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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
The Observer, Portrait of Jackson Nash by Graham Nash
The Observer, Portrait of Jackson Nash by Graham Nash

The Observer, Portrait of Jackson Nash by Graham Nash

By Graham Nash

Located in Soquel, CA

The Observer, Portrait of Jackson Nash by Graham Nash Gorgeous archival digital photograph, limited edition giclee by Graham Nash (American, b. 1942) of a Nash's first born son Jac...

Category

1980s Realist Art

Materials

Archival Ink, Laid Paper

Venetian painter – 19th c. Guardesque lagoon view – San Michele island
Venetian painter – 19th c. Guardesque lagoon view – San Michele island

Venetian painter – 19th c. Guardesque lagoon view – San Michele island

Located in Varmo, IT

Venetian painter (19th-20th century) — Venice, view of the Island of San Michele. 35 x 45 cm (unframed) - 46 x 56 cm (framed). Oil on canvas, in a gilded and painted wooden frame. ...

Category

Late 19th Century Realist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Monkey
Monkey

Mark MorrisonMonkey, ca. 1940

$4,000Sale Price|50% Off

Monkey

By Mark Morrison

Located in Wilton Manors, FL

Mark Morrison (1895-1964) Monkey, ca. 1940 Carved New Hampshire granite 8.5" by 5", height is 16.5" Provenance: Estate of Mrs. Mark Morrison. Born: Kingfisher, OK Education: ...

Category

Mid-20th Century Realist Art

Materials

Granite

ZigZag, Original Painting
ZigZag, Original Painting

ZigZag, Original Painting

By Renee Noel

Located in San Francisco, CA

Artist Comments
While traveling from Colorado to Arizona, artist Renee Noel witnessed zigzagging clouds cutting through a rapidly moving storm over the western terrain. In th...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Art

Materials

Acrylic

"Farmers by the river"
"Farmers by the river"

"Farmers by the river"

Located in Edinburgh, GB

Unidentified Artist – 19th Century "Farmers by the River" Medium: Oil on canvas Framed Dimensions: 42 x 60 cm Canvas Dimensions: 51 x 70 cm Period: 19th Century This beautifully comp...

Category

19th Century Realist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Foamy Clouds Diptych in Blue, Stormy Sky Scene, Handmade Cyanotype Print, Paper
Foamy Clouds Diptych in Blue, Stormy Sky Scene, Handmade Cyanotype Print, Paper

Foamy Clouds Diptych in Blue, Stormy Sky Scene, Handmade Cyanotype Print, Paper

By Kind of Cyan

Located in Barcelona, ES

This is an exclusive handprinted limited edition cyanotype diptych of foamy gorgeous clouds. Details: + Title: Floating Clouds Diptych + Year: 2023 + Edition Size: 20 + Stamped and ...

Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Photographic Film, Emulsion, Watercolor, C Print, Color, Dye Transfer, L...

French Painting Realist School Circle of FEYEN Shrimp Fisherwomen 19th
French Painting Realist School Circle of FEYEN Shrimp Fisherwomen 19th

French Painting Realist School Circle of FEYEN Shrimp Fisherwomen 19th

Located in PARIS, FR

French School 19th century (Circle of Eugène Feyen) Shrimp Fishers in Distress Oil on canvas 53 x 42 cm (65 x 55 cm with frame) Very good condition Beautiful giltwood frame with gadr...

Category

19th Century Realist Art

Materials

Oil

Untitled (Seated Man Facing Left)

Untitled (Seated Man Facing Left)

By Mark Beard

Located in New York, NY

Conté crayon on paper Signed and dated, l.r. This artwork is offered by ClampArt, located in New York City. Mark Beard, born in 1956 in Salt Lake City, now lives in New York City. ...

Category

1970s Realist Art

Materials

Paper, Conté

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

Contemporary portrait "Full Moon"
Contemporary portrait "Full Moon"

Contemporary portrait "Full Moon"

By Nataliya Bagatskaya

Located in Zofingen, AG

This artwork captivates with its blend of cultural and surreal elements. The central figure, a poised woman in a traditional East Asian kimono, radiates elegance through intricate fl...

Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Acrylic

"Adoration of the Magi"
"Adoration of the Magi"

"Adoration of the Magi"

Located in Edinburgh, GB

Attributed to Francesco Mazza, called "Il Parmigianino" (1503-1540) – "Adoration of the Magi" Medium: Oil on canvas Dimensions: 88 x 134 cm (unframed), 205 x 149 cm (framed) Proven...

Category

16th Century Realist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

"Banksy"
"Banksy"

"Banksy"

By Kyrylo Bondarenko

Located in Edinburgh, GB

A second life for academism, mothballs, frameworks, prohibitions, conditions, and laws. I take dry and boring academism and transform it into vibrant, joyful contemporary art. Academ...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Art

Materials

Paper, Acrylic, Watercolor

Deer, Large Patinated Bronze Sculpture
Deer, Large Patinated Bronze Sculpture

Deer, Large Patinated Bronze Sculpture

Located in Long Island City, NY

This bronze sculpture of a deer is a realistic rendering of the majestic animal. Deer have been the center of literature and art for many cultures across the world. They have also ...

Category

20th Century Realist Art

Materials

Bronze

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

Young Penguin
Young Penguin

Mark MorrisonYoung Penguin, ca. 1950

$3,000Sale Price|50% Off

Young Penguin

By Mark Morrison

Located in Wilton Manors, FL

Mark Morrison (1895-1964) Young Penguin, ca. 1950 Carved Tennessee Marble 8.5" x 7" by 3.5", height is 13 inches. Provenance: Estate of Mrs. Mark Morrison. Born: Kingfisher, O...

Category

Mid-20th Century Realist Art

Materials

Marble

Hallucination
Hallucination

Hallucination

By Nataliya Bagatskaya

Located in Zofingen, AG

The painting conveys the idea that what we perceive as life may be an illusion, while the true reality remains hidden. At the center of the scene, a man and a woman stand by a pool, ...

Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Cotton Canvas, Acrylic

Small garden. Dahlia
Small garden. Dahlia

Small garden. Dahlia

By Irina Trushkova

Located in Zofingen, AG

This composition suggests a garden gathered and brought inside, captured in a rare moment of perfect balance. The interplay of pinks and golds creates a harmonious, almost musical r...

Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Snowy Landscape near Radomysl Castle
Snowy Landscape near Radomysl Castle

Snowy Landscape near Radomysl Castle

By Elena Khokhryakova

Located in Zofingen, AG

This painting is part of the series Winter Silence of Radomysl, inspired by the tranquil nature surrounding Radomysl Castle. Winter sunlight illuminates the snow-covered ground, cast...

Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Passage du Bourg l’Abbé - 21st Century Hyper Realistic oil painting of a City
Passage du Bourg l’Abbé - 21st Century Hyper Realistic oil painting of a City

Passage du Bourg l’Abbé - 21st Century Hyper Realistic oil painting of a City

By Roos van der Meijden

Located in Nuenen, Noord Brabant

Roos van der Meijden Passage du Bourg l’Abbé 26 x 26 cm ( framed 32 x 32 cm, frame is included in price ) Oil paint on panel Dutch artist Roos van der Meijden is famous because of h...

Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Oil, Panel, Wood Panel

19th Century British Romantic Marine Oil Painting Sailing Ship Arrival Signed
19th Century British Romantic Marine Oil Painting Sailing Ship Arrival Signed

19th Century British Romantic Marine Oil Painting Sailing Ship Arrival Signed

Located in Stockholm, SE

This captivating oil painting on canvas, executed in 1882 by an unidentified but presumably British master, represents a magnificent example of a marine landscape from the era of Eur...

Category

Late 19th Century Realist Art

Materials

Canvas, Wood, Oil

Study of a Pointer Running by Léon Espinasse (French 19th/20th)
Study of a Pointer Running by Léon Espinasse (French 19th/20th)

Study of a Pointer Running by Léon Espinasse (French 19th/20th)

Located in SANTA FE, NM

"Study of a Pointer Running" Léon Espinasse (French, c. 1870 to 20th century) Watercolor on paper Signed on right 15 x 11 1/2 (28 1/4 x 23 1/2 frame) inches A stunning exercise in ...

