Collection (still life painting)
Romantic Autumn Collection (still life painting)

Romantic Autumn Collection (still life painting)

By John McCormick

Located in Wilton Manors, FL

Beautiful still life painting by California artist, John McCormick III. Romantic Autumn Collection, ca. 1985. Oil on wood panel, 4 x 7 inches; 6.5 x 9.5 inches in wood frame. Signed lower right. Minor scratches in varnish. EDUCATION 1980 San Francisco State University, CA, Teaching Credential 1978 University of the Pacific, CA, B.F.A. SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS 2020 Harris Harvey Gallery, Wild Life and Other Topics, Seattle, WA 2016 Harris Harvey Gallery, Clues and Fragments, Seattle, WA 2014 Lisa Harris Gallery, Visitation, Seattle, WA Elins Eagle-Smith Gallery, San Francisco, CA 2011 Julie Nester Gallery, The Land, Park City, Utah 2010 Lisa Harris Gallery, Recent Landscapes, Seattle, WA SF City College Art Gallery, New Landscapes and Portraits, San Francisco, CA 2009 Lisa Harris Gallery, Water Journey, Seattle, WA 2008 Anne Reed Gallery, Water Journey, Ketchum, ID 2007 Gallerie de Bellefeuille, Solo Exhibition, Montréal, Quebéc 2006 Elins Eagles-Smith Gallery, Solo Exhibition, San Francisco, CA 2005 Anne Reed Gallery, Solo Exhibition, Ketchum, ID Lisa Harris Gallery, Solo Exhibition, Seattle, WA 2004 Elins Eagles-Smith Gallery, Solo Exhibition, San Francisco, CA The Bolinas Museum, Solo Exhibition, Bolinas, CA 2003 Anne Reed Gallery, Solo Exhibition, Ketchum, ID Lisa Harris Gallery, Solo Exhibition, Seattle, WA 2002 Scott White Contemporary Art, Solo Exhibition, La Jolla, CA 2001 Lisa Harris Gallery, Solo Exhibition, Seattle, WA The Triton Museum, New Works by California Artists, Santa Clara, CA The Munson Gallery, Solo Exhibition, Santa Fe, NM DNFA Gallery, Landscape and Memory, Pasadena, CA 2000 Diane Nelson Fine Art, New Landscapes, Laguna Beach, CA 1999 Tercera Gallery, Solo Exhibition, Los Gatos, CA 1998 San Jose Institute of Contemporary Art, Solo Exhibition, San Jose, CA 1997 Robert Allen Fine Art, Solo Exhibition, San Francisco, CA 1996 Robert Green Fine Art, Solo Exhibition, Mill Valley, CA 1995 Harleen & Allen Fine Art, Solo Exhibition, San Francisco, CA 1993 Harleen & Allen Fine Art, Solo Exhibition, San Francisco, CA 1984 Triangle Gallery, Two-Person Show, San Francisco, CA 1982 Triangle Gallery, New Work, San Francisco, CA SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS 2020 Harris Harvey Gallery, Fall Perspectives, Seattle, WA 2020 Harris Harvey Gallery, Provenance, Seattle, WA 2019 Harris Harvey Gallery, Summer Reflections, Seattle, WA 2018 Harris Harvey Gallery, Fall Focus, Seattle, WA 2017 Elins Eagles Smith, San Francisco International Art Fair, San Francisco, CA 2016 Harris Harvey Gallery, Winter’s Offering, Seattle, WA Lisa Harris Gallery, 31 for 32: Summer Salon, Seattle, WA Elins Eagles Smith, San Francisco International Art Fair, San Francisco, CA 2012 Lisa Harris Gallery, Plein Air Invitational, Seattle, WA 2010 Bolinas Museum, 22nd Annual Mini Show, Bolinas, CA 2009 Lisa Harris Gallery, 25th Anniversary Show, Seattle, WA 2008 Lisa Harris Gallery, Water Falling, Seattle, WA 2007 Triton Museum, Survey of Bay Area Landscape Painters, Santa Clara, CA, Elins Eagles-Smith Gallery, Los Angeles Art Fair, Los Angeles, CA Galerie De Bellefeuille, Miami Art Fair, Miami, FL Julie Nester Gallery, Group Show, Park City, UT 2006 Elins Eagles-Smith Gallery, Art Chicago, Chicago, IL Galerie De Bellefeuille, Toronto