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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
Étienne-Prosper Berne-Bellecour, Boulogne 1838 – 1910 Paris, Battle Scene
Étienne-Prosper Berne-Bellecour, Boulogne 1838 – 1910 Paris, Battle Scene

Étienne-Prosper Berne-Bellecour, Boulogne 1838 – 1910 Paris, Battle Scene

Located in Knokke, BE

Berne-Bellecour Étienne-Prosper Boulogne 1838 – 1910 Paris French Painter Battle Scene Signature: Signed middel lower left Medium: Oil on panel Dimensions: Image size 22 x 27 cm Biography: Berne-Bellecour Étienne-Prosper was born in Boulogne, France on June 29, 1838. He was a French painter illustrator and printmaker. He also practiced as a sculptor and an etcher. He studied under master teachers and artists Picot François-Édouard and Barrias Félix- Joseph. He also studied at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris and competed in 1859 for the Prix de Rome. He also worked in photography to support himself while he studied. In 1867 he won a prize for photography at the Universal Exposition. French painter Vibert Jehan Georges...

Category

Late 19th Century Realist Art

Materials

Oil, Panel

Beneath the Moonlit, Painting, Oil on Canvas
Beneath the Moonlit, Painting, Oil on Canvas

Beneath the Moonlit, 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

Batumi. 1987, paper, watercolor, 18x30.5 cm
Batumi. 1987, paper, watercolor, 18x30.5 cm

Batumi. 1987, paper, watercolor, 18x30.5 cm

By Nikolai Uvarov

Located in Riga, LV

Batumi. 1987, paper, watercolor, 18x30.5 cm The watercolor painting portrays a landscape scene of Batumi, a city in Georgia. The artist skillfully uses watercolor techniques to depi...

Category

1980s Realist Art

Materials

Paper, Watercolor

Pastoral, Painting, Acrylic on Canvas
Pastoral, Painting, Acrylic on Canvas

Pastoral, Painting, Acrylic on Canvas

By John Kaltenhauser

Located in Yardley, PA

This landscape was created purely from my imagination . I always find it fascinating when people tell me it reminds them of a specific place. ** Please note that due to the size of...

Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Acrylic

Dream of flying dandelions
Dream of flying dandelions

Dream of flying dandelions

By Evgeniy Monahov

Located in Zofingen, AG

This live sketch was made on the same day as the first sketch for the painting “Passion for Color”, which later became famous. The posing session was difficult, Polina was tired and ...

Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Paper, Tempera, Permanent Marker

Desire Guides Imagination, Oil Painting

Desire Guides Imagination, Oil Painting

By Robin Cole

Located in Denver, CO

Robin Cole's "Desire Guides Imagination" is an oil painting featuring a woman picking blueberries. About the artist: My work represents an exploration of an inner wilderness by way...

Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Oil

Balliol College, Oxford - Joseph Murray Ince (attributed)

Balliol College, Oxford - Joseph Murray Ince (attributed)

By Joseph Murray Ince

Located in London, GB

To see our other views of Oxford and Cambridge, scroll down to "More from this Seller" and below it click on "See all from this seller" - or send us a message if you cannot find the ...

Category

1830s Realist Art

Materials

Oil

Girl Watercolor on Paper, Realist Style, 2003, Framed, 29.875x22 in
Girl Watercolor on Paper, Realist Style, 2003, Framed, 29.875x22 in

Girl Watercolor on Paper, Realist Style, 2003, Framed, 29.875x22 in

By Kim McCarty

Located in White Plains, NY

'Girl' 2003 by American artist, Kim McCarty. Watercolor on paper, 29.875 x 22 in. (framed). This work on paper expresses the fragile vulnerability of adolescence. By using a “wet into wet” watercolor medium the artist conveys the transitory and emergent state. The figures heads become too large for their small, narrow bodies, their hands too large for their arms. The translucent watercolor expresses both the flaws and perfection. Kim McCarty is known for her nubile and waif-like figurative watercolors in muted hues, which she likens to “blurry afterimages drifting past closed eyelids.” McCarty began working with the medium in 1993, after a fire destroyed her studio and she could no longer find a space with proper ventilation for working with oil paint and became quickly intrigued with watercolor’s transparency, immediacy, and “unforgiving qualities.” She works in a wet-on-wet technique, in which watercolor is applied to a moistened sheet of paper—a technique that allows for very little control over the final image because of the pigment’s tendency to spread. For McCarty, this style corresponds to the longing, loss, and vulnerability embodied in her subjects. A graduate of UCLA (MFA) and the Art Center College of Design, Pasadena (BFA), McCarty has had many solo exhibitions include Morgan Lehman Gallery, New York and David Klein Gallery...

