Realist Art
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.
2010s Realist Art
Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Realist Art
Oil
2010s Realist Art
Gold Leaf
Early 20th Century Realist Art
Canvas, Oil
21st Century and Contemporary Realist Art
Paper, Giclée
21st Century and Contemporary Realist Art
Oil
1930s Realist Art
Oil, Wood Panel
21st Century and Contemporary Realist Art
Canvas, Oil
2010s Realist Art
Canvas, Acrylic
2010s Realist Art
Glass, Blown Glass
2010s Realist Art
Acrylic
2010s Realist Art
Paper, Watercolor
Artist Comments
Nestled amidst the vibrant foliage, Jackson Creek emerges as the centerpiece of artist Kent Sullivan's realistic piece. The flowing water possesses an idyllic allure amidst the lush landscape, reflecting the verdant bounty that thrives along its banks. The meeting of land and water echoes the harmonious balance co-existing within this ecologically diverse region. The work serves as a poetic reminder of the profound beauty lying within reach and demanding our respect. With every delicate brushstroke, Kent invites us to reflect on the value of nature's magnificence and our shared responsibility to protect and cherish these invaluable treasures.
About the Artist
There are more places Kent Sullivan would like to paint than he ever will be able. Employing many of the Hudson River School methods in his landscapes, Kent captures the ephemeral interactions of clouds, sun and earth with his delicate use of color and gesture. His work is published in two prominent books: "Art of the National Parks" and "Picturing Florida." He has lectured at museums and been sought after by many large corporations. “Several years ago I had the incredible fortune of being part of the NASA art program. Five paintings are now part of the Smithsonian Collection. At one gathering at the Kennedy Space Center...
21st Century and Contemporary Realist Art
Oil
20th Century Realist Art
Canvas, Cotton Canvas, Oil
1970s Realist Art
Lambda
21st Century and Contemporary Realist Art
Wood, Oil
1980s Realist Art
Lambda
21st Century and Contemporary Realist Art
Egg Tempera
1950s Realist Art
Lambda
1970s Realist Art
Lithograph
2010s Realist Art
Canvas, Oil, Lacquer
1980s Realist Art
Paper, Pencil
21st Century and Contemporary Realist Art
Canvas, Oil
19th Century Realist Art
Oil
1950s Realist Art
Oil, Wood Panel
19th Century Realist Art
Canvas, Oil
2010s Realist Art
Wood, Maple, Screen
1920s Realist Art
Etching
2010s Realist Art
Oil, Canvas
Late 19th Century Realist Art
Oil, Cotton Canvas, Wood, Linen, Canvas
Artist Comments
The sun pierces through the morning mist, casting a warm, golden glow on the fields and meandering stream below. The aerial view captures the scale, depth, and ...
21st Century and Contemporary Realist Art
Oil
2010s Realist Art
Metal
2010s Realist Art
Oil
Mid-20th Century Realist Art
Stone
Early 2000s Realist Art
Pastel, Chalk, Cardboard, Pencil
Mid-20th Century Realist Art
Etching
2010s Realist Art
Canvas, Oil
2010s Realist Art
Canvas, Oil, Panel
1980s Realist Art
Lambda
20th Century Realist Art
Oil, Board
18th Century Realist Art
Wood, Oil
1990s Realist Art
Concrete
21st Century and Contemporary Realist Art
Oil, Wood Panel
1870s Realist Art
Oil, Panel
2010s Realist Art
Emulsion, Watercolor, Etching, Lithograph, Paper
1940s Realist Art
Oil, Canvas
Mid-19th Century Realist Art
Chalk, Graphite
2010s Realist Art
Oil, Panel
2010s Realist Art
Watercolor, Gouache
1980s Realist Art
Watercolor, Laid Paper
1920s Realist Art
Canvas, Oil
Late 20th Century Realist Art
Canvas, Oil
Early 2000s Realist Art
Pastel, Chalk, Cardboard, Pencil
1910s Realist Art
Oil
2010s Realist Art
Oil
2010s Realist Art
Oil
1890s Realist Art
Watercolor
2010s Realist Art
Paper, Watercolor, Pencil
20th Century Realist Art
Canvas, Oil
Peter McKayVintage Lakeland Landscape Painting with Sheep by 20th Century British Artist, 1975 Circa
19th Century Realist Art
Canvas, Oil