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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
Christo - "The Gates New York Central Park" - color offset on heavy paper

Christo - "The Gates New York Central Park" - color offset on heavy paper

By Christo

Located in Winterswijk, NL

Color offset on heavy paper. Based on a photo by Wolfgang Volz 2005. A beautiful artwork that looks good in every room and especially in the living room or bedroom. Can be framed accordingly. Contact us for possibilities. Christo (Christo Wladimirow Jawaschew, born 1935 in Bulgaria, died 2020 in New York) and Jeanne-Claude (Jeanne-Claude Marie Denat, born 1935 in Casablanca, died 2009...

Category

20th Century Realist Art

Materials

Offset

New York City Winter Oil Painting Fifth Avenue Flags St Patricks Michael Budden
New York City Winter Oil Painting Fifth Avenue Flags St Patricks Michael Budden

New York City Winter Oil Painting Fifth Avenue Flags St Patricks Michael Budden

By Michael Budden

Located in Chesterfield, NJ

Winter On Fifth Avenue, St Patrick's, Flags 24 x 18 unframed. and 30.25 x 24.5 framed signed LL Winter On Fifth Avenue, St Patrick's, Flags is an oil painting on linen by award winn...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Art

Materials

Oil

American Impressionist Oil Painting Gustave Cimioti 1875-1969 Marine Monhegan
American Impressionist Oil Painting Gustave Cimioti 1875-1969 Marine Monhegan

American Impressionist Oil Painting Gustave Cimioti 1875-1969 Marine Monhegan

By Gustave Cimiotti Jr.

Located in Chesterfield, NJ

Gustave Cimioti Jr. Monhegan oil/canvas board signed LR 15.88 x 19.88 unframed, 21.19 x 25.07 framed Good original condition in period frame. Possibly original Biography: Gustave Ci...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Art

Materials

Oil

Force Pressure And Energy Of Brown In Perspective
Force Pressure And Energy Of Brown In Perspective

Force Pressure And Energy Of Brown In Perspective

By Yrjö Edelmann

Located in Östermalm, Stockholms län

Free shipment worldwide. Painted on the sides.No frame needed. Signature: signed and dated. Reality or fantasy? What is the difference between fantasy and fact, between night and ...

Category

Early 2000s Realist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

"The Pincio Fountain in Rome"
"The Pincio Fountain in Rome"

"The Pincio Fountain in Rome"

Located in Edinburgh, GB

Jozefina Kirchner (1890–1931) "The Pincio Fountain in Rome" (1923)** This atmospheric oil painting on canvas by Jozefina Kirchner, completed in 1923, captures a captivating view of t...

Category

19th Century Realist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Lullwater Bridge – Prospect Park
Lullwater Bridge – Prospect Park

Lullwater Bridge – Prospect Park

By Nick Savides

Located in San Francisco, CA

Artist Comments
The setting is an arm of the Prospect Park Lake, known as the Lullwater for its stillness. In the foreground is the Prospect Park Audubon Center in the Boatho...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Art

Materials

Oil

Bunch of Grapes and Dead Leaves, Oil on Canvas, Mid-20th Century
Bunch of Grapes and Dead Leaves, Oil on Canvas, Mid-20th Century

Bunch of Grapes and Dead Leaves, Oil on Canvas, Mid-20th Century

Located in Genève, GE

Work on canvas This work of art is a sophisticated still life that captures attention with its controlled arrangement and dramatic use of light and shadow. In the center, an open wo...

Category

Mid-20th Century Realist Art

Materials

Oil, Canvas

Culture 9 -21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative Portrait, Women, Fashion, Eyes
Culture 9 -21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative Portrait, Women, Fashion, Eyes

Culture 9 -21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative Portrait, Women, Fashion, Eyes

By Damola Ayegbayo

Located in Ibadan, Oyo

Shipping Procedure FREE Shipping Worldwide Ships in a well-protected tube from Nigeria This work is unique, not a print or other type of copy. Accompanied by a Certificate of Authent...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil, Acrylic

Saint-Tropez Boucherie, French Riviera, Estate Edition Photograph
Saint-Tropez Boucherie, French Riviera, Estate Edition Photograph

