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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
Formosa; West Hollywood
Formosa; West Hollywood

Formosa; West Hollywood

By Tony Peters

Located in Pasadena, CA

Acquired by the gallery directly from the artist UNFRAMED: 36" x 48" FRAMED: 37.7" x 49.7" x 2.5" SIGNED: Lower Left Artist Statement "The word Formosa means beautifully formed, ...

Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Design for the Midland Hotel, Manchester Architectural Drawing Railway Hotel

Design for the Midland Hotel, Manchester Architectural Drawing Railway Hotel

Located in London, GB

To see our other Architectural Drawings, scroll down to "More from this Seller" and below it click on "See all from this Seller" and then search. A Design For The Midland Hotel Manc...

Category

Late 19th Century Realist Art

Materials

Carbon Pencil

The Allegory of Spring
The Allegory of Spring

The Allegory of Spring

Located in New York, NY

Mathurin Moreau (1822-1912) A Belle Epoque bronze statue depicting an Allegory of Spring with a seated maiden looking over to view two birds as a putto gathers a bundle of flowers...

Category

Late 19th Century Realist Art

Materials

Bronze

Sharing Space
Sharing Space

Sharing Space

By Bela Bacsi

Located in Pasadena, CA

Provenance Acquired by the gallery directly from the artist Description Resting upon a golden cushion, this two-faced subject has the look of a mask that one would be able to wear. ...

Category

1990s Realist Art

Materials

Marble

"Sioux Camp" Original Mixed Media on Paper Landscape by Tom Perkinson, Framed
"Sioux Camp" Original Mixed Media on Paper Landscape by Tom Perkinson, Framed

"Sioux Camp" Original Mixed Media on Paper Landscape by Tom Perkinson, Framed

By Tom Perkinson

Located in Encino, CA

"Sioux Camp," an original mixed media on paper by Tom Perkinson, is a piece for the true collector. His use of saturated violets, vivid yellows, and resplendent oranges pushes color to almost-otherworldly realms. The viewer is invited to step into the painting to explore the scene within and imagine gazing at an easel of a plein-air painter with the blue sky, clouds, and grasses in full view. Here, Perkinson chose to depict a Sioux settlement. A fire with smoke rising helps set the stage for day turning to night. The scene is filled with activity. Women watching over playing children. A father teaching a lesson. A group of three or more watching over the horses. Others occupy the settlement out of view. Perkinson describes his style of painting as "Romantic Realism," a technique that incorporates two iconic art movements. This style, in combination with the imagination of the artist, produces remarkable results, showcasing Perkinson's keen ability to capture emotion, nature, and life - all in a brushstroke. Both his technical talent and choice of subject matter pair perfectly with its carved, custom, antique-finish, gilt frame. This masterful work would make a great addition to an art collection and enhance most any home, perfect for those who have an affinity for landscapes, impressionism, romanticism, realism, Southwestern Art, Native American themed art, plein-air painting, and nature. "The Sioux nation were the largest of all the Native American tribes and consisted of three divisions which were based on their location, dialect and their subculture. The Sioux tribe originally lived along the upper Mississippi in Minnesota, Iowa, and Wisconsin. They were forced west by the French and their Chippewa allies. During the migration west to the Great Plains, the tribe split into three divisions - the Lakota, Dakota and Nakota. The names Lakota, Dakota, and Nakota all mean "Allies" or "Confederates." The Sioux tribe fiercely resisted the white encroachment of the Great Plains. The names of the most famous chiefs who led the Sioux tribe into battle were Sitting Bull, Red Cloud, Chief Gall, Crazy Horse, Rain in the Face, and Kicking Bear. Famous conflicts included the Sioux Wars (1854-1890), Red Cloud's War (1865-1868), the 1876 Battle of Little Bighorn, and the 1890 Ghost Dance...

Category

1980s Realist Art

Materials

Pastel, Ink, Mixed Media, Watercolor, Color Pencil

Small Modern Grey and Red Toned Embroidered Portrait of a Woman
Small Modern Grey and Red Toned Embroidered Portrait of a Woman

Small Modern Grey and Red Toned Embroidered Portrait of a Woman

Located in Houston, TX

Realistic brown and red toned intricately embroidered portrait of a woman in Hollywood glam style. Work is unsigned. Framed in a thick black wooden frame. Dimensions Without Frame: ...