Category

Early 2000s Realist Art

Materials

Paper, Watercolor

Quail Lamp (with 7 chicks)
Quail Lamp (with 7 chicks)

Quail Lamp (with 7 chicks)

By Bryce Pettit

Located in Colorado Springs, CO

Bronze sculpture with an inscribed signature and edition number by the Artist on the bronze base of the piece. 24/30

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Art

Materials

Bronze

Family Helping Hands
Family Helping Hands

Family Helping Hands

By Mian Situ

Located in Pasadena, CA

Provnance Acquired by the gallery directly from the artist. Signed "Mian Situ: on lower right. Description Three Miao sisters from the Guizhou Province of China, accompanied by the...

Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Falcon 2
Falcon 2

Falcon 2

By Iain FAULKNER

Located in Atlanta, GA

Iain Faulkner is a British figurative painter, born and raised in Glasgow. His style of painting is hyper-realistic. He eschews the concepts of contempor...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Art

Materials

Oil

"Still Life with Mandarin"
"Still Life with Mandarin"

"Still Life with Mandarin"

By Oleg Ryzhkov

Located in Edinburgh, GB

"Still Life with Mandarin." From the "In the Style of the Old Masters" series. "Still Life with Mandarin" – this painting, inspired by the Old Masters, combines the exquisite play of...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Coffee Break

Coffee Break

By Kathy Coe

Located in Fairfield, CT

Direct observation excites me. It allows for close, quiet, and constant discovery. The subtle shifts that occur in natural changing light create living color harmonies and moments of...

Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Oil, Panel

Still Life with Fish and Large Copper Pot, Late 18th Century Spanish Painting
Still Life with Fish and Large Copper Pot, Late 18th Century Spanish Painting

Still Life with Fish and Large Copper Pot, Late 18th Century Spanish Painting

Located in London, GB

Oil on canvas Image size: 24 x 28 1/2 inches (61 x 73 cm) Contemporary style hand made frame This is an incredibly carefully executed work. On what appears to be a wooden ledge we see a plate of freshwater fish, possibly a roach, a copper pot, a larger terracota pot...

Category

Late 18th Century Realist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Large 4-Foot Acrylic on Canvas Realist Landscape by Tom Perkinson, Framed
Large 4-Foot Acrylic on Canvas Realist Landscape by Tom Perkinson, Framed

Large 4-Foot Acrylic on Canvas Realist Landscape by Tom Perkinson, Framed

By Tom Perkinson

Located in Encino, CA

Untitled Landscape is an original acrylic painting on canvas by Tom Perkinson. 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 water-filled sky and saturated ground in full view. Here, Perkinson chose to depict the beauty and calm of the rain, with an expansive view of a lush landscape. Women are holding umbrellas in the middle ground with their young children enjoying the feeling of rain drops. A pond just creeps into view from the right and the edge of town can be seen in the distance, just over the trees. 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, plein-air painting, and nature. In the artist’s own words: “My color combinations aren’t in the realm of the natural world, because I don’t paint reality; I’m a painter of fiction. I try to paint a sense of place, as though this scene really does exist. I have had my collectors ask me where this scene is, and I just have to point to my head and say I made it up. Thus, I think of my work as romantic realism. I’m painting a certain reality that I’ve invented, inspired by the fascinatingly rich Southwestern landscape.” “Color gets all the credit, but it’s the values that do all the work. I don’t begin with sketches, because I want to be free to follow the painting in any direction. I start with washes of different values and tints. Then, I begin to look for a landscape. Several directions will appear to me at this time, and then I have to decide on one of them. During these first few moments, I must establish my distance from the scene. Am I a mile away or just across the river? This is one of the first steps, and I have to decide before I can continue. It’s important for working out the perspective and how things are going to relate to one another in the picture. Then, as the landscape evolves, I look for more images to add to the composition.” Artist: TOM PERKINSON (1940-) Title: UNTITLED LANDSCAPE Medium & Surface: ORIGINAL ACRYLIC PAINTING ON CANVAS (framed) Signed: HAND SIGNED AND DATED BY ARTIST LOWER RIGHT Year Created: 1983 Country of Creation: UNITED STATES Image Area Dimensions: 24 x 40 INCHES Frame Dimensions:* 28.5 x 44.75 x 1 INCHES *This work of art is being sold framed. If you would like to change the frame to better match your style or environment, please contact us for Custom Archival Framing options. Additional Info: HIGHLY COLLECTIBLE WORK BY TOM PERKINSON IN GREAT CONDITION IN A CARVED CUSTOM ANTIQUE-FINISH GILT FRAME. FRAME IS IN GREAT CONDITION CONSISTENT WITH AGE AND STYLE. Artist Info/Bio: ARTIST BIOGRAPHY DOCUMENT IS INCLUDED Documentation: CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICITY IS INCLUDED About the Artist: Tom Perkinson, born in Indiana in 1940, has become distinguished as a regional painter, known for his work grounded in the visually dramatic landscape of the Southwest. As a child, Perkinson discovered he had a love for the natural landscape, and a talent for art. He fostered that talent through classes at the John Herron Institute of Art in Indianapolis, and then at the Chicago Art Academy upon graduating from high school. He received a degree in art from Oklahoma Baptist University in 1964, before moving on to graduate school at the University of New Mexico. Here, among noted works of a larger scale, he continued to paint the landscape, and it was this work that began to reflect a new fascination with the Southwest. He had found what would become an infinite source of inspiration. Influenced by early painters of the southern Indiana landscape...

