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.
EDWARD BOHLIN STERLING & GOLD 1941 TOM MIX PATTERN SPURS WESTERN FINE ART
Located in San Antonio, TX
Edward Bohlin Saddle, Spurs, Chaps, Gun Belts (1895-1980) Hollywood, California Artist / Saddle Maker Medium: Sterling & Gold 1941 "Tom Mix Style Sp...
Silver
Buffalos, Animal, Original Oil Painting, One of a Kind, Ready to Hang
Located in Granada Hills, CA
Artist: Artyom Abrahamyan, Work: Original Oil Painting, Handmade artwork, One of a Kind Medium: Oil on Canvas Year: 2024 Style: Impressionism, Title: Buffalos, Size: 39 x 59 x1 i...
Canvas, Oil
$2,600
Large Antique English 19thC Oil Painting River Lyn Landscape Barnstaple Devon
Located in Portland, OR
A large and fine antique oil painting, river landscape, The Est Lyn River near Barnstaple, Devon, England, by Albert Lane R.A. (active from 1856 deceased in 1872). Albert Lane was an...
Canvas, Oil
"Still Life" by Eve Cornejo, Oil on Canvas with Deep Browns, Near Black Hues
Located in Oklahoma City, OK
This still life by Russian-American artist Eve Cornejo is simultaneously dark and full of color. The ruby red vessel in particular nearly jumps off of the canvas in contrast to the b...
Canvas, Oil
Evening Sun by Ivan Fedorovich Choultsé
Located in New Orleans, LA
Ivan Fedorovich Choultsé Russian 1874–1939 Evening Sun Signed and dated "Iw. F. Choultsé 21" (lower left) Oil on wooden panel In Evening S...
Oil, Wood Panel
OIL PAINTING High Quality 19th CENTURY Calm Seas Gold Gilt Frame
Located in Ferndown, GB
OIL PAINTING 19th CENTURY Cram Seas GGF Description 19th Century Good condition canvas ..Piece has been cleaned , no repairs , Frame is in Good condition for age (see pictures) De...
Oil
$1,751Sale Price|35% Off
River Landscape Scene with Horses in the English Countryside by British Artist
Located in Preston, GB
River Landscape Scene with Horses in the English Countryside by British Contemporary Artist, David Morgan (Born 1964). Art measures 24 x 16 inches Frame measures 30 x 20 inches Sig...
Canvas, Oil
Mountain Buffet, France, Estate Edition, Mid-Century Modern Photograph
By Slim Aarons
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This late 1980s photograph, captured by society photographer Slim Aarons, features Courchevel restaurant chefs Jean Jacob (left) of 'Le Bateau Ivre', Michel Rochedy (centre) of 'Le C...
Lambda
Painting of Mountain Path by Lake in Ireland by 20th Century Irish Artist
Located in Preston, GB
Painting of Mountain Path by Lake in Ireland by 20th Century Irish Artist Art measures 16 x 9 inches Frame measures 24.5 x 17.5 inches A beautifully atmospheric mid 20th century Ir...
Oil, Board, Canvas, Wood
$8,250Sale Price|25% Off
Antique Horse Bronze Trotting Stallion Isidore Jules Bonheur (France, 1827-1901)
Located in SANTA FE, NM
Antique Horse Bronze Portrait of a Trotting Stallion Isidore Jules Bonheur (France, 1827-1901) Cast bronze mounted on a rectangular plinth with dark brown patina, Signed: I. BONHEUR 17 x 11 3/4 A brilliant exploration of a stallion in full trot. The patina is a deep, warm walnut brown with honey-colored tones. Isidore Bonheur was best known and the most distinguished of the 19th century French animalier sculptors. Isidore, the younger brother of Rosa Bonheur and older brother of Auguste, began his studies of painting initially with his father, who was friends with Francisco Goya. By 1848 he debuted at the Paris Salon having discontinued animal and landscape painting to concentrate on creating sculptures and in 1849, Bonheur enrolled at the Ecole des Beaux Arts. He won medals at the Paris Salon in 1859 and did so again in 1865 and in 1869. After entering the Exposition Universelle 1855, he won the Gold Medal in 1889. In the 1870s exhibited in the London at the Royal Academy of Arts where he earned great prestige and won the coveted Medaille d’Or. After winning numerous other medals and prizes, Bonheur was awarded the Legion d' Honneur in 1895 and he was Knighted in Portugal, Spain and France. Bonheur continued exhibiting at the Paris Salon until 1899. Many of his bronzes were fabricated at the foundry owned by Hippolyte Peyrol, Bonheur's brother-in-law by marriage to Isidore’s youngest sister Juliette Bonheur. The Peyrol casts for both Rosa and Isidore are exceptionally well executed which suggests a strong working relationship between the founder and sculptor. There is little doubt that Isidore Bonheur was an acute observer of nature; his animals were not anthropomorphized but modelled to catch movement or posture characteristics of the particular species he was sculpting. He achieved this most successfully with his sculptures of horses which are usually depicted as relaxed rather than spirited. These figures are among his most renowned works and his equestrian models became very popular, particularly among the British aristocracy. An acute observer of nature, his sculptures reflect his commitment to the Realist school - with precise detailing of the movements of animals in their natural habitats. Ultimately, His naturalistic studies of animals are now some of the most highly sought after works by any of the animalier. He was possibly inspired by his many visits to the Buffalo Bill Wild West Show...