Saint-Tropez Boucherie, French Riviera, Estate Edition Photograph

By Slim Aarons

Located in Los Angeles, CA

Discover the quintessence of French Riviera charm in Slim Aarons' iconic photograph, 'Saint-Tropez Boucherie,' on Rue des Commercants, Saint-Tropez, 1971. This image is a beautiful intersection of fashion, culture, and everyday life in the sun-drenched streets of Saint-Tropez in August 1971. This photograph features a casual yet captivating scene: two women and a young girl, all dressed in vibrant, vintage early '70s attire in shades of mint green, lemon yellow, and pink, enjoying a leisurely conversation outside a classic red French boucherie or butcher shop. A chic gold and white bicycle, representative of the laid-back Mediterranean lifestyle, is parked unassumingly on the sidewalk. Adding depth to the scene, the shop's proprietor, clad in a purple shirt, can be spotted through the window, lending an authentic touch to the photograph. An enchanting Moroccan-style zellige tile...

Category

1970s Realist Art

Materials

Lambda

Young Boy - Scottish art 19th Century oil painting male portrait ginger hair
Young Boy - Scottish art 19th Century oil painting male portrait ginger hair

Young Boy - Scottish art 19th Century oil painting male portrait ginger hair

Located in Hagley, England

A fine Scottish Victorian head and shoulders portrait oil painting of a sweet young boy with bright blue eyes. Pictured against a dark background, his face is beautifully illuminated...

Category

19th Century Realist Art

Materials

Oil

Kittens at Play, Antique Animals Painting, Cats, Teddy Bear
Kittens at Play, Antique Animals Painting, Cats, Teddy Bear

Kittens at Play, Antique Animals Painting, Cats, Teddy Bear

Located in Grand Rapids, MI

Josef Heimerl (Austrian, 1867-1918) Signed: Jos. Heimerl (Lower, Right) " Kittens at Play ", circa 1900 Oil on Canvas 14 3/4" x 22 7/8" Housed in a 5 1/2" Ornamented Frame in Go...

Category

Early 20th Century Realist Art

Materials

Oil, Canvas

Portrait of a Young Boy Seen from Behind
Portrait of a Young Boy Seen from Behind

Portrait of a Young Boy Seen from Behind

By Emma Ekwall

Located in Stockholm, SE

This intimate oil painting presents a young boy viewed from a three-quarter rear angle, caught in a quiet, reflective moment. The child’s back is turned gently toward the viewer, ren...

Category

1890s Realist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil, Board

Day Dreaming; Miao Girl
Day Dreaming; Miao Girl

Day Dreaming; Miao Girl

By Mian Situ

Located in Pasadena, CA

Provenance On consignment to the gallery from a private collector in Newport Beach, California. Signed "Mian Situ" on lower left Artist Statement "Miao people are one of the larges...

Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil, Panel

Listening to Bessie Smith
Listening to Bessie Smith

Listening to Bessie Smith

Located in Wilton Manors, FL

Woody Gruber (1946-2022) Listening to Bessie, 1975. Etching on paper, plate measures 7 inches h. x 7.75 w. Overall framed measurement in 14 x 15 inches. Numbered, titled, signed ...

Category

1970s Realist Art

Materials

Etching

"Round Portrait of a Brown and Black Terrier" French 19th Century
"Round Portrait of a Brown and Black Terrier" French 19th Century

"Round Portrait of a Brown and Black Terrier" French 19th Century

Located in SANTA FE, NM

"Round Portrait of a Brown and Black Terrier," French, 19th Century, circa 1850s Oil on wood panel Unsigned. 9 x 9 inches frame One of a pair of charming portraits of Black White Te...

