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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
St, Oil Painting
St, Oil Painting

St, Oil Painting

Located in San Francisco, CA

Artist Comments
Inspired by a twilight he witnessed, artist Jose Luis Bermudez captures the setting sun on a natural landscape. Bathed in su...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Art

Materials

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

Black Allegory (African-American Mythological Figures)
Black Allegory (African-American Mythological Figures)

Black Allegory (African-American Mythological Figures)

Located in Wilton Manors, FL

Black Mythological Scene with Figures, ca 1970's. Etching on wove paper, plate measures 17.5 x 21.5 inches on a sheet 22 x 28 inches. Unsigned and unattributed. This is an examp...

Category

1970s Realist Art

Materials

Etching

"Eagle with a Snake"
"Eagle with a Snake"

"Eagle with a Snake"

By Katib Mamedov

Located in Edinburgh, GB

This sculptural work depicts a dramatic scene of a struggle between a mighty eagle and a snake. The eagle, a symbol of strength, courage and victory, has spread its wings wide, demon...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Art

Materials

Bronze

Playmates, Portrait of Girls and a Kitten
Playmates, Portrait of Girls and a Kitten

Playmates, Portrait of Girls and a Kitten

By Emile Vernon

Located in Grand Rapids, MI

Emile Vernon (French, 1872 - 1919) Signed: E. Vernon Paris 1914 " Playmates ", Paris, 1914 (Three Girls with Kitten) Oil on Canvas 21 3/8" x 25 5/8" Housed in a 3 1/2" Ornamente...

Category

Early 20th Century Realist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Evening Stroll, Santa Monica
Evening Stroll, Santa Monica

Evening Stroll, Santa Monica

By Alexey Steele

Located in Pasadena, CA

Provenance Acquired by the gallery directly from the artist Signed "Alexey Steele' on lower left corner FRAMED: 15" x 18" x 1.5" UNFRAMED: 9" x 12" Exhibitions California Highlights; A Collection of Curated Favorites Showcasing Quintessential California Inspired Subjects, American Legacy Fine Arts...

Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Linen, Oil

Nude. Abstract realism, Horizontal, Pastel colours,  Beige, Nudes across mediums
Nude. Abstract realism, Horizontal, Pastel colours,  Beige, Nudes across mediums

Nude. Abstract realism, Horizontal, Pastel colours, Beige, Nudes across mediums

Located in Oslo, NO

The subject of the painting is just awakened young woman, resting in a bad and enjoying first morning sunlight. The relaxed posture and soft colors express a calm mood, the freshnes...

Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Chrysanthemums. 1954. Oil on canvas. 72x57 cm
Chrysanthemums. 1954. Oil on canvas. 72x57 cm

Chrysanthemums. 1954. Oil on canvas. 72x57 cm

Located in Riga, LV

Valnere Rita 1929 - 2015 Rita Valnere was born on September 21, 1929, was a Latvian painter and art teacher. In 1949, she graduated from the Janis Rozentals Riga Art Secondary Scho...

Category

1950s Realist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

"Morning Nook" (2025), Original Landscape Still Life Oil Painting on Panel
"Morning Nook" (2025), Original Landscape Still Life Oil Painting on Panel

"Morning Nook" (2025), Original Landscape Still Life Oil Painting on Panel

Located in Denver, CO

"Hosta Party" by Tracy Wall (United States) is an original, handmade oil painting that depicts a landscape and is framed and ready to hang. As an artist, Tracy Wall sheds new light ...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Art

Materials

Oil, Panel

An auction at Drouot's in Paris.
An auction at Drouot's in Paris.

An auction at Drouot's in Paris.