Bronze
"A Warm Evening"
Located in Edinburgh, GB
On a warm evening, whilst relaxing with the whole family in good company, enjoying some sweet watermelons.
Oil, Canvas
“Manchester Terrier, 1854” George Armfield Dog Portrait in Landscape Oil 19th C.
Located in Yardley, PA
A fantastic example of George Armfield’s renowned portraits of dogs. This work depicts a Manchester Terrier excitedly standing outside a rabbit hole on the edge of a forest. The ter...
Canvas, Oil
"Ensemble of Austrian artists"
Located in Edinburgh, GB
Franz Rotter (1900–1944) – "Ensemble of Austrian Artists" Medium: Oil on canvas Dimensions: 176 x 288 cm (unframed), 181 x 295 cm (framed) Signature: Lower left corner Provenance: Pr...
Canvas, Oil
Ocean Crashing against Rocks, Isles of Shoals
By Frank Waller
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Frank Waller (American, 1842-1923) Ocean Crashing against Rocks, Isles of Shoals Oil on canvas, 9 1/2 x 20 1/4 inches FRAMED: 15 x 26 inches (approx.) Note: while this work is unsi...
Canvas, Oil
"Baa-Relief" Aaron Bohrod, Pun Humor, Magic Realism, Sheep, Lamb
By Aaron Bohrod
Located in New York, NY
Aaron Bohrod Baa-Relief, 1986 Signed lower left Oil on gesso panel 8 x 10 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...
Oil, Board
OIL PAINTING 18th Century By Thomas B Hardy British old master Gold Gilt Frame
By Thomas Bush Hardy RBA
Located in Ferndown, GB
Large OIL PAINTING 18th CENTURY NAVEL HARBOUR 18th Century Good condition panel ..Piece has been professional cleaned Frame is in Good condition for age (see pictures) Descri...
Oil
Watching Owl on Rock / - The Library Guardian -
Located in Berlin, DE
Anonymous, Watching Owl on Rock, around 1960. Bronze, solid cast figure, 6.5 inches (height) x 4.7 inches (width) x 3.9 inches (depth), 2.44 kg. - Excellent condition - The Libr...
Bronze
"Carousel" by Morgan Cameron, Oil painting Featuring Carousel Horse
Located in Denver, CO
Morgan Cameron’s (US based) “Carousel” is an oil painting on panel that depicts a white carousel horse with bridle and saddle with gilded gold accents. This painting is framed and ...
Oil, Panel
Original Mid 19th Century Swedish Academic Oil Portrait Lady in Bonnet Framed
Located in Stockholm, SE
Before us is a fine example of mid-19th-century European portrait painting, attributed to the Swedish artist Josef Wilhelm Wallander (1821–1888). This canvas, whose creation is linke...
Canvas, Wood, Oil
Landscape Silhouette, Portuguese Bend
By Amy Sidrane
Located in Pasadena, CA
Provenance Acquired by the gallery directly from the artist Signed "A. Sidrane" on lower right Description Painted on plein air in the artist's community of Portuguese Bend...