Category

1850s Realist Art

Materials

Oil, Wood Panel

That's Saying Something, Original Painting
That's Saying Something, Original Painting

That's Saying Something, Original Painting

By Emil Morhardt

Located in San Francisco, CA

Artist Comments
A realistic animal painting depicts three great blue herons. Two of the herons are scanning their surroundings, seemingly in search of good fortune, trouble, or...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Art

Materials

Acrylic

Vintage Realist Landscape with Horse and Sheep Framed Oil Painting
Vintage Realist Landscape with Horse and Sheep Framed Oil Painting

Vintage Realist Landscape with Horse and Sheep Framed Oil Painting

Located in Buffalo, NY

Vintage American school realist landscape oil painting. Oil on canvas. Framed. Provenance from a Sag Harbor, NY collection. Measuring: 23 by 28 inches overall. Handsomely framed in ...

Category

1980s Realist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Photorealistic Ocean Painting, Surf and Sand by Todd Kenyon
Photorealistic Ocean Painting, Surf and Sand by Todd Kenyon

Photorealistic Ocean Painting, Surf and Sand by Todd Kenyon

Located in Laguna Beach, CA

Todd Kenyon "Surf and Sand" Giclee Print on Canvas 40 x 67 inches 42 x 69 inches framed size __________________________ JoAnne Artman Gallery is pleased to present Endless Blue, a c...

Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Canvas, Archival Pigment

Heron Moon
Heron Moon

Heron Moon

By Suezan Aikins

Located in San Francisco, CA

This artwork titled "Heron Moon" c.1990, is a color woodblock print on paper by noted Canadian/Japanese artist Suezan Aikins, b.1952. It is signed, titled and numbered 58/150 in pencil by the artist. The artwork (image) size is 8.5 x 21 inches, framed size is 15.75 x 28.25 inches. Custom framed in a silver metal frame, with double off white matting. It is in excellent condition, the frame have some small minor rubs, barely visible. About the artwork: This artwork required have 5 different carved wood blocks and 9 layers of colors to complete. About the artist: Born in Montreal in 1952, Suezan was influenced early in her life by the works of modern Japanese woodblock printmakers which hung throughout her parents’ home. She attended the Fine Arts programme at Mount Allison University in Sackville, New Brunswick (1969 - 1971), The Ontario College of Art (1971-73), L’ ecole du Musee des Beaux Arts (1974), Nova Scotia College of Art and Design -BFA (1975) as well as a very intensive year of study with Toshi Yoshida in Tokyo (1984-85). She has exhibited extensively in both public and private galleries throughout North America and Japan. Recent exhibitions include solo shows in Tokyo, Osaka, Okinawa, and Boston with group exhibitions at the Wenniger Gallery, Boston, Royal Canadian Academy in Toronto and the Canadian Museum of Nature in Ottawa. Her paintings and woodblock prints are found in many collections such as The Canada Council Art Bank, The Nickle Art Museum, The Art Gallery of Nova Scotia, The Royal Bank of Canada, Prince Takamanonamiya Norihito, the Embassy of Canada in Tokyo, The Thomas Moore Institute as well as private collections. Suezan Aikins was awarded the Elizabeth Greenshields Foundation grant in 1983, Nova Scotia Department of Culture - Development Grants in 1980, 1987 and 1988. She was elected to the Royal Canadian Academy of Art in 1990 and received the Canadian Progress Club- Women of Excellence Award for Culture in 1993. Her work has been featured in a number of television documentaries as well as many Canadian magazines. STUDIES: Yoshida Woodblock Print Studio Tokyo, 84-85 Nova Scotia College of Art & Design, Halifax, 74-75 BFA Ecole du Musee des Beaux Arts, Montreal, 74 Ontario College of Art, Toronto, 71-73 Mt. Allison University, 69-72 SELECTED SOLO SHOWS: 25 Year Retrospective of Woodblock Prints traveled to three Public Galleries in Germany: Dornum Castle; Tollhousverein, Leer; Rastede Palace, Oldenberg 2000-2001 color catalog and reviews. Private Exhibitions, Falmouth, Mass., July 1996; Montreal, November 1996; Gibson Island, Md., April 1999. Gold Paintings and Woodblock Retrospective, travelling: Kabutoya Gallery, Tokyo; Genkan Gallery, Tokyo American Club; Blue Nile Gallery, Osaka; Kanda's Gallery BOQ, Okinawa; May 1994 (color catalogue) Edo Gallery, Boston, November 1992, Private Exhibitions, Chatham, Mass, July 1992, Toronto, Oct. 1991 New Paintings and Woodblocks Kabutoya Gallery, Tokyo, May 1991, and also in 1987. Japanese Garden and Pavilion Foundation, Montreal, September 1990, Ownens Art Gallery, Mount Allison University 1988 Zwickers Gallery, Halifax, NS, 1979; Gallery 78; Fredericton, November, 1983; Robertson Galleries, Ottawa, November, 1982 SELECTED GROUP SHOWS: "A New Leaf" 30 foot instalation of mixed media/ goldleaf reliefs, Artsplace, Annapolis Royal, N.S., 2000 color catalog "Far and Wide" Juried Bienials, Art Gallery of Nova Scotia; 1996 to '99, travelling, catalogs "Moku Hanga Travelling Exhibition: Contemporary Japanese Woodcuts...