Category

1980s Realist Art

Materials

Acrylic, Canvas

Mountain landscape with a village. 1980. Cardboard, oil. 49, 5x70cm
Mountain landscape with a village. 1980. Cardboard, oil. 49, 5x70cm

Mountain landscape with a village. 1980. Cardboard, oil. 49, 5x70cm

Located in Riga, LV

Mountain landscape with a village. 1980. Cardboard, oil. 49,5x70cm In this work artist paid attention to infinite landscape depiction of mountains in summertime. Mountains are thought to contain divine inspiration in many forms, and are the focus of pilgrimages of transcendence and spiritual elevation. Mountains surpass ordinary humanity and extend towards the heavens. They symbolize constancy and permanence and at their peak signify the state of absolute consciousness. The visual components of color, form, line, shape, space, texture, and value in this painting works together as one story of peaceful moment next to nature. The village at the foot of the mountains is depicted in light brush strokes. Information about artist: Janis Lauva...

Category

1980s Realist Art

Materials

Oil, Cardboard

"DALLAS SKYLINE" ILLUSTRATION / DRAWING FOR THE BOOK "Five Years Forward"  1961
"DALLAS SKYLINE" ILLUSTRATION / DRAWING FOR THE BOOK "Five Years Forward"  1961

"DALLAS SKYLINE" ILLUSTRATION / DRAWING FOR THE BOOK "Five Years Forward" 1961

By Buck Schiwetz

Located in San Antonio, TX

Buck Schiwetz (1898-1984) Houston Artist Image Size: 10 x 15.5 Framed Size: 16.5 x 22 Medium: Pencil/charcoal on Paper Unsigned from his estate "Dallas" Cityscape Buck Schiwetz (1898-1984) Dallas Skyline by E. M. “Buck” Schiwetz — 1961 by Paula Bosse This drawing reminds me of those wonderful telephone book covers (the ones with all the hidden jokes and intricate details) that I used to pore over as a child. (By the way, when clicked, this image is absolutely HUMONGOUS.) From the booklet Five Years Forward: The Dallas Public Library, 1955-1960 (more of which can be accessed here). Copyright © 2014 Paula Bosse. All Rights Reserved. Edward Muegge Schiwetz was a painter whose work recorded the state of Texas from the country to the city. In addition, Schiwetz was a magazine illustrator, graphic artist, writer, preservationist, and architect. Edward Schiwetz was born and raised in Cuero, Texas and learned to draw and paint under the instruction of his mother. He graduated from Cuero High School (1916) and received a baccalaureate in architecture from Texas A & M college, College Station...

Category

1960s Realist Art

Materials

Charcoal, Pencil

Amata river in spring. 2024, oil on canvas, 70x90 cm
Amata river in spring. 2024, oil on canvas, 70x90 cm

Amata river in spring. 2024, oil on canvas, 70x90 cm

By Janis Zingitis

Located in Riga, LV

Amata river in spring. 2024., oil on canvas, 70x90 cm "I like to observe nature, animals, birds, landscapes. I depict my observations in paintings. Painting helps me to see, feel an...

Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

New York City Skyline Modern Print Chrysler State Building Framed Unique Etching
New York City Skyline Modern Print Chrysler State Building Framed Unique Etching

New York City Skyline Modern Print Chrysler State Building Framed Unique Etching

By Katherine Gallagher

Located in Buffalo, NY

Limited edition aquatint etching of the New York City skyline by Katherine E. Gallagher. This piece features the famous Chrysler Building prominently in the background along with a M...

Category

1980s Realist Art

Materials

Etching, Aquatint

David Loggan Botanic Gardens Oxford Engraving 1675

David Loggan Botanic Gardens Oxford Engraving 1675

By David Loggan

Located in London, GB

David Loggan (1634-1692) Botanic Gardens, Oxford Engraving, later colouring 41x50cm Loggan was born to English and Scottish parents, and was baptised in Danzig in 1634. After studyi...