Canvas, Oil
$650
White Fronts Along the Coast (White Fronted Geese, Ireland Landscape)
Located in Wilton Manors, FL
Robert W. Milliken (Irish, 1920-2014). White Fronts Along the Coast, ca. 1960. Watercolor on paper, image measures 14.5 x 19.5 inches; 21.5 x 26.5 inches framed. Signed lower right. ...
Watercolor
Piazza Umberto, Italy, Slim Aarons Estate Edition, Mid-Century Modern Photograph
By Slim Aarons
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This early-1980s photograph, taken by society photographer Slim Aarons, features an aerial view of a parasols shading customers at cafes and restaurants in the Piazza Umberto, on the...
Lambda
Antique Still Life with Grapes and Peaches by A. Rudolphi, Oil on Canvas
Located in Berlin, DE
Elegant oil on canvas still life by A. Rudolphi, signed lower left and dating from around 1900. The composition features a delicate arrangement of grapes in a silver bowl, halved pea...
Canvas, Oil
$17,693Sale Price|20% Off
Portrait of Girls with a Cat - British Victorian Genre animal art oil painting
Located in Hagley, England
This charming British Victorian genre oil painting is by noted exhibited artist John Morgan. Painted circa 1870 the composition is two young girls, one dark haired one blonde, who ar...
Oil
Magnolia. Original oil painting
Located in Zofingen, AG
These stunning magnolia placed in a transparent vase. A dark background helps to reveal delicate forms of flowers and capture the reactions of light with glass. The medium used is oi...
Canvas, Oil
$575
Tombs of the Memlooks, Cairo, Egypt: Original 19th C. Lithograph by D. Roberts
Located in Alamo, CA
This is an original 19th century duotone lithograph entitled "Tombs of the Memlooks, Cairo, with an Arab Funeral" by David Roberts, from his Egypt and Nubia volumes of the large foli...
Lithograph
Large Scale Winter Twilight Landscape Painting by Artist Mauritz Lindström
Located in Stockholm, SE
This stunning winter landscape by Mauritz Lindström captures the serene yet striking beauty of a snow-laden scene illuminated by the warm glow of twilight. The interplay between the soft, colorful hues of the evening sky and the intricate, frost-covered branches creates an almost three-dimensional effect, drawing the viewer into the composition. The detailed rendering of the snow and the trees evokes a profound sense of coldness, making the atmosphere almost palpable. Measuring an impressive 101 x 152 cm (39 3/4 x 59 7/8 in) with the frame, this large-scale work is a testament to Lindström's mastery of light and texture. Arvid Mauritz Lindström...
Canvas, Oil
$960Sale Price|20% Off
Chicago River Wrigley Clock Tower Cityscape Urban Painting by Michael Budden
Located in Chesterfield, NJ
Along the Chicago River, Wrigley Clock Tower oil/panel 8 x 10 unframed, 14.5 x 16.5 framed signed LL Along the Chicago River, Wrigley Clock Tower is an oil painting on canvas panel...
Acrylic
BE WATER
Located in Zofingen, AG
She floats where silence begins — just beneath the skin of the water. Her form is neither here nor gone, dissolving into rhythm and light. There is no past, no edge, no name — only t...
Oil, Wood Panel
$340Sale Price|20% Off
Seashell Still Life
Located in Soquel, CA
Gorgeous watercolor of seashells by Northern California artist Barbara I. Gibson (American, 20th Century).Signed "Barbara Gibson" and dated "1990" lower right. Presented in mat. Unfr...
Paper, Watercolor
Fragility of Strength -Contemporary Seascape Oil Painting of Breaking Ocean Wave
Located in Zofingen, AG
The moment before everything changes, where strength teeters on the edge of fragility. DETAILS ● 100% original hand-painted ● The painting is textured ● The picture is painted with ...
Canvas, Oil
After Eugene Verboeckhoven Antique Belgian Pastoral Oil Painting Passing Brook
By Eugène Joseph Verboeckhoven
Located in Stockholm, SE
This exceptional mid-19th century pastoral oil painting, after Eugene Verboeckhoven's celebrated composition "Passing the Brook," depicts a serene rural scene where cows and sheep cr...