Art Fair, San Francisco, CA Renee George Gallery, Small Scale II, Charlotte, NC 2005 Elins Eagles-Smith Gallery, SF International Art Fair, San Francisco, CA Scott White Contemporary Art, Palm Beach Art Fair, Palm Beach, FL 2004 Elins Eagles-Smith Gallery, Art Chicago, Chicago, IL Elins Eagles-Smith Gallery, SF International Art Fair, San Francisco, CA 2003 Anne Reed Gallery, Group Landscape Show, Ketchum, ID Elins Eagles-Smith Gallery, Art Chicago, Chicago, IL Arcadia Fine Art, Art Chicago, Chicago, IL 2002 Elins Eagles-Smith Gallery, SF International Art Fair, San Francisco, CA Scott White Contemporary Art, Terrain, Telluride, CO Arcadia Fine Art, Summer International Invitation, New York, NY DNFA Gallery, Landscape Show, Pasadena, CA Diane Nelson Fine Art, Landscape Show, Laguna Beach, CA 2001 Eleanor Ettinger Gallery, Summer Salon, New York, NY Susan Street Fine Art, Solana Beach, CA Anne Reed Gallery, Reflecting on Surfaces, Ketchum, Idaho 2000 Lisa Harris Gallery, Millennium: Three Introductions Seattle, WA 1999 Campbell-Thiebaud Gallery, Large Paintings, San Francisco, CA The Munson Gallery, New Gallery Artists, Sante Fe, New Mexico Diane Nelson Fine Art, Elements of Landscape, Laguna Beach, CA 1998 Robert Green Fine Art, Selected Gallery Artists, Mill Valley, CA Royal Birmingham Society of Artists Gallery, Birmingham, England University of the Pacific, Alumni Exhibition, Stockton, CA 1997 Robert Allen Fine Art, San Francisco, CA 1996 Robert Green Fine Art, Mill Valley, CA 1995 Harleen & Allen Fine Art, San Francisco, CA 1990 United States Embassy, Selected Western Artists, Moscow, Soviet Union 1989 University of the Pacific, Alumni Show, Stockton, CA 1096 Southern Exposure Gallery, San Francisco, CA 1985 Richmond Art Center, Richmond, CA AWARDS & DISTINCTIONS 2008 Djerassi Foundation, Alumni Winter Residency 2004 Morris Graves Foundation, Artist Residency 2002 Morris Graves Foundation, Artist Residency 2000 Karie Thomson Honorary Fellowship, Djerassi Foundation Djerassi Foundation, Artist Residency Year 2000, Woodside, CA Marin Arts Council, Individual Artist Grant 1998 Royal Birmingham Society of Artists, Award of Artistic Merit Marin Arts Council, Community Art Grant 1992 University of the Pacific, Alumni Fellowship 1986 University of the Pacific, Alumni Fellowship BIBLIOGRAPHY “Mitchell Albala and John McCormick,” Visual Art Source, review by Matthew Kangas, March, 2014 “Coast to Coast, Best of the West”, Southwest Art , May 2005 “Start your collection”, Southwest Art, June 2004 "The Studio Book" by Kathleen Riquelme & Melba Levick, Rizzoli Publishing, Nov. 03 “Artists offer two views of the landscape” Seattle Times, February 14, 2003 “Preview-John McCormick” Artweek, February, 2003 “Challenging Landscapes Expand Horizons” The Telluride Watch, May 31, 2002 “Following Their Bliss; John McCormick & Jan Gauthier” SFSU Magazine, spring, 2002 “John McCormick, Landscapes”, essays by Ron Glowen & Susan Hillhouse, Horsehill Press, 2001 “Bay Area Artist”, Southwest Art Magazine November, 2001 “John McCormick at Diane Nelson” Orange County Register, November, 2000 “Marin Artists Open their Studios” San Francisco Chronicle, May 2000 “MarinScapes Returns for 11th Year” Marin IJ, July 1999 “Designs by Joseph Escherick” Architectural Digest, August 1996 “San Francisco Best Bets”, SF Examiner, June 4, 1995 “Marin Open Studios” Marin IJ, May, 1995 “In The Galleries”, Marin IJ, February, 1995 “John McCormick at Harleen & Allen”, Northern CA...

