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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
Afternoon. 1959. Cardboard/oil, 19x27.5 cm
Afternoon. 1959. Cardboard/oil, 19x27.5 cm

Afternoon. 1959. Cardboard/oil, 19x27.5 cm

Located in Riga, LV

Alfejs Bromults (1913.3.IV – 1991.11.I) Alfej Bromults received his first professional education at Tautas University under R. Suta, J. Bīne and G. Šķilters. From 1938 he studied in...

Category

1960s Realist Art

Materials

Oil

Painted by the Breeze, Oil Painting
Painted by the Breeze, Oil Painting

Painted by the Breeze, Oil Painting

Located in San Francisco, CA

Artist Comments
Artist Andres Lopez captures a mesmerizing scene of glistening water with a vibrant orange reflection. The painting captures the play of light on the ocean's su...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Art

Materials

Oil

The University Church of St Mary Oxford - Dutch 1920's art watercolour painting
The University Church of St Mary Oxford - Dutch 1920's art watercolour painting

The University Church of St Mary Oxford - Dutch 1920's art watercolour painting

By Willem Leendert Bruckman

Located in Hagley, England

This beautiful exhibited watercolour painting is by Dutch listed artist Willem Leendert Bruckman. It depicts the University Church of St Mary the Virgin, Oxford, South Porch. The Un...

Category

1920s Realist Art

Materials

Watercolor

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

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

Located in Granada Hills, CA

114 Artist: Artyom Abrahamyan, Work: Original Painting, Handmade artwork, One of a Kind Medium: Watercolor on Paper, Year: 2023 Style: Classic Art, Subject: Robin, Size: 12 x 16 ...

Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Paper, Watercolor

Northwest of Heaven, Original Painting
Northwest of Heaven, Original Painting

Northwest of Heaven, Original Painting

Located in San Francisco, CA

Artist Comments
Time stands still at a derelict farm nestled in a sweeping valley. A meandering stream adds movement and direction to the scene. Towering mountains rise in th...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Art

Materials

Acrylic

Untitled
Untitled

Untitled

By John Button

Located in New York, NY

Graphite on paper Dated in pencil, l.r. This artwork is offered by ClampArt, located in New York City. John Button (1929-1982) was a fine draftsman and drew from life models throug...

Category

1970s Realist Art

Materials

Paper, Graphite

Bullfinch, Bird, Watercolor Handmade Painting, One of a Kind

Bullfinch, Bird, Watercolor Handmade Painting, One of a Kind

Located in Granada Hills, CA

138 Artist: Artyom Abrahamyan, Work: Original Painting, Handmade artwork, One of a Kind Medium: Watercolor on Paper, Year: 2023 Style: Classic Art, Title: Bullfinch, Size: 12 x 1...

Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Paper, Watercolor

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

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

Located in Granada Hills, CA

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

Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Paper, Watercolor

African Beauty
African Beauty

African Beauty

Located in Ibadan, Oyo

Agwunwa Theophilus' "African Beauty" is a striking piece of artwork that celebrates the essence of African identity and individuality. Through the m...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Art

Materials

Fabric, Canvas

Chickadee, Bird, Watercolor Handmade Painting, One of a Kind

Chickadee, Bird, Watercolor Handmade Painting, One of a Kind

Located in Granada Hills, CA

192 Artist: Artyom Abrahamyan, Work: Original Painting, Handmade artwork, One of a Kind Medium: Watercolor on Paper Year: 2023 Style: Classic Art Title: Chickadee Size: 12 x 16 inch...

Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Paper, Watercolor

"Milan Street" by Christopher Clark, Original Oil Painting, Italian Cityscape
"Milan Street" by Christopher Clark, Original Oil Painting, Italian Cityscape

"Milan Street" by Christopher Clark, Original Oil Painting, Italian Cityscape

By Christopher Clark

Located in Denver, CO

Christopher Clark's "Milan Street" is an original, hand made oil and acrylic painting that depicts a night scene of a bustling cityscape in Italy. Christopher has been an artist since early childhood, when he would watch Bob Ross on PBS and mimic the famed oil painter’s art with crayons. He considers himself a self-educated artist, with his studies ranging from personal training with contemporary masters, to classical academic art technique, with much inspiration from 19th Century art and the Impressionist Movement. Christopher lived in Italy for a time, immersing himself in Italian culture and art, which continues to influence his painting. His fan base has grown considerably since his return to the US, gaining the attention of Lucasfilm and Marvel Fine Art, which both signed him as an officially licensed artist in 2016. Other clients include George Lucas, Major League Baseball, Louisville Slugger, and Fender Guitars. Christopher’s painting skills are not his only talent in the arts. He has won several national swing dance championship competitions, and also studies tango and blues dancing. He has played guitar since the age of 12, and during his time as lead guitarist for a rock band, he opened for Blue Oyster Cult and Eddie Money...

Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Oil, Acrylic, Wood Panel

"Genre Scene of Children"
"Genre Scene of Children"

"Genre Scene of Children"

Located in Edinburgh, GB

Johann Ferdinand J. Hintze (1849–1877) – Genre Scene of Children Artist: Johann Ferdinand J. Hintze Period: 19th Century (Dated 1874) Medium: Oil on Panel Dimensions: Framed: 42 x 33...

Category

19th Century Realist Art

Materials

Oil, Panel

Magnolia. Original oil painting
Magnolia. Original oil painting

Magnolia. Original oil painting

Located in Zofingen, AG

These stunning magnolia placed in a transparent vase. A dark background helps to reveal delicate forms of flowers and capture the reactions of light with glass. The medium used is oi...

Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Chaffinch, Bird, Watercolor Handmade Painting, One of a Kind

Chaffinch, Bird, Watercolor Handmade Painting, One of a Kind

Located in Granada Hills, CA

153 Artist: Artyom Abrahamyan, Work: Original Painting, Handmade artwork, One of a Kind Medium: Watercolor on Paper, Year: 2023 Style: Classic Art, Title: Chaffinch, Size: 12 x 1...

Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Paper, Watercolor

“The Mandarins Garland” realist, still life, orange citrus, tondo framed signed
“The Mandarins Garland” realist, still life, orange citrus, tondo framed signed

“The Mandarins Garland” realist, still life, orange citrus, tondo framed signed

By Daniela Astone

Located in Sag Harbor, NY

A circular oil painting of a garland or wreath of orange citrus fruits, tied with a red ribbon, and inviting butterflies and a small bird. The artist adorns the still life with a bac...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Art

Materials

Oil, Panel

Golden Glow, Oil Painting
Golden Glow, Oil Painting

Golden Glow, Oil Painting

Located in San Francisco, CA

Artist Comments
Artist Jose Luis Bermudez presents a tranquil lake bathed in a radiant golden light. "The atmosphere envelops this setting, providing a sense of stability and connection to the earth," says Jose Luis. The water reflects a magical and captivating effect as the sun sits low in the sky, just above the trees. Plants reach for the last rays, vibrant and full of life, while the atmosphere glows with deep yellow hues. Jose Luis invites the viewer to contemplate nature's fleeting beauty and appreciate the magic that can exist in a single moment. The painting arrives with a thin white floating frame.


About the Artist
Artist Jose Luis Bermudez brings to life natural sceneries with breathtaking detail. His realistic oil paintings invite the viewer into a captivating, serene world of golden sunsets and peaceful wetlands. “I offer a fragment of my existence, where you can escape from daily life, visit beautiful scenes and moments, or simply recall a fond memory,” says Jose Luis. Graduating in 2008 with a BA from the San Alejandro School of Fine Arts in Havana, Cuba, he later shared his expertise as a painting teacher at his alma mater. In 2014, he took the leap and moved to Miami, Florida, seeking better opportunities. The decision did not come easy for Jose Luis to leave his home country. Yet, he encountered career obstacles that made him feel artists lacked the resources and opportunities for broader impact, access to more information, and improved working conditions. These challenges became the catalyst for his bold decision to make the move. Today, he paints in a spacious, well-lit studio, which he keeps clean and organized, always accompanied by piano or instrumental music. When he is not painting, he loves connecting with nature. He travels outside the city to places removed from everyday life, breathing fresh air and listening to self-improvement audio books to charge him with energy and continue.