Canvas, Wood, Oil
Slim Aarons 'Palm Beach Society' Slim Aarons Estate Edition
By Slim Aarons
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Jim Kimberly and his wife (far left) and friends with his white sports car and white boats moored on Lake Worth. A Palm Beach socialite, Kimberly acts as Honorary Consul of Jordan. April 1968. (Slim Aarons / Getty Images) Slim Aarons Palm Beach Society...
Lambda
Train Engine, Oil Painting
Located in Denver, CO
"Train Engine" is an oil painting created in 2020 by Dianne L. Massey Dunbar depicting a lego train. About the artist: When Dianne Massey Dunbar was ver...
Oil
$1,036
Eric Fraser 'For Progress in the Future Save Now' World War 2 original poster
By Eric Fraser
Located in London, GB
To see our other original vintage posters, 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 poste...
Lithograph
Vermont Winter, Vermont, Estate Edition, Midcentury Modern Photograph Snowscape
By Slim Aarons
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Vermont Winter, Vermont, Estate Edition, Winter Landscape Photograph This 1960s winter landscape photograph, captured by society photographer Slim Aarons, features students from Sto...
Lambda
$1,115Sale Price|20% Off
Classical Flower Bouquet Oil Painting, 19th Century Floral Still Life
Located in Genève, GE
Dimensions with frame: 55 x 47,5 x 5,5 cm This evocative antique floral still life oil painting depicts a lush bouquet of roses and wildflowers arranged in a delicate porcelain vase...
Cardboard, Oil
Sailboat; Newport, California
By Calvin Liang
Located in Pasadena, CA
Provenance Acquired by the gallery directly from the artist Signed "Calvin Liang" on lower left Exhibited Fleeting Moments 2nd Biennale: Works en Plein Air, American Legacy Fine Ar...
Canvas, Oil
$1,500
Sterling Peonies: framed contemporary oil painting of pink & white flowers
Located in Bryn Mawr, PA
This is a beautifully framed contemporary floral still-life oil painting of pink and white peonies in a sterling vase in a traditional style by Pennsylvania artist Sharon Henderson. ...
Oil, Panel
$440Sale Price|20% Off
Abstracted Trees Reflected in Water - Black & White Landscape Photograph
By Jeff Nixon
Located in Soquel, CA
Abstracted Trees Reflected in Water - Black & White Landscape Photograph Beautiful black and white abstracted landscape photo by Jeff Nixon (American, 1952-2022). A grove of tre...
Paper, Silver Gelatin
Bouquet of Flowers under a Pink Sky - Original Screenprint
By Michel Henry
Located in Paris, IDF
Michel HENRY Still Life Overlooking the City Original silkscreen Unsigned On vellum 60 x 77 cm (c. 23.6 x 30.3 in) Excellent condition
Screen
Study of a Manchester Terrier or a Dwarf Pinscher- Jules Chardigny (1842-1892)
Located in SANTA FE, NM
Study of a Manchester Terrier or a Dwarf Pinscher Jules Chardigny (1842-1892) Circa 1860s Oil on panel Signed upper left 6 x 4 1/2 (12 x 10 1/2 frame) inches The similarities betwe...
Oil, Panel
Sleeping Man (portrait)
Located in Wilton Manors, FL
Douglas Martenson (b.1960). Sleeping Man, 1982. Pencil on paper. Sheet measuring 11 x 15 inches. Framed measurement: 12 x 16 inches. Mahogany custom frame. Signed with artist i...
Paper, Pencil
"Long View, " Oil painting
By Judd Mercer
Located in Denver, CO
Judd Mercer's (US based) "Long View," is an original, handmade oil painting that depicts a cliff vista, with lush red and green vegetation, dropping off to reveal the atmospheric blu...
Oil
$14,178Sale Price|20% Off
Vincenzo Colleoni (Venetian master) - 19th century Realist masquerade scene
Located in Varmo, IT
Vincenzo Colleoni (Active in Venice in the second half of the 19th century) - Interior scene with masked figures. 110 x 160 cm (without frame) - 145 x 194 cm (with frame). Oil on c...
Canvas, Oil
$109Sale Price|20% Off
British Chalk Pencil Sketch of a Cow Side Profile and Face Sketch
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
John Rabone Harvey ( 1966 - 1922) graphic and chalk deep green artist paper , unframed artist paper : 5.5 x 7 inches Provenance: private collection Condition: very good condition Ha...