By René Francois Xavier Prinet

Located in Paris, FR

An auction at Drouot's in Paris. Oil on canvas. Signed lower right. Around 1900-1910. René François Xavier Prinet (31 December 1861, Vitry-le-François – 26 January 1946, Bourbonne-les-Bains) was a French painter and illustrator who drew his subjects from middle-class society. He was born to Henri Prinet, an Imperial Prosecutor in Vitry-le-François. A promotion led to him being posted in Paris, where they lived in a home not far from the École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts. His father painted as a hobby and was supportive of his desire to study art, having him seek the advice of Louis Charles Timbal [fr], a well-known church painter and friend of the family. Around 1880, he began his studies in earnest, in the studios of Jean-Léon Gérôme; remaining with him until 1885. That year, his painting "The Infant Jesus" was accepted for display at the Salon. This was followed by studies at the Académie Julian. At this time, he also became associated with a group of young artists known as the Bande Noire (Black Stripe), which included Lucien Simon, André Dauchez...

Category

Early 1900s Realist Art

Materials

Oil

Still Life with Fruit and Vessels
Still Life with Fruit and Vessels

Still Life with Fruit and Vessels

Located in Stockholm, SE

Housed in an elaborate late nineteenth-century carved gilt frame lined with deep red velvet, the painting offers a harmonious composition of carefully arranged objects illuminated by...

Category

Late 19th Century Realist Art

Materials

Oil, Wood Panel

Japan – Three dancing geisha apprentices – Hand-colored Meiji Period photograph
Japan – Three dancing geisha apprentices – Hand-colored Meiji Period photograph

Japan – Three dancing geisha apprentices – Hand-colored Meiji Period photograph

Located in Middletown, NY

Yokohama, Japan: c 1880. Hand-tinted albumen print, 8 1/8 x 10 1/2 inches (205 x 267 mm), numbered 1625 and captioned "Dancing" in negative at lower right; pencil inscription in Jap...

Category

Late 19th Century Realist Art

Materials

Watercolor, Photographic Paper

"Vasyl in a sheepskin coat"
"Vasyl in a sheepskin coat"

"Vasyl in a sheepskin coat"

Located in Edinburgh, GB

The portrait of a young man is painted in oil. He poses in the center of the frame, facing the viewer. He is wearing a dark blue shirt with a white collar, over which he has thrown ...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Winter Vignette
Winter Vignette

Winter Vignette

Located in San Francisco, CA

Artist: Miguel Dominguez – American (1941-) Title: Winter Vignette Year: ca. 2000 Medium: Watercolor Image size: 14 x 22.5 inches. Framed size: 22.5 x 31.5 inches Signature: Signe...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Art

Materials

Paper, Watercolor

Slim and Sphinx, Estate Edition: New York DJ Slim Hyatt at Shepheard's
Slim and Sphinx, Estate Edition: New York DJ Slim Hyatt at Shepheard's

Slim and Sphinx, Estate Edition: New York DJ Slim Hyatt at Shepheard's

By Slim Aarons

Located in Los Angeles, CA

circa 1964: New York DJ Slim Hyatt at work in Shepheard's night club whose decor recreates a famous Cairo bar. Two gold and turquoise sphinxes flank the DJ, who is posed behind two record players and before a glittering sculpture. Hyatt is often credited as the first disco DJ in the US. Initially hired by Oliver Coquelin upon the opening of Le Club, Hyatt quickly became one of the most revered figures in the emerging disco scene. He also DJed at Doubles from 1984 to 1995, and has been called by the painter and bandleader Peter Duchin “the first discotheque artist in New York." Slim and Sphinx, 1964 Slim Aarons Estate Edition Photograph Stamped and hand numbered by the Slim Aarons Estate. Certificate of Authenticity included. Chromogenic Lambda C-type print on Fuji Crystal Archive Paper Crisp detail, continuous tone and brilliant color Paper weight 210gms Matte Satin Surface Printed Later Collector will get the next number in the edition 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, a history of glamour that occurred alongside—but quite separate from—the cultural and political backdrop of the second half of the Twentieth Century. Complimentary dealer shipping to your framer. 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. Aarons began his career as a combat photographer in World War II. Though he earned a Purple Heart for his service, he declared that combat had taught him that the only beach worth landing on was decorated with beautiful people enjoying themselves in the sun. Increasingly known for his influence, Aarons's casually glamorous jetset aesthetic can be seen today in fashion, art, and celebrity photography. Recent articles credit his work with inspiring the casually flawless style of top Instagram influencers, full of sunshine and escapism. 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 * Internal: Vintage New York, Vintage glamour, 60's glamour, Vintage DJ...