Category

Mid-20th Century Realist Art

Materials

Thread

Still Life with Blue Pitcher and Gerber Daisy
Still Life with Blue Pitcher and Gerber Daisy

Still Life with Blue Pitcher and Gerber Daisy

Located in Greenville, DE

Still Life with Blue Pitcher and Gerber Daisy, 2018 by Tina Ingraham (b. 1947); Oil on linen; 19 x 23 inches; framed 20 x 24 inches. Influenced by Old Master works, mosaics, and cont...

Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Linen, Oil

"Rosi" Oil Painting

"Rosi" Oil Painting

By Jason Walker

Located in Denver, CO

Jason Walker's (CAN based) "Rosi" is an oil painting that depicts a realistic portrait of a feminine face at three quarters view with a dark background and luminous green light

Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Oil, Panel

Mountains  1989. Paper, watercolor, 11x21 cm

Mountains 1989. Paper, watercolor, 11x21 cm

By Nikolai Uvarov

Located in Riga, LV

Mountains 1989. Paper, watercolor, 11x21 cm The snowy mountains in watercolor evoke a sense of awe, peace, and the serene grandeur of nature. The delicate and transparent qualities ...

Category

1980s Realist Art

Materials

Paper, Watercolor

Study (Stardust), 7 x 12, Landscape, Oil Painting
Study (Stardust), 7 x 12, Landscape, Oil Painting

Study (Stardust), 7 x 12, Landscape, Oil Painting

By Robin Cole

Located in Denver, CO

Robin Cole's "Study (Stardust)," a 2023 oil on panel, invites the viewer into the cosmic dance of interstellar beauty. This exquisite piece, measuring 7 x 12 inches, is framed to a s...

Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Oil

Gypsy girl, 1947. Oil on canvas, 34x37 cm
Gypsy girl, 1947. Oil on canvas, 34x37 cm

Gypsy girl, 1947. Oil on canvas, 34x37 cm

By Jadviga Zjilvinska

Located in Riga, LV

Jadviga Žilvinska (1918-2010) was born in Tallinn. She grew up in Liepāja, where her great interest in art began and strengthened, which led the young artist to study at the Art Academy of Latvia. During her studies at the Academy, she studied with K. Ubāns, V. Tone and J. Liepiņš, and defended her diploma thesis under the guidance of L. Liberts. Later on, she devoted her entire life to art, working at the Liepāja School of Fine Arts and as a portraitist at the "Māksla" combine. She had four favourite themes: landscapes, portraits, flowers and sacred painting. Her works have lyricism and inner harmony. In the portraits, we see not only the outer form of a person, but the artist allows us to look into the very essence of a person - it is likely that the models themselves often saw something new and bright in themselves through the artist's vision. The works are executed in various techniques - tempera, oil, pastel and watercolour. CV: 1938 - Graduated from the Liepaja Secondary School of Applied Arts, Department of Decorative Painting. 1943 - Latvian Academy of Art, L. Liberts Figurative Painting Workshop with her diploma work "At the Artist's" 1946-1948 - teacher of painting and drawing at Liepāja Fine Arts High School. 1948-1966 - portraitist at the "Māksla" combine Participated in exhibitions since 1948. Member of the Artists' Union since 1966. Solo exhibitions in Riga, Jelgava, Sigulda (1972); Riga (1975; 1978; two in 1981; 1986; 1994), Jurmala (1979). Works exhibited in Latvia as well as abroad (Poland, Switzerland, Italy, Japan, Finland, Venezuela, Germany, Hungary). The works are located in: "Portrait of Cardinal Julian Vaivoda", 1983, in the Vatican Museum in Rome "Portrait of Pope John Paul II, 1982, in the Roman Catholic Metropolitan Curia of Riga The altarpieces "The Heart of Jesus" and "Our Lady of Fatima", the paintings "John the Baptist" and "The Holy Family" , all from the late 1960s, in the Church of St Mary Magdalene...

Category

20th Century Realist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

"Golden Girls" Aaron Bohrod, Pun Humor, Magic Realism, Television Show
"Golden Girls" Aaron Bohrod, Pun Humor, Magic Realism, Television Show

"Golden Girls" Aaron Bohrod, Pun Humor, Magic Realism, Television Show

By Aaron Bohrod

Located in New York, NY

Aaron Bohrod Golden Girls, 1987 Signed lower right Oil on gesso panel 9 x 12 inches Aaron Bohrod's work has not been limited to one style or medium. Initially recognized as a regionalist painter of American scenes, particularly of his native Chicago, Bohrod later devoted himself to detailed still-life paintings rendered in the trompe l'oeil style. He also worked for several years in ceramics and wrote a book on pottery. Born in 1907, Bohrod began his studies at Chicago's Crane Junior College in 1925, and two years later enrolled in the Art Institute of Chicago. But it was at the Art Students League in New York City, from 1930 to 1932, that he studied under the man believed to be his most significant early influence, John Sloan. Sloan's romantic realism is reflected in the many depictions of Chicago life...

