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Realist Art

15,035 Results
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
STILL LIFE WITH GRAPES AND PEAR Signed Lithograph, Geometric Pattern, Fruit
STILL LIFE WITH GRAPES AND PEAR Signed Lithograph, Geometric Pattern, Fruit

STILL LIFE WITH GRAPES AND PEAR Signed Lithograph, Geometric Pattern, Fruit

By Lowell Nesbitt

Located in Union City, NJ

STILL LIFE WITH GRAPES is an original hand drawn, limited edition lithograph by the American artist Lowell Nesbitt (b.1933-1993). Printed on archival Arches paper, 100% acid free using hand lithography techniques. STILL LIFE WITH GRAPES is a modern fruit still life depicting two bunches of plump green and red grapes, and green pear displayed on an Southwest style geometric Aztec patterned textile as a background. STILL LIFE WITH GRAPES is an eye-appealing composition using vivid colors including warm red, black, gray, yellow gold, light green, purple, burgundy and white. Print size - 21.5 x 28.25 inches, unframed, excellent condition, very fine impression, hand signed in pencil by Lowell Nesbitt Edition size - 175, plus proofs Year published - 1978 Lowell Blair Nesbitt (October 4, 1933 - July 8, 1993) was an American painter, draughtsman, printmaker, and sculptor. He studied at Tyler School of Art at Temple University in Philadelphia and at the Royal Academy of Arts in London. Nesbitt worked in abstraction until Robert Indiana suggested in the early 1960s that he explore realism in his paintings. As subjects for his work he favored studio interiors, articles of clothing, piles of shoes, his Rottweiler, the Neo-Classical facades of 19th century cast iron buildings, and Manhattan's bridges. He was also famous for his enormous paintings and prints of roses, lilies, irises, and other flowers. He served as the official artist for the NASA Apollo 9, and Apollo 13 space missions; in 1976 the United States Navy commissioned him to paint a mural in the administration building on Treasure Island spanning 26 feet x 251 feet, then the largest mural in the United States; and in 1980 the United States Postal Service honored Lowell Nesbitt by issuing four postage stamps depicting his paintings. His first solo exhibition was mounted at the Baltimore Museum of Art in 1958 and during his lifetime he had more than 130 solo exhibitions of his work at various galleries, museums, and universities, including the Corcoran Gallery of Art, Kent State University, the McNay Art Museum, the Butler Institute of American Art, the Burpee Art Museum, and the Tyler Gallery...

Category

1970s Realist Art

Materials

Lithograph

19th Century Swedish Monochrome Watercolor King Welcome Scene Signed Frame
19th Century Swedish Monochrome Watercolor King Welcome Scene Signed Frame

19th Century Swedish Monochrome Watercolor King Welcome Scene Signed Frame

Located in Stockholm, SE

This rare original historical monochrome watercolour (grisaille) of the late 19th century, attributed to the renowned Swedish illustrator Theodor Heurlin (1867–1953), constitutes a v...

Category

Late 19th Century Realist Art

Materials

Wood, Paper, Watercolor, Cardboard

15. Horseshoe crab, king crab

15. Horseshoe crab, king crab

By Maria Sibylla Merian

Located in Columbia, MO

Maria Sibylla Merian was born in Germany in 1647 and received early artistic training from her stepfather, an established still life painter. She was fascinated by insects and collec...

Category

18th Century Realist Art

Materials

Pigment

"Izyum"
"Izyum"

"Izyum"

By Iryna Iskra

Located in Edinburgh, GB

The painting was painted as a reflection after the depopulation of the city of Izyum, Kharkiv region.

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Antique Anglo Indian Drawing of Bombay in 1875
Antique Anglo Indian Drawing of Bombay in 1875

Antique Anglo Indian Drawing of Bombay in 1875

Located in Palm Beach, FL

Transporting 19th century British colonial drawing on paper of a street scene in Bombay India capturing the hot, dusty mood of the day, executed in a distinctive Anglo Indian style. ...

Category

19th Century Realist Art

Materials

Wood, Paper, Pencil

Landscape, 1950s. Oil on canvas, plywood, 36x44 cm
Landscape, 1950s. Oil on canvas, plywood, 36x44 cm

Landscape, 1950s. Oil on canvas, plywood, 36x44 cm

By Voldemars Vimba

Located in Riga, LV

Vimba Voldemars ( 1904 St. Petersburg – 1985 Riga, Latvia) He began his artistic education at the St Petersburg’s Central technical drawing school. From 1923 to 1933 completed Figu...