Category

1960s Realist Art

Materials

Lambda

Station Road
Station Road

Station Road

By Andrew Wyeth

Located in Greenville, DE

Original Andrew Wyeth watercolor, "Station Road," 19.5 x 27.5 inches. Painted on Tom Clark's property in Chadds Ford, PA. Thomas "Tom" Clark (1876-1962) was a farmer and resident of ...

Category

1960s Realist Art

Materials

Paper, Watercolor

"Pinienhain" original etching

"Pinienhain" original etching

Located in Henderson, NV

Medium: original etching. Printed in 1900 and published in Leipzig, Germany for Zeitschrift für Bildende Kunst. This impression is printed on cream wove paper, and the image size is ...

Category

Early 1900s Realist Art

Materials

Etching

Giacomo Mantegazza, Villa La Casinella, Lake Como, Italy, Estate Edition
Giacomo Mantegazza, Villa La Casinella, Lake Como, Italy, Estate Edition

Giacomo Mantegazza, Villa La Casinella, Lake Como, Italy, Estate Edition

By Slim Aarons

Located in Los Angeles, CA

Giacomo and Stefania Mantegazza welcome guests arriving by boat at their villa, La Casinella, on Lake Como, 1983. Brilliant green trees contrast with the vivid orange, reds and turquoise of the architecture. Four boats can are afloat on the deep blue of the lake. Slim Aarons Giacomo Montegazza, Villa La Casinella, Lake Como Slim Aarons Estate Edition Stamped and hand numbered by the Slim Aarons Estate. Chromogenic Lambda print from the original transparency Printed Later Certificate of Authenticity included Collector will get the next number in the edition 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 * Now in his 70s, Giacomo Mantegazza...

Category

1980s Realist Art

Materials

Lambda

[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

Pair of Hyperreal Purple Glass Balloon Sculptures
Pair of Hyperreal Purple Glass Balloon Sculptures

Pair of Hyperreal Purple Glass Balloon Sculptures

By Dylan Martinez

Located in East Quogue, NY

Pair of Hyperreal purple glass water balloon sculptures by Dylan Martinez. Dylan Martinez’s hyperrealistic water balloons are made of solid sculpted glass sandblasted and acid-etched to resemble real water balloons. The sculptures are made in small batches, and each color is hand-mixed. Each piece is unique and is signed on the base by the artist. Material: Hot sculpted, sandblasted, acid-etched solid glass Approx. Size: 3 1/2 × 3 1/2 × 4 1/2 inches (each) hyperrealism, glass sculpture, glass balloon...

Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Glass, Blown Glass

Table top bottles still life painting
Table top bottles still life painting

Table top bottles still life painting

By Giorgio Morandi

Located in Wilton Manors, FL

Beautiful Italian Still Life painting by unknown artist in the style of Giorgio Morandi. Oil on panel, measuring 16 1/8 x 22 inches. ca. 1960s Artist board and fixtures are Italian.

Category

Mid-20th Century Realist Art

Materials

Oil, Wood Panel

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

Morning Sun, Shark Harbor; Catalina Island
Morning Sun, Shark Harbor; Catalina Island

Morning Sun, Shark Harbor; Catalina Island

By Joseph Paquet

Located in Pasadena, CA

Provenance Acquired by the gallery directly from the artist Signed " J. PAQUET" on lower right corner. Artist Statement "This unique vantage point could only be accessed by jeep. I...

Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Oil, Panel

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.