Category

1980s Realist Art

Materials

Oil

Portrait of a Spaniel - British Edwardian art dog portrait oil painting
Portrait of a Spaniel - British Edwardian art dog portrait oil painting

Portrait of a Spaniel - British Edwardian art dog portrait oil painting

By Robert Morley

Located in Hagley, England

This gorgeous British Edwardian dog portrait oil painting is by noted animal artist Robert Morley. Painted circa 1910 the composition is of a black and white spaniel, sitting down, against a white wall and door way. The dog has a black face and black patches with lovely roan type speckles up its legs and body. Morley has beautifully captured the wispy softness of its fur and fluffiness on its chest. Of course the dog has those mesmerising dark brown spaniel eyes that would melt any heart. This is a simply wonderful spaniel portrait...

Category

1910s Realist Art

Materials

Oil

"Satyrs and Nymphs in a Landscape"
"Satyrs and Nymphs in a Landscape"

"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:...

Category

17th Century Realist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

"Izki"
"Izki"

"Izki"

By Oleksandr Khrapachov

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...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Art

Materials

Oil, Canvas

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

Same Old Story (Brooklyn Dodgers & St. Louis Cardinals Illustration)
Same Old Story (Brooklyn Dodgers & St. Louis Cardinals Illustration)

Same Old Story (Brooklyn Dodgers & St. Louis Cardinals Illustration)

Located in Wilton Manors, FL

Bill Crawford (1913-1982). Original illustration artwork depicting teams as they advance to the World Series. Depicted are representations of the St. Louis Cardinals and The Brooklyn...

Category

1940s Realist Art

Materials

Paper, Charcoal, Ink, Gouache, Pencil

Seated Woman
Seated Woman

Mark MorrisonSeated Woman, ca. 1940

$3,500Sale Price|56% Off

Seated Woman

By Mark Morrison

Located in Wilton Manors, FL

Mark Morrison (1895-1964) Seated Woman, ca. 1950 Carved and polished red Italian marble 4.75" wide, 6 3/8" deep, height is 16.5"" Provenance: Estate of Mrs. Mark Morrison. Born...

Category

Mid-20th Century Realist Art

Materials

Stone

Black and White Misty Sailboat Journey, Regatta Seascape, Mediterranean Coast
Black and White Misty Sailboat Journey, Regatta Seascape, Mediterranean Coast

Black and White Misty Sailboat Journey, Regatta Seascape, Mediterranean Coast

By Kind of Cyan

Located in Barcelona, ES

This is an exclusive limited edition black and white giclée print, on 100% cotton Hahnemühle Photo Rag Fine Art matte paper. This series of black and white photographs captures the raw power and beauty of the ocean and other bodies of water. The images showcase a range of seascapes, from calm and serene to tumultuous and chaotic. Waves are a prominent feature in many of the photographs, with their sharp edges and frothy white caps creating a sense of energy and movement. Other photographs in the series explore the more subtle aspects of the sea, such as the gentle ripples that form on the surface of the water, or the abstract reflections of sunlight and moonlight over the moving surface of the sea. The print measures 24 x 36 inches total, with an image size of 20 x 32 in. and a 2 inch surrounding white border. Details: + Title: Misty Sailboat...

Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Rag Paper, Archival Pigment

Freeway Exit
Freeway Exit

Freeway Exit

By Tony Peters

Located in Pasadena, CA

Provenance Acquired by the gallery directly from the artist Signed "Peters" on lower left Description The subject of this painting depicts the northern segment of California Inters...

Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Italian 20th Century Signed Oil Painting Blossom Twig in Glass of Water
Italian 20th Century Signed Oil Painting Blossom Twig in Glass of Water

Italian 20th Century Signed Oil Painting Blossom Twig in Glass of Water

Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire

Artist/ School: signed lower right corner, Italian School, 20th century Title: sprig of blossom in a clear glass with water. Medium: oil painting on canvas, framed Size: framed:...

Category

Mid-20th Century Realist Art

Materials

Oil

Interiors IV: Hotel Paradise Cafe
Interiors IV: Hotel Paradise Cafe

Interiors IV: Hotel Paradise Cafe

By Peter Milton

Located in San Francisco, CA

Artist: Peter Milton (American, 1930-) Title: Interiors IV: Hotel Paradise Café Year: 1987 Medium: Resist-ground etching and engraving on copper Paper: BFK Rives Image size: 23.5 x ...

Category

1980s Realist Art

Materials

Paper, Etching

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.