Category

Mid-20th Century Realist Art

Materials

Canvas, Plywood, Oil

"London prophecies"
"London prophecies"

"London prophecies"

By Kyrylo Bondarenko

Located in Edinburgh, GB

One of my best works in this series is "Art from Money." It's a painting with a philosophical meaning: it reflects the philosophy of human impact on the planet. This prophetic painti...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Art

Materials

Paper, Oil

"Glacial rocks"
"Glacial rocks"

"Glacial rocks"

By Oleksandr Khrapachov

Located in Edinburgh, GB

Glacial Rocks Oleksandr Khrapachov, 2011 --- There are places where the earth itself speaks the language of millions of years — and it is precisely such a place that Oleksandr Khr...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Blue Hydrangea
Blue Hydrangea

Blue Hydrangea

Located in Edinburgh, GB

This piece is part of an ongoing series of round canvases dedicated to the "portraits of flowers." Instead of treating florals as simple decorative elements, I approach each canvas a...

Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Oil

Thristles, by Uldis Zemzaris. 1978. Oil on canvas. 80x81 cm.
Thristles, by Uldis Zemzaris. 1978. Oil on canvas. 80x81 cm.

Thristles, by Uldis Zemzaris. 1978. Oil on canvas. 80x81 cm.

Located in Riga, LV

Uldis Zemzaris (born 1928.24.II) Uldis Zemzaris graduated from J. Rozentāls Riga Art High School (1953) and the Painting Department of the Latvian State Academy of Art (1955) with h...

Category

1970s Realist Art

Materials

Oil, Canvas

Peaceful Venetian Canal Scenes in a Pair of Mid 20th-C. Paintings
Peaceful Venetian Canal Scenes in a Pair of Mid 20th-C. Paintings

Peaceful Venetian Canal Scenes in a Pair of Mid 20th-C. Paintings

Located in San Francisco, CA

This pair of timeless scenes of Venice are both by Venetian painter, Luigi Zugolo, who, according to Italy’s Ministry of Culture, was working in the early 20th century. Would we call...

Category

Mid-20th Century Realist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Harvest Time on the Farm
Harvest Time on the Farm

Harvest Time on the Farm

By Donald Purdy 1

Located in New York, NY

This Barbizon influenced work is a moving and beautifully painted work. The artist took a strong interest in artists such as Corot and the French painters that took to depicting the...

Category

1980s Realist Art

Materials

Oil, Panel

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

Capote Cycling, Slim Aarons Estate Edition
Capote Cycling, Slim Aarons Estate Edition

Capote Cycling, Slim Aarons Estate Edition

By Slim Aarons

Located in Los Angeles, CA

Slim Aarons Capote Cycling Slim Aarons Estate Edition 1970: Truman Capote (1924 - 1984) on his bicycle in Palm Springs, California. Author of several novels including 'Breakfast at Tiffany's' which was made into a film. 40 x 60 inches $3950 30 x 40 inches $3350 20 x 30 inches $3000 10 x 12 inches $1350 Complimentary dealer shipping to your framer, worldwide. Estate stamped and hand numbered edition of 150 with certificate of authenticity from the estate. Chromogenic Lambda print from the original transparency Over the course of a career lasting half a century, Slim Aarons (1916-2006) portrayed high society, aristocracy, authors, artists, business icons, the celebrated and their milieu. In doing so, he captured a golden age of wealth, privilege, beauty and leisure that occurred alongside—but quite separate from—the cultural and political backdrop of the second half of the Twentieth Century. The Slim Aarons Estate has released the limited Estate edition as a Lambda print, which is a modern c-type prints. They have chosen Lambda prints for their sharpness, clarity, colour saturation and quality, compared to archival inkjet prints. Lambda printing gives true continuous tone. Photograph is unframed Slide show includes a close-up of the Slim Aarons estate's stamp. Collector will get the next number in the edition * We are pleased to offer the entire archive of the Slim Aarons Estate, offering the official Slim Aarons Estate Edition (only offered in this edition of 150). Please contact us for additional photographs from Slim Aarons * Undercurrent Projects offers premium quality photographic prints from the Slim Aarons Archive, owned and housed by Getty Images. All photographs are printed and authorized by the Getty Images Gallery, London. Photographs are printed utilizing the original transparency held at the archive source. Internal: Vintage Literary photography, vintage writers, vintage glamour, vintage breakfast at...

Category

1970s Realist Art

Materials

Lambda

Danse Espagnole, Teresa Viera Romero
Danse Espagnole, Teresa Viera Romero

Danse Espagnole, Teresa Viera Romero

By Jean Target 1

Located in San Francisco, CA

This artwork titled "Danse Espagnole" referring to the famous Flamenco dancers, Teresa Viera Romero, is a watercolor, on paper by noted French artist Jean Target, 1910-1997 It is sig...

Category

Mid-20th Century Realist Art

Materials

Watercolor

Red Goddess, Painting, Oil on Canvas
Red Goddess, Painting, Oil on Canvas

Red Goddess, Painting, Oil on Canvas

By Jo Beer

Located in Yardley, PA

Portrait of Florence Welch. I love Florence's bohemian style, and thought that a William Morris design would provide a suitable background ( his design here is Pink & Rose 1890...

Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Oil

"Ex Nihilo Fragment 6", Frederick Hart, Figurative Bronze Sculpture, 39X23X12 in
"Ex Nihilo Fragment 6", Frederick Hart, Figurative Bronze Sculpture, 39X23X12 in

"Ex Nihilo Fragment 6", Frederick Hart, Figurative Bronze Sculpture, 39X23X12 in

By Frederick Hart

Located in Dallas, TX

"Ex Nihilo Fragment 6" by Frederick Hart is a figurative bronze with the edition of 55/65. Ex Nihilo Fragment No. 6, detail from the full-scale plaster for the final stone sculpture of Ex Nihilo, was commissioned as part of The Creation Sculptures at Washington National Cathedral...

Category

Early 2000s Realist Art

Materials

Bronze

"Scena alegorica"
"Scena alegorica"

"Scena alegorica"

Located in Edinburgh, GB

"Scena Allegorica" Copy after a Venetian 16th century masterpiece by Veronese Medium: Oil on canvas Dimensions (Framed): 97 x 107 cm Dimensions (Canvas): 91 x 100 cm Signature: Upper right corner This copy after a Venetian 16th century masterpiece by Veronese, exquisite 19th-century oil painting by Antonio Franchini...

Category

18th Century Realist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Window Full Of Flowers Still Life
Window Full Of Flowers Still Life

Window Full Of Flowers Still Life

By Zbigniew Kopania

Located in Lake Worth Beach, FL

Window Full Of Flowers 2021 Still Life oil on canvas, artist signed lower right canvas 23.5x31.5. Zbigniew Kopania, artist painter, cinematographer, born December 21, 1949, in Łódź Poland. Kopania style of paintings characterized by very high realism, some of them deserve to be called hyperrealism. He often uses thick impasto of paint and numerous glazes that contribute to the final effect of the created works. In his paintings, you can almost always see great color saturation, high contrast, and meticulously refined details. College degree in Cinematography Department of the State Higher School of Film, Television, and Theater in Łódź 1969-74. An operator of feature, documentary, and television films in Poland and abroad 1974-80...

Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Oil, Canvas

Danube
Danube

Danube

By Luigi Kasimir

Located in San Francisco, CA

This artwork titled "Danube" c.1940 is a color etching by Austrian artist Luigi Kasimir 1881-1962. It is hand signed by the artist's estate in pencil at the lower center. The plate mark (image) size is 9.5 x 9 inches, the sheet size is 17.5 x 14.85 inches. It is in excellent condition, has never been framed. About the artist. Luigi Kasimir was born in 1881 at Pettau, today Ptuj, Slovenia, then a part of the Austro-Hungarian monarchy. He inherited his talent from his ancestors; his grandfather was a painter and a poet, and his father an officer in the Habsburg army, who later became a professional painter. Kasimir attended the Vienna Academy of Art where he studied under Wilhelm Unger, who introduced him to the technique of the coloured etching, and also to his future wife, the artist Tanna Hoernes.[1] He died in 1962 in Grinzing, a suburb of Vienna.Kasimir was among the first to develop the technique of the coloured etching. Before this, prints were usually hand-coloured with the colour being applied in a casual, haphazard manner. Kasimir would first create a sketch usually in pastel, he then transferred the design on as many as four to six plates, printing one after the other and applying the colour on the plate, all done by hand. Kasimir is mainly famous for his etchings, but he also produced some oil painting, as well as some pastels. One of his favourite genres was the landscape, or veduta. He demonstrated a predisposition street scenes, and tourist landmarks. He depicted places from all over Europe, mainly Italy, Austria, and Germany. He also travelled to the United States to do a series of etchings of famous sights ranging from urban landmarks such as New York City skyscrapers, to natural wonders like Yosemite Valley. Luigi Kasimir’s etchings...

Category

Early 20th Century Realist Art

Materials

Etching

"Sea view. Odesa"

"Sea view. Odesa"

By Oleksandr Khrapachov

Located in Edinburgh, GB

Oleksandr Khrapachov invites us to an intimate encounter with the Odessa coastline—a place where time seems to stand still between memories and dreams. This 2025 work was born out o...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Horse
Horse

Horse

By Aga Ousseinov

Located in Long Island City, NY

This bronze sculpture, from 1996, is a powerful rendering of a horse rearing. It is not uncommon to see stallions rearing; it is a tactic that can be used to dislodge a predator, to...

Category

1990s Realist Art

Materials

Bronze

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

Acapulco Lunch
Acapulco Lunch

Acapulco Lunch

By Slim Aarons

Located in Los Angeles, CA

A long afternoon lunch at Acapulco. Among the guest are (from left to right) film star Douglas Fairbanks Junior (1909 - 2000), couturiers Oscar de la Renta, and standing behind him E...

Category

1960s Realist Art

Materials

C Print

South San Francisco
South San Francisco

South San Francisco

By Ephraim Samson

Located in San Francisco, CA

This artwork "South San Francisco" 2003 Is a watercolor on paper by Filipino artist Ephraim Samson, b.1947. It is signed and dated at the lower right co...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Art

Materials

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.