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
1,700
5,201
3,100
2,683
1,965
1,789
Overall Width
to
Overall Height
to
333
1,174
5,980
7,276
127
73
121
138
171
642
1,200
1,257
789
303
198
116,666
63,766
56,623
28,182
14,721
9,490
6,631
5,837
4,153
3,128
2,523
2,358
2,132
608
7,261
5,003
1,788
5,803
2,941
2,148
1,795
1,777
1,292
1,268
1,125
975
973
864
857
703
695
684
630
622
568
534
494
8,097
5,750
3,223
3,001
2,985
3,126
139
98
86
76
4,052
4,367
9,705
4,003
Style: Realist
20. Curious shells

20. Curious shells

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

Villa Vera
Villa Vera

Villa Vera

By Slim Aarons

Located in Los Angeles, CA

The bar at the Villa Vera Hotel Spa and Racquet Club in Acapulco, January 1968. Complimentary dealer shipping to your framer, worldwide. Undercurrent Projects is proud to offer thi...

Category

1960s Realist Art

Materials

C Print

"Phoenix Purple" Contemporary Realistic Detailed Pink And Yellow Rose Portrait
"Phoenix Purple" Contemporary Realistic Detailed Pink And Yellow Rose Portrait

"Phoenix Purple" Contemporary Realistic Detailed Pink And Yellow Rose Portrait

Located in Frederiksberg C, DK

A contemporary, serene acrylic painting of a single flower exuding a joyous elegance. The up-close pink flower composition is delicately portrayed with thin and delicate brushstrokes, providing a realistic and immersive viewing experience. The soft and subtle nuances of pink, and the bright yellow tucked in soft green bed...

Category

Early 2000s Realist Art

Materials

Acrylic, Canvas

Be Still - 21st Century Contemporary, Figurative Portrait, Acrylic, Young Girl
Be Still - 21st Century Contemporary, Figurative Portrait, Acrylic, Young Girl

Be Still - 21st Century Contemporary, Figurative Portrait, Acrylic, Young Girl

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, Acrylic

Distant Ridge
Distant Ridge

Distant Ridge

Located in Greenville, DE

Distant Ridge, 2024 by Caroline Adams; Oil on canvas 24 x 31 1/2 inches unframed. A landscape painting meant to give a degree of ambiguity allowing the viewer to provoke a sense of f...

Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

"A moment in history"
"A moment in history"

"A moment in history"

Located in Edinburgh, GB

Printed in the catalog “Dubno Castle” 2014 # “A Moment in History” — Dialogue with the past through the prism of the present ## Alexander Khrapachov, 2014 Canvas, oil, 50×70 cm --- ...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Toes - original contemporary artwork - figurative oil painting
Toes - original contemporary artwork - figurative oil painting

Toes - original contemporary artwork - figurative oil painting

Located in London, Chelsea

We offer complimentary worldwide shipping and cover all tariffs and import taxes for this artwork. This exceptional artwork is currently on display and available for sale at Signet C...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Pink Blanket - original contemporary artwork - figurative oil painting
Pink Blanket - original contemporary artwork - figurative oil painting

Pink Blanket - original contemporary artwork - figurative oil painting

Located in London, Chelsea

We offer complimentary worldwide shipping and cover all tariffs and import taxes for this artwork. This exceptional artwork is currently on display and available for sale at Signet C...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Purple irises. 1998, canvas, oil, 35x25 cm
Purple irises. 1998, canvas, oil, 35x25 cm

Purple irises. 1998, canvas, oil, 35x25 cm

Located in Riga, LV

Purple irises. 1998, canvas, oil, 35x25 cm Juris Jurjans (1944-2023) - Painter Juris Jurjāns graduated from J. Rozentals School of Art in Riga (1962), and Painting Department of Latvian Art Academy (1969) with diploma work “Summer” (under the guidance of E. Kalniņš). The artist takes part in exhibitions since 1969. Self-exhibitions in: Straupe (1974), Riga (1975, 1984, 1991, 1994), Lielupe (1975), Mersrags (1983, together with A. Jurjane), Smiltene (1986), Liepaja (1986, together with A. Jurjane), Leningrad (1989). J. Jurjans is a member of Latvian Artists’ Union since 1975. 1969 – 72 he worked as a teacher in Riga secondary school No 20. 1972 – 88 Jurjans was an artist of the company “Māksla”. 1972 – 88 teaches at the Latvian Art Academy. Since 1988, he is a lector of the Latvian Art Academy Pedagogic Department. Since 1992, the artist is an assistant professor of the Latvian Art academy Painting...