Category

1980s Realist Art

Materials

Oil, Board

"Beginnings" Oil Painting

"Beginnings" Oil Painting

By Robin Cole

Located in Denver, CO

Robin Cole's (Us based) "Beginnings" is an oil painting that depicts a window partially blocked with a white curtain, with the contending light and shadows making patterns on its for...

Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Oil, Panel, Linen

César - Friendship - Original Signed Watercolor
César - Friendship - Original Signed Watercolor

César - Friendship - Original Signed Watercolor

By César Baldaccini

Located in Collonge Bellerive, Geneve, CH

César Baldaccini Original Watercolor and ink pencil on paper dedicaced and signed in red Dimensions: 27 x 26 cm Signed César Baldaccini was born in Marseille in 1921. At the age of 12, he left the school to help his father, cooper. At 15 years old, he studied at the Art college of Marseille. He took evening drawing teachings, and then was interested in sculpture until 1939. In 1942, César received a scholarship and went to Paris. He studied ten years at the School of Beaux-Arts; he worked in the studios of Gaumont and Alfred Jeanniot and was named “Grand Massier” (teacher) of this school. At that time, he was living in the same house as Alberto Giacometti. In 1944, short of resources, he went to Marseille, then return to Paris, next year. With the 50s, he made discovered his work through his first exhibitions. One of its works (« The fish ») obtained a place in the Museum of Modern Art in Paris (1955). Henceforth, he exhibited ceaselessly, participating in numerous “Salons” in France and abroad. César received numerous prices there. He got personal exhibitions everywhere (Japan, the United States, Holland, France, Italy, etc.). Important retrospectives came, later. In 1970, he was named professor a foreman to the School of Beaux-Arts in Paris. During his all life, Caesar was stimulated by « the love of the profession » and by an extraordinary will to innovate. The humor of the man did not miss and was noticed through his work. Pablo Picasso was his major reference, also Alberto Giacometti, Germaine Richier, Pablo Gargallo and Julio Gonzales...

Category

1970s Realist Art

Materials

Watercolor

Expression. 1987, canvas, oil, 60x80 cm
Expression. 1987, canvas, oil, 60x80 cm

Expression. 1987, canvas, oil, 60x80 cm

By Stanislav Kreics

Located in Riga, LV

Expression. 1987, canvas, oil, 60x80 cm The central focus of the painting is the shoreline where the boats are situated. The calm sea in the painting reflects the aftermath of the ...

Category

1980s Realist Art

Materials

Oil, Canvas

Arrangement XVII, Realist Oil Painting
Arrangement XVII, Realist Oil Painting

Arrangement XVII, Realist Oil Painting

By Zane York

Located in Palm Beach, FL

Zane York deftly walks the line between playfulness and profundity. Drawing inspiration from the inherent strangeness of the natural world, York imbues quotidian scenes with subtle e...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Apple Passion, Painting, Oil on Canvas
Apple Passion, Painting, Oil on Canvas

Apple Passion, Painting, Oil on Canvas

By Gardani Art

Located in Yardley, PA

One-of-a-kind Realism Original Oil Painting on canvas by Gardani available for you. Hand signed by the Artist front and back, comes with official Gardani Certificate of Authenticity ...

Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Oil

"Shell 16, " Oil Painting

"Shell 16, " Oil Painting

By Gregory Block

Located in Denver, CO

Gregory Block's "Shell 16" is an oil on board created in 2019 depicting an illuminated shell floating in a black background. About the artist: Gregory was born in Kansas City, Missouri, in 1986 and moved to Colorado at an early age. During his childhood, he attended a Waldorf...

Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Oil

August., Painting, Oil on Canvas
August., Painting, Oil on Canvas

August., Painting, Oil on Canvas

By Iryna Kastsova

Located in Yardley, PA

Summer landscape: forest, trees, pines, birches, river, grass, sky, road. Impressionism. A rich palette of summer colors, a premonition of the coming golden autumn evoke a feeling of...

Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Oil

Ballet of the Unseen, Painting, Oil on Canvas
Ballet of the Unseen, Painting, Oil on Canvas

Ballet of the Unseen, Painting, Oil on Canvas

By Gardani Art

Located in Yardley, PA

One-of-a-kind Realism Original Oil Painting on canvas by Gardani available for you. Hand signed by the Artist front and back, comes with official Gardani Certificate of Authenticity ...

Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Oil

West Wind, Nantucket

West Wind, Nantucket

By Louis Guarnaccia

Located in Greenwich, CT

Louis Guarnaccia Biography American, b. 1958 Louis was born in Omaha, NE in 1958. At the age of nine he began painting in oil, and at 14, he began studying painting, drawing, and ar...

Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Linen, Oil

Theodoor Galle Martin de Vos 17th Century Engraving Jesus' Tomb Easter
Theodoor Galle Martin de Vos 17th Century Engraving Jesus' Tomb Easter

Theodoor Galle Martin de Vos 17th Century Engraving Jesus' Tomb Easter

By Theodoor Galle

Located in London, GB

We have the full series of 52 prints (including title page) from Vita Passio et Resurrectio Iesu Christi listed. To find the others scroll down to "More from this Seller" and below it click on "See all from this Seller" and search for 'Collaert' - or message us as they may not all have been uploaded yet. Theodoor Galle...

Category

17th Century Realist Art

Materials

Engraving

Venice II
Venice II

Venice II

By Juan Álvarez Cebrián

Located in CAMPO REAL, ES

I painted this view of the Venice canal on a foggy gray morning, playing with the chromaticism of the scene to alter the colors and create a special luminosity. I used soft tones to ...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Art

Materials

Linen, Oil

"Crimea. Kerch"
"Crimea. Kerch"

"Crimea. Kerch"

By Oleksandr Khrapachov

Located in Edinburgh, GB

"Crimea. Kerch" Oleksandr Khrapachov, 2013. Canvas, oil. 60 × 80 cm Kerch is one of the oldest cities on earth, a place where layers of millennia converge: ancient burial mounds, Bo...

Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

"The frozen river"
"The frozen river"

"The frozen river"

By Oleksandr Khrapachov

Located in Edinburgh, GB

"The Frozen River" Oleksandr Khrapachov, 2013. Canvas, oil. 60 × 80 cm There are moments in nature that cannot be captured — and it is precisely these moments that Oleksandr Khrapac...

Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Early 20th Century Photograph -- "Impressions of the High Sierras"
Early 20th Century Photograph -- "Impressions of the High Sierras"

Early 20th Century Photograph -- "Impressions of the High Sierras"

By Sigismund Blumann

Located in Soquel, CA

"Impressions of the High Sierras", a Lithobrome Photograph by Sigismund Blumann (American, 1872-1956). Signed "Sigismund Blumann" lower right. Titled "Impressions of the High Sierras" and signed "Sigismund Blumann" on verso. Unframed. Image size, 10.25"H x 13.25"W. Sigismund Blumann (1872–1956) (figure 1) was a prominent tastemaker in Californian photography during the 1920s and 1930s. Based in the San Francisco Bay Area for his entire career, he edited magazines, wrote books, and made creative photographs. From 1924 to 1933 Blumann edited Camera Craft, the leading West Coast photographic monthly. Subsequently he established his own periodical, Photo Art Monthly, which he published until 1940. In these two magazines — for over fifteen years — Blumann found a large audience of mainstream pictorial photographers. In addition, he wrote five instructional books on photography...

Category

1920s Realist Art

Materials

Photographic Paper, Silver Gelatin

New York City Winter Flatiron Madison Square Park Oil Painting Michael Budden
New York City Winter Flatiron Madison Square Park Oil Painting Michael Budden

New York City Winter Flatiron Madison Square Park Oil Painting Michael Budden

By Michael Budden

Located in Chesterfield, NJ

Winter Flatiron, Madison Square Park oil/canvas panel image 8 x 10 unframed, 14.5 x 16.38 framed Signed LL ARTIST'S STATEMENT I have been in the art business as an artist and dealer ...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Art

Materials

Oil

The Cowboy Horse Race
The Cowboy Horse Race

The Cowboy Horse Race

Located in Colorado Springs, CO

Original painting signed by the Artist on the lower right.

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Art

Materials

Ink, Watercolor, Pencil

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.