Words that describe this painting: nature, lake, sunset, sun, water, realism, oilpaint, reflection, large, warm, grass, foliage, woods, evening, nature, realism, oil painting, yellow


Golden Glow...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Art

Materials

Oil

Jay, Bird, Watercolor Handmade Painting, One of a Kind

Jay, Bird, Watercolor Handmade Painting, One of a Kind

Located in Granada Hills, CA

152 Artist: Artyom Abrahamyan, Work: Original Painting, Handmade artwork, One of a Kind Medium: Watercolor on Paper, Year: 2023 Style: Classic Art, Title: Jay, Size: 12 x 16 inch...

Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Paper, Watercolor

Pink Sunset in Winter Birch Forest Giant Landscape early 20 Сentury Oil Painting
Pink Sunset in Winter Birch Forest Giant Landscape early 20 Сentury Oil Painting

Pink Sunset in Winter Birch Forest Giant Landscape early 20 Сentury Oil Painting

Located in Stockholm, SE

An impressive painting in size and execution, a frosty winter day in a birch grove with a small pond. The orange-yellow sunset reflected on the surface of the pond creates the illusion of bizarre reflections. The frosty haze that has enveloped the forest intertwines with the approaching twilight, enhancing the sense of depth and atmosphere. On the right we see a traveler returning from the forest with an armful of brushwood on his back. In the distance a small flock of birds flies in, alarmed by something, bringing a sense of movement to this scene. The contrast of bright and cold shades creates an atmosphere of calm and silence...

Category

Early 20th Century Realist Art

Materials

Canvas, Wood, Oil

Pulling in the Creel Nets - British Victorian art river landscape oil painting
Pulling in the Creel Nets - British Victorian art river landscape oil painting

Pulling in the Creel Nets - British Victorian art river landscape oil painting

By Frederick Waters Watts

Located in Hagley, England

This lovely British 19th century oil painting is attributed to noted landscape painter Frederick Waters Watts. The composition is painted in great detail with superb use of colour to...

Category

19th Century Realist Art

Materials

Canvas, 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

136 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 16...

Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Paper, Watercolor

Cuckoo, Bird, Watercolor Handmade Painting, One of a Kind

Cuckoo, Bird, Watercolor Handmade Painting, One of a Kind

Located in Granada Hills, CA

149 Artist: Artyom Abrahamyan, Work: Original Painting, Handmade artwork, One of a Kind Medium: Watercolor on Paper, Year: 2023 Style: Classic Art, Title: Cuckoo, Size: 12 x 16 i...

Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Paper, Watercolor

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

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

Located in Granada Hills, CA

117 Artist: Artyom Abrahamyan, Work: Original Painting, Handmade artwork, One of a Kind Medium: Watercolor on Paper, Year: 2023 Style: Classic Art, Subject: Robin, Size: 12 x 16 ...

Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Paper, Watercolor

"Glory to Ukraine!"
"Glory to Ukraine!"

"Glory to Ukraine!"

Located in Edinburgh, GB

The painting is written in honor and memory of the hero of Ukraine, Oleksandr Mitsievsky. He was shot by soldiers of the Russian army after they took him prisoner. His last words wer...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

"Evening"
"Evening"

"Evening"

Located in Edinburgh, GB

Evening Ascent to Silence What you see before you is not a fantasy, but a living memory of a place. In 2009, Alexander Khrapachov stood with his brush in front of these ancient ste...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Art

Materials

Oil

Chickadee, Bird, Watercolor Handmade Painting, One of a Kind
Chickadee, Bird, Watercolor Handmade Painting, One of a Kind

Chickadee, Bird, Watercolor Handmade Painting, One of a Kind

Located in Granada Hills, CA

67 Artist: Artyom Abrahamyan, Work: Original Painting, Handmade artwork, One of a Kind Medium: Watercolor on Paper, Year: 2023 Style: Classic Art, Title: Chickadee, Size: 12 x 16...

Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Paper, Watercolor

Sparrow, Bird, Watercolor Handmade Painting, One of a Kind
Sparrow, Bird, Watercolor Handmade Painting, One of a Kind

Sparrow, Bird, Watercolor Handmade Painting, One of a Kind

Located in Granada Hills, CA

65 Artist: Artyom Abrahamyan, Work: Original Painting, Handmade artwork, One of a Kind Medium: Watercolor on Paper, Year: 2023 Style: Classic Art, Title: Sparrow, Size: 12 x 16 i...

Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Paper, Watercolor

On Moonlight Bay, Painting, Oil on Canvas
On Moonlight Bay, Painting, Oil on Canvas

On Moonlight Bay, Painting, Oil on Canvas

By Bronle Crosby

Located in Yardley, PA

An inlet of San Diego Bay with lights reflected in it on a full moon night. Beach in the foreground, water mid-ground, land and lights and horizon in back ground. Night sky and full ...

Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Oil

Orchid, gorgeous signed/n silkscreen by renowned 1970s realist artist
Orchid, gorgeous signed/n silkscreen by renowned 1970s realist artist

Orchid, gorgeous signed/n silkscreen by renowned 1970s realist artist

By Lowell Nesbitt

Located in New York, NY

Lowell Nesbitt Orchid, 1979 Silkscreen on wove paper Pencil signed, dated and numbered 144/175 by Lowell Nesbitt on the front Published by Charles Cardinale Fine Creations, Inc., with blind stamp on the front 25 × 25 inches Unframed This work is pencil signed, dated and numbered 144/175 by Lowell Nesbitt on the front. About Lowell Nesbitt. Lowell Nesbitt, who was born in Baltimore on Oct. 4, 1933, was a graduate of the Tyler School of Art at Temple University in Philadelphia and also attended the Royal College of Art in London, where he worked in stained glass & etching. In 1964, the Corcoran Gallery or Art in Washington gave him one of his first museum exhibitions, and by the mid 1970's he had decided to leave the museum a bequest of more than $1 million. But in 1989, he publicly revoked the bequest after the Corcoran canceled a disputed exhibition of photographs by Robert Mapplethorpe, who was an old friend. Mr. Nesbitt named the Phillips Collection as a beneficiary instead. He was frequently grouped with the Photo Realists, but his images were more interpretively distorted, somewhat loosely painted and boldly abbreviated. He had many subjects: studio interiors, articles of clothing, piles of shoes and groupings of fruits and vegetables. He also painted his dog, a Rottweiler named Echo, the Neoclassical facades of SoHo's 19th century cast-iron buildings and several of Manhattan's major bridges. Despite such variety, Lowell Nesbitt was best known for gargantuan images or irises, roses, lilies and other flowers, which he often depicted in close up so that their petals seemed to fill the canvas. Dramatic, implicitly sexual and a little ominous, they earned the artist a popularity with the general public that tended to overshadow his reputation within the art world. In 1980, the United States Postal Service issued four stamps based on Mr. Nesbitt's floral paintings. He also served as the official artist for the space flights of Apollo 9...

Category

1970s Realist Art

Materials

Screen, Pencil, Graphite

Three Pheasants in a Corn Field
Three Pheasants in a Corn Field

Three Pheasants in a Corn Field

Located in Columbia, MO

G. Martin Three Pheasants in Corn Field 2000 Oil on canvas 32 x 42 inches Signed lower right recto

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Art

Materials

Oil

Romany Gypsy Caravan At The Round House Wilford Nottingham Watercolor Painting
Romany Gypsy Caravan At The Round House Wilford Nottingham Watercolor Painting

Romany Gypsy Caravan At The Round House Wilford Nottingham Watercolor Painting

Located in Sutton Poyntz, Dorset

Edgar Woollatt. English ( b.1871 - d.1931 ). Romany Gypsy Caravan At The Round House, Clifton Lane, Wilford, Nottingham. Watercolor. Signed Lower Left. Image size 10.8 inches x 20....

Category

Early 20th Century Realist Art

Materials

Paper, Watercolor

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.