Category

Late 20th Century Realist Art

Materials

Woodcut

"Lake"
"Lake"

"Lake"

By Oleksandr Khrapachov

Located in Edinburgh, GB

Oleksandr Khrapachov. “Lake,” 2020 Canvas, oil. 51×76 cm --- Oleksandr Khrapachov invites us into the mysterious world of nature, where time seems to stand still and space is fill...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Antique Oil Portrait Young Woman European Lady Gilt Frame 19th Century
Antique Oil Portrait Young Woman European Lady Gilt Frame 19th Century

Antique Oil Portrait Young Woman European Lady Gilt Frame 19th Century

Located in Palm Coast, FL

This charming antique oil on board depicts an elegant young woman dressed in a flowing pastel gown and wide-brimmed floral hat, rendered in a soft, romantic style reminiscent of the ...

Category

Early 20th Century Realist Art

Materials

Oil

Sheep by an Idyllic Tree Lined River Landscape in Ireland by Modern Irish Artist
Sheep by an Idyllic Tree Lined River Landscape in Ireland by Modern Irish Artist

Sheep by an Idyllic Tree Lined River Landscape in Ireland by Modern Irish Artist

By Frank Fitzsimons

Located in Preston, GB

Sheep by an Idyllic Tree Lined River Landscape in Ireland by Modern 20th Century Irish Artist, Frank Fitzsimons Art measures 18 x 14 inches Frame measure 21.5 x 17.5 inches Frank Fitzsimons was born in Antrim but grew up in Bangor, Co Down in the 1930’s. Fitzsimons joined the Belfast Art Club where he painted with Maurice Canning Wilks...

Category

1980s Realist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

[Bruce Sargeant (1898-1938)] Statue of an Athlete
[Bruce Sargeant (1898-1938)] Statue of an Athlete

[Bruce Sargeant (1898-1938)] Statue of an Athlete

By Mark Beard

Located in New York, NY

This artwork is offered by ClampArt, located in New York City. “Bruce Sargeant is a mythic figure in the modern art movement. He embodies a world that is in many ways lost to us; he...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Art

Materials

Bronze

Northern Hush, Original Painting
Northern Hush, Original Painting

Northern Hush, Original Painting

By Vic Roschkov

Located in San Francisco, CA

Artist Comments
In this quietly cinematic winter scene, artist Vic Roschkov captures the faded grace of an old farmhouse beneath drifting snow. Stark trees reach almost lifelik...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Art

Materials

Watercolor

Still Life with Apples, c. 1910
Still Life with Apples, c. 1910

Still Life with Apples, c. 1910

By Emma Ekwall

Located in Stockholm, SE

Still Life with Apples is an exquisite still-life painting that captures a quiet moment of abundance and peace. On a humble wooden table lies a cluster of ripe apples, their rosy and...

Category

1910s Realist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

La Tauromaquia, Plate #28
La Tauromaquia, Plate #28

La Tauromaquia, Plate #28

By Francisco Goya

Located in San Francisco, CA

This artwork titled "El Esforzado Rendon Picando un Toro, De Cuya Suerte Murio en la Plaza de Madrid" from the suite "La Tauromaquia" engraved between 1815 and 1816, is a photogravur...

Category

Early 19th Century Realist Art

Materials

Photogravure

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.