Chalk, Graphite
19th Century Neapolitan Boat Ride Painting, Oil on Canvas, Signed
Located in New York, NY
Magnificent work by Pietro Gabrini, very striking due to its size and luminosity. Signed and dates P. Gabrini 78. Very good condition. All of our works are covered by our own guaran...
Oil, Canvas
$3,000Sale Price|70% Off
Rattlesnake
Located in Wilton Manors, FL
Mark Morrison (1895-1964) Rattlesnake , ca. 1950 Carved pink Texas granite 13.5" wide, 13" deep, height is 7" Repair and conservation to uppermost part of snake's body. Provena...
Granite
Old Newspaper Acrylic Painting, Realist Style, Signed, 70x115 cm
Located in Zofingen, AG
The piece is a dialogue on freedom and grounding, encouraging reflection on life's journey and the stillness found in moments of change. It offers a vibrant addition to any space, co...
Cotton Canvas, Acrylic
Magical journey, 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 ...
Oil
'Old Cedars' – Early New Mexico Landscape, Southwest Regionalism
Located in Myrtle Beach, SC
George Elbert Burr, 'Old Cedars – New Mexico', etching, 1920, edition 40, Seeber 218. Signed and annotated '(c) George Elbert Burr Del. et Imp.' in pencil. ...
Etching
Cup of coffee and tangerine
Located in Zofingen, AG
"Cup of coffee and tangerine” is a celebration of the beauty that can be found in the simplest of things. The style of the painting is inspired by the Holland masters of the 17th cen...
Canvas, Oil
Portrait of a Girl, 1887 by Danish Realist Painter Peder Mørk Mønsted
Located in Stockholm, SE
This painting titled "Portrait of a Girl" by the Danish realist painter Peder Mørk Mønsted captures an enigmatic young woman whose identity remains unknown. The girl, elegantly posed...
Oil, Wood Panel
Majestic Creatures oil/panel Horse Painting Southwest Movement Dog Animals
By Anne Embree
Located in Houston, TX
Majestic Creatures is by Anne Embree who is known for her whimsical animal paintings . Majestic Creatures focuses on the beautiful horses and the dog and the sun in the background. ...
Canvas, Oil
Mountain Buffet, France, Estate Edition, Mid-Century Modern Photograph
By Slim Aarons
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This late 1980s photograph, captured by society photographer Slim Aarons, features Courchevel restaurant chefs Jean Jacob (left) of 'Le Bateau Ivre', Michel Rochedy (centre) of 'Le C...
Lambda
$17,663Sale Price|20% Off
Odalisque - Woman in a Harem - French 1900 Orientalist art portrait oil painting
By Lucien Laurent Gsell
Located in Hagley, England
This charming ex Christie's Victorian Orientalist oil painting is by noted French exhibited artist Lucien Laurent Gsell. The painting dates to around 1900 and portrays a beautiful yo...
Oil
$2,575
Ruins of the Temple of Kom Ombo, Egypt: A 19th C. Lithograph by David Roberts
Located in Alamo, CA
This is an original 19th century duotone lithograph entitled "Ruins of Kom Ombo" by David Roberts, from his Egypt and Nubia volumes of the large folio edition, published in London by...
Lithograph
$121Sale Price|20% Off
British Chalk Pencil Two Sketches of Still Cows In Field
Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire
John Rabone Harvey ( 1966 - 1922) graphic and chalk deep green artist paper , unframed artist paper : 5.5 x 7 inches Provenance: private collection Condition: very good condition Ha...
Chalk, Graphite
$875
Gate of the Metwalis, Cairo, Egypt: Original 19th C. Lithograph by David Roberts
Located in Alamo, CA
This is an original 19th century duotone lithograph entitled "The Gate of the Metwalis, or Bab Zuweyleh, Cairo" by David Roberts, from his Egypt and Nubia volumes of the large folio ...
Lithograph
Dunes Eureka Valley - Black & White Landscape Photograph 1984 Signed John Nixon
By Jeff Nixon
Located in Soquel, CA
Half Dome in Yosemite - Black & White Landscape Photograph Beautiful black and white landscape photograph showing the Dunes at Eureko Valley California by Jeff Nixon (American, ...
Paper, Silver Gelatin