Category

1990s Realist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

"Christmas trees. Transcarpathia"
"Christmas trees. Transcarpathia"

"Christmas trees. Transcarpathia"

Located in Edinburgh, GB

“Fir trees.Transcarpathia” - the melody of mountain peaks Oleksandr Khrapachov, 2014 The canvas “Fir trees.Transcarpathia” invites the viewer to a journey through the breathtaking ...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Ceramic Wall Sculpture of Crow #12 with Crystal in Beak
Ceramic Wall Sculpture of Crow #12 with Crystal in Beak

Ceramic Wall Sculpture of Crow #12 with Crystal in Beak

By Karla Walter

Located in West Palm Beach, FL

Cv upon request Karla Walter is an American artist who explores similarities between the social interactions among crows and that of individuals in our society. Karla Walter went to ...

Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Ceramic, Glaze

Beauty of Blackness (Olanma)
Beauty of Blackness (Olanma)

Beauty of Blackness (Olanma)

Located in Ibadan, Oyo

In the evocative artwork titled "Beauty of Blackness (Olanma)," the gifted artist Emeka Ndibam pays homage to the captivating allure of a young lady whose...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Art

Materials

Charcoal, Acrylic

"Carpathian landscape"

"Carpathian landscape"

Located in Edinburgh, GB

LANDSCAPE SERIES Everyone knows that a coin has two sides. One depicts an heads, and other tails. The two sides are different, but they are folded into one indivisible coin. So is ...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary 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

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

Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Paper, Watercolor

"Wrapped" (2020) By Daud Akhriev, Original Oil Painting
"Wrapped" (2020) By Daud Akhriev, Original Oil Painting

"Wrapped" (2020) By Daud Akhriev, Original Oil Painting

Located in Denver, CO

Daud Akhriev's (EUR and US based) "Wrapped" (2020) is an original, handmade oil painting. Artist Biography: The Soviet educational system singled out 8-year-old Daud Akhriev for spe...

Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil, Board

Dunes

Dunes

By John Button

Located in New York, NY

Gouache on paper Signed and dated in pencil, l.r. This artwork is offered by ClampArt, located in New York City Born in California, John Button (1929-1982) was educated at Universi...

Category

1970s Realist Art

Materials

Gouache, Paper

Monsieur - Madame Paulhan Fly a Farman Airship 1910 Los Angeles Int. Air Show
Monsieur - Madame Paulhan Fly a Farman Airship 1910 Los Angeles Int. Air Show

Monsieur - Madame Paulhan Fly a Farman Airship 1910 Los Angeles Int. Air Show

By Roy Christian

Located in Soquel, CA

Reprint of a vintage photograph titled "Monsieur (Louis) and Madame Paulhan of France ready to fly a Farman model lll in Los Angeles - 1910 from an original photograph by an unknown ...

Category

Early 2000s Realist Art

Materials

Photographic Paper, Silver Gelatin

Slim Aarons 'Marbella Pool' (Slim Aarons Estate Edition)
Slim Aarons 'Marbella Pool' (Slim Aarons Estate Edition)

Slim Aarons 'Marbella Pool' (Slim Aarons Estate Edition)

By Slim Aarons

Located in Los Angeles, CA

Laura Hawk, assistant to the Slim Aarons, relaxes by the pool at El Rincon, the von Pantz's Marbella home, September 1st, 1985. Slim Aarons Marbella Pool Chromogenic Lambda print Printed Later Slim Aarons Estate Edition Complimentary dealer shipping to your framer, worldwide. Stamped and hand numbered by the Slim Aarons Estate. Certificate of Authenticity included. Additional sizes offered: 40 x 60 inches $3950 30 x 40 inches $3350 20 x 30 inches $3000 24 x 20 inches $2500 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). * Internal: Vintage Marbella, Vintage Bathing...

Category

1980s Realist Art

Materials

Lambda

"Unleashed"
"Unleashed"

"Unleashed"

Located in Edinburgh, GB

The model for the painting happened to be a girl standing in the street of Seville.It was on the day of Faria de Abril. Her image simbolises the liberation from doubts and fears, the...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Stormy Day - original seascape contemporary coastal realism oil painting nature
Stormy Day - original seascape contemporary coastal realism oil painting nature

Stormy Day - original seascape contemporary coastal realism oil painting nature

By Alexandra Velichko

Located in London, Chelsea

This exceptional artwork is currently on display and available for sale at Signet Contemporary Art Gallery and online. In this shoreline seascape painting, contemporary realist Alex...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

"Tempest in a Teapot" a charming painting of a baby playing with a bowl of water
"Tempest in a Teapot" a charming painting of a baby playing with a bowl of water

"Tempest in a Teapot" a charming painting of a baby playing with a bowl of water

By Timoleon Marie Lobrichon

Located in Philadelphia, PA

Timoleon Lobrichon (1831-1914) French Tempest in a Teapot Oil on canvas, 6 1/2 x 8 1/4 inches FRAMED: 16 1/2 x 15 inches Signed at lower left: [indistinct] This work is a related to...