Category

1670s Realist Art

Materials

Engraving

Eternal Venice: Antique Landscape Oil Painting of The Floating City
Eternal Venice: Antique Landscape Oil Painting of The Floating City

Eternal Venice: Antique Landscape Oil Painting of The Floating City

Located in Jacksonville, FL

Immerse yourself in the timeless allure of "Eternal Venice," an Antique Landscape Oil Painting delicately presented on an Oval Convex Wood Frame measuring 27.5" x 39". This masterful...

Category

Early 20th Century Realist Art

Materials

Wood, Oil

Freefall, Painting, Acrylic on Canvas
Freefall, Painting, Acrylic on Canvas

Freefall, Painting, Acrylic on Canvas

By Abi Whitlock

Located in Yardley, PA

Sunlight streams down from above the water's surface. Below, in the cool depths, the swimmer is skin is illuminated by the blazing light. This work is painted on a gallery wrapped...

Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Acrylic

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

Portrait of A Man Wearing A Top Hat , attributed to Tom Roberts 1888
Portrait of A Man Wearing A Top Hat , attributed to Tom Roberts 1888

Portrait of A Man Wearing A Top Hat , attributed to Tom Roberts 1888

By Tom Roberts

Located in Gavere, BE

Portrait of A Man Wearing A Top Hat , attributed to Tom Roberts 1888 Thomas William Roberts ( 1856 – 1931) was an English-born Australian artist and a key member of the Heidelberg S...

Category

1880s Realist Art

Materials

Gold Leaf

'La Leçon de Chant – The Singing Lesson' by Théodule Augustin Ribot, 1823 – 1891
'La Leçon de Chant – The Singing Lesson' by Théodule Augustin Ribot, 1823 – 1891

'La Leçon de Chant – The Singing Lesson' by Théodule Augustin Ribot, 1823 – 1891

By Théodule Augustin Ribot

Located in Knokke, BE

Théodule Augustin Ribot St Nicolas d’Attez 1823 – 1891 Colombes French Painter 'La Leçon de Chant – The Singing Lesson' Signature: signed lower left 't.ribot' Medium: oil on canva...

Category

19th Century Realist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

"Inside of a House in Nootka Sound" (Canada) from Captain Cook's 3rd Voyage
"Inside of a House in Nootka Sound" (Canada) from Captain Cook's 3rd Voyage

"Inside of a House in Nootka Sound" (Canada) from Captain Cook's 3rd Voyage

By John Webber

Located in Alamo, CA

"The Inside of a House in Nootka Sound" is an engraving created by William Sharp (1749-1824), from a drawing by John Webber (1752-1793), who was the artist on Captain James Cook's 3rd and final voyage of discovery. It is Plate 65 in "A Voyage to the Pacific Ocean Undertaken by the Command of His Majesty, for Making Discoveries in the Northern Hemisphere", the official British Admirality sanctioned journal published upon completion of the voyage in London in 1784 by Strahan & Cadell. This engraving is presented in a Koa wood frame and a white mat. There are occasional tiny faint spots, but the print is otherwise in very good condition. Koa wood is legendary in Hawaii. Not only is this amazing wood native to Hawaii, but it is known for the deep rich colors and varied grain pattern. Koa has an honored heritage in Hawaii and is highly revered and sacred. The word “koa” means “warrior” in Hawaiian. The warriors of King Kamehameha the Great, created canoes and weapons from a wood plentiful on the Big Island of Hawaii. This wood became synonymous with the warriors themselves, and it became known as koa. There are three other engravings listed form the official journal of Captain Cook's 3rd voyage available that are presented in identical Koa wood frames and mats. They would make a wonderful grouping for a display of 2, 3 or 4 prints. Please see listings: LU117324682432, LU117324684022, LU117324684062. A discount is available for a grouping depending on the number of items included. Nootka Sound is on the west coast of Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada. It was explored by Captain Cook in 1778 after he discovered Hawaii during his 3rd voyage. He originally named it King George's Sound, but did record Nootka Sound, which he thought was its native name. Hawaii was originally called The Sandwich Islands in honor of The Earl of...

Category

1780s Realist Art

Materials

Engraving

Foxy Companions
Foxy Companions

Foxy Companions

By Ezra Tucker

Located in Colorado Springs, CO

Original Acrylic painting signed by the Artist on lower left corner.

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Art

Materials

Acrylic

Pair of 19th Century Orientalist Realist Oil Paintings on Board
Pair of 19th Century Orientalist Realist Oil Paintings on Board

Pair of 19th Century Orientalist Realist Oil Paintings on Board

Located in Jacksonville, FL

Victor Huguet, a distinguished 19th-century French artist known for his contributions to the Orientalist art movement, crafted a captivating pair of paintings that beckon viewers int...

Category

19th Century Realist Art

Materials

Oil, Board

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.