Category

Early 1900s Realist Art

Materials

Watercolor, Paper

Red-haired woman
Red-haired woman

Red-haired woman

By Juan Álvarez Cebrián

Located in CAMPO REAL, ES

More than a simple artistic representation, this painting serves as a study of the human figure, characterized by a loose and quick execution technique. The choice of ochre tones for...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Art

Materials

Linen, Oil

Summer Bouquet Oil On Canvas
Summer Bouquet Oil On Canvas

Summer Bouquet Oil On Canvas

By Zbigniew Kopania

Located in Lake Worth Beach, FL

Summer Bouquet 2022 Still Life oil on canvas, artist signed lower right framed. Zbigniew Kopania, artist painter, cinematographer, born December 21, 1949, in Łódź Poland. Kopania sty...

Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Shortcut, Original Oil Painting

Shortcut, Original Oil Painting

By Mark Harrison

Located in Denver, CO

Mark Harrison's (UK based) "Shortcut" is an oil painting that depicts an urban street with a towering city skyline at night. Sometimes they are silent epic landscapes of the Desert...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Realist Art

Materials

Oil

“Samsone & Dalila”
“Samsone & Dalila”

“Samsone & Dalila”

By Antonio Balestra

Located in Edinburgh, GB

Antonio Balestra (1666–1740) – "Samson & Delilah" Artist: Antonio Balestra (1666–1740) Title: "Samson & Delilah" Medium: Oil on canvas Framed Dimensions: 147 x 165 cm Can...

Category

17th Century Realist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Five Maiko (Apprentices) Having lunch – Original hand-colored Meiji era photo
Five Maiko (Apprentices) Having lunch – Original hand-colored Meiji era photo

Five Maiko (Apprentices) Having lunch – Original hand-colored Meiji era photo

Located in Middletown, NY

Yokohama, Japan: c 1890. Hand-tinted albumen print, 8 x 10 1/2 inches (203 x 266 mm), numbered B04 in negative, small spots of fixer on lower right corner, pencil inscription on ver...

Category

Late 19th Century Realist Art

Materials

Watercolor, Photographic Paper

Mountain Lake Oil Painting of a Loch in the Scottish Highlands by British Artist
Mountain Lake Oil Painting of a Loch in the Scottish Highlands by British Artist

Mountain Lake Oil Painting of a Loch in the Scottish Highlands by British Artist

By Andrew Grant Kurtis

Located in Preston, GB

Mountain Lake Oil Painting of a Loch in the Scottish Highlands by British Artist, Andrew Grant Kurtis M.A.(Lon) B.Des.(Hons) L.S.I.A.D. Art measures 24 x 18 inches Frame measures 29 x 23 inches As an artist of both classical and traditional style, Andrew Grant Kurtis excels in his paintings of...

Category

20th Century Realist Art

Materials

Oil, Canvas

Wa Market
Wa Market

Wa Market

By Mian Situ

Located in Pasadena, CA

Provenance On consignment to the gallery from a private collector in Newport Beach, California. Signed "Mian Situ" on lower right Artist Statement "The location is in a small town ...

Category

2010s Realist Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Animal scene Duck hunting with dogs 18th century Swedish Master by Philip Korn
Animal scene Duck hunting with dogs 18th century Swedish Master by Philip Korn

Animal scene Duck hunting with dogs 18th century Swedish Master by Philip Korn

Located in Stockholm, SE

Monogrammed lower left: Johan Philip Korn (1728 - 1796), was a Swedish painter. A beautiful landscape, with a backwater in which carefree ducks swim, hunters and their dogs in passion, in the background you can see a city with a bell tower. Old masters have been depicting animals in their paintings since the Renaissance. In those days, hunting scenes were popular - there is always a share of emotional participation in them. Here it is necessary to understand that in previous centuries people looked at hunting as a means of obtaining food, therefore naturalism dominates in the painting of the old masters. Old oil painting on wooden panel, in a non-original frame of