Category

Late 19th Century Realist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

LARGE OIL PAINTING by ANTHONY BRANDRETT (NAVY ADMIRALTY 20th CENTURY PIECE
LARGE OIL PAINTING by ANTHONY BRANDRETT (NAVY ADMIRALTY 20th CENTURY PIECE

LARGE OIL PAINTING by ANTHONY BRANDRETT (NAVY ADMIRALTY 20th CENTURY PIECE

Located in Ferndown, GB

LARGE FINE 20th Century Piece Maritime Battle Scene British oil painting in a Gold Gilt Frame FINE RARE MARTINE PAINTING ORIGINAL 20th Century OLD MASTER STYLE OIL PAINTING GOLD GILT FRAME Good condition for age , (see pictures) Description Born in 1940 Anthony Brandrett...

Category

Mid-20th Century Realist Art

Materials

Oil

Robert Kenneth White "Red Door" 2018 Oil Painting of Classical Façade and Shadow
Robert Kenneth White "Red Door" 2018 Oil Painting of Classical Façade and Shadow

Robert Kenneth White "Red Door" 2018 Oil Painting of Classical Façade and Shadow

Located in Miami, FL

ROBERT KENNETH WHITE – "RED DOOR" ⚜ Oil on canvas ⚜ Signed lower right ⚜ Frameless Display ARCHITECTURAL REALISM BY ROBERT KENNETH WHITE In "Red Door," Robert Kenneth White masterfully captures the interplay of sunlight, shadow, and classical architecture, transforming a simple doorway into an evocative study of structure and light. The crimson entry partially concealed in shadow invites viewers to imagine the hidden stories behind its historic façade. Known for his painterly precision and atmospheric realism, White elevates everyday scenes with exceptional technical skill and a keen eye for mood. The composition’s detailed architectural carvings and dramatic lighting showcase his ability to blend photorealism with timeless elegance. WHY COLLECT THIS WORK? ✓ Original oil by Robert Kenneth White, celebrated for architectural, figurative, and landscape works ✓ Captures rich texture, historic detail, and compelling light effects ✓ Ideal for collectors of realism, architectural studies, or European-inspired compositions ✓ Ready for framing or display ARTWORK DETAILS: ▸ Title: "Red Door" ▸ Artist: Robert Kenneth White ▸ Medium: Oil on Canvas ▸ Year of Creation: 2018 ▸ Signature: Hand signed lower right ▸ Country of Origin: United States ▸ Dimensions: — ◼︎ Artwork Size: 30.125 x 22 inches ▸ Condition: Excellent ▸ Framing: Frameless Display – Ready to hang or frame INCLUDED DOCUMENTATION ✓ Certificate of Authenticity ✓ Artist Biography Document THE ARTIST: Robert Kenneth White is an acclaimed American realist known for his atmospheric landscapes, coastal vistas, and architectural studies that merge technical mastery with painterly warmth. Working primarily in oil, White draws inspiration from classical architecture, European cityscapes, and the quiet beauty of everyday structures. His compositions often explore the interaction of light and form, reminiscent of artists like Edward Hopper, John Register...

Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Oil, Canvas

Highwaymen Style
Highwaymen Style

Highwaymen Style

Located in San Francisco, CA

Fabulous large Florida painting very much in the style of the highwaymen. I believe this is done by a Jensen Beach Florida artist name, Elaine Defenthaler. She passed away in 2013 an...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Art

Materials

Oil

"One for Two"
"One for Two"

"One for Two"

Located in Edinburgh, GB

"One for Two" is an oil painting that captures a heartfelt — and slightly cheeky — scene from the natural world. Two sparrows, perched on a radiant sunflower, are caught mid-date, ro...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Colorado Guy
Colorado Guy

Colorado Guy

Located in Colorado Springs, CO

Original Oil and Gold Leaf painting. Signed by the Artist in the lower left corner.

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Art

Materials

Gold Leaf

Shell 3 , Oil Painting

Shell 3 , Oil Painting

By Gregory Block

Located in Denver, CO

Gregory Block's "Shell 3" is an oil on board created in 2020 depicting a shell floating above glistening waves. About the artist: Gregory was born in Kansas City, Missouri, in 19...

Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Oil

The Prince's Room
The Prince's Room

The Prince's Room

By Willy Pogany

Located in Buffalo, NY

Born in Szeged, Hungary, he became one of the better known and successful illustrators of the Golden Age of Illustration, completing over 100 books. Among them are "A Treasury of Verse for Little Children," "The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam," and "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner." He is probably best known for pen and ink drawings of mythology subjects geared towards children. He studied at Budapest Technical University and attended art schools in Munich and Paris before moving to London at age 23. In 1907, he began illustrating children's books and did a series of annual gift books...

Category

1940s Realist Art

Materials

Gouache, Graphite, Pen, Watercolor

Tropical Mustique, Estate Edition
Tropical Mustique, Estate Edition

Tropical Mustique, Estate Edition

By Slim Aarons

Located in Los Angeles, CA

February 1989: Pierre Vincent Marais holidays with friends on the island of Mustique in the Grenadines. Slim Aarons Estate Edition, Certificate of Authenticity included Numbered an...

Category

1980s Realist Art

Materials

Lambda

Shadow Patterns and Lost Thistle
Shadow Patterns and Lost Thistle

Shadow Patterns and Lost Thistle

Located in Colorado Springs, CO

Original Oil painting signed by the Artist in the lower right corner.

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Art

Materials

Oil

"Ex Nihilo Fragment 3", Frederick Hart, Figurative Bronze Sculpture, 43x31x18 in
"Ex Nihilo Fragment 3", Frederick Hart, Figurative Bronze Sculpture, 43x31x18 in

"Ex Nihilo Fragment 3", Frederick Hart, Figurative Bronze Sculpture, 43x31x18 in

By Frederick Hart

Located in Dallas, TX

"Ex Nihilo Fragment 3" by Frederick Hart is a figurative bronze with the edition of 61/65. I saw Ex Nihilo (Out of Nothingness) as a single expression of creation, as the metamorphosis of divine spirit and energy. The figures emerge from the nothingness of chaos, caught in the moment of eternal transformation — the majesty and mystery of divine force in a state of becoming. -Frederick Hart Ex Nihilo, Fragment No.3. Detail from the full-scale plaster for the final stone sculpture of Ex Nihilo, commissioned as part of The Creation Sculptures at Washington National Cathedral...

Category

Early 2000s Realist Art

Materials

Bronze

Original 1975 NYC Manhattan coloring book drawing, George Washington Bridge
Original 1975 NYC Manhattan coloring book drawing, George Washington Bridge

Original 1975 NYC Manhattan coloring book drawing, George Washington Bridge

By David Edward Byrd

Located in Southampton, NY

This is the actual drawing that was used for the 1975 "Manhattan Coloring Book" David Edward Byrd created some of the most memorable Classic Theatre and Rock and Roll images from the 1960s and 70s. David created ALL of the Art for Bill Graham’s Fillmore East, including their Program covers and Rock posters, the art for Jimi Hendrix’s first Fillmore East appearance, The Rolling Stones 1969 World Tour art, The Who’s Performance of Tommy at the New York Metropolitan Opera House and The Fillmore, and The Grateful Dead Swell Dance Concert to name only a few where all created by David Edward Byrd. He also created the poster art for the original location of the 1969 Woodstock music festival . His memorable images were also used for classic Broadway shows like Godspell, Follies and Jesus Christ Superstar to mention only a few. These museum quality drawings are rarely made available for sale, they are not only wonderful rare works of art, but are truly historically important works in the field of Theatre and Rock and Roll collecting. It has been framed with archival double matting. David Byrd's poster art is in many museum collections, including : The Louvre, in Paris, Victoria & Albert in London, The Museum of Modern Art in New York and The Smithsonian in Washington, DC. In 1975, The New York Times commissioned Superstar artist David Byrd to create the "Manhattan Coloring Book" It was to be a coloring book for adults featuring NYC landmark...

Category

1970s Realist Art

Materials

Vellum, Pencil

Evening Groove
Evening Groove

Evening Groove

Located in Ibadan, Oyo

Shipping Procedure Ships in a well-protected tube This work is unique, not a print or other type of copy. Accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity (Issued by the Gallery) About Artist Born in 1991 in the Western Ugandan town of Fort Portal, Switzin Twikirize...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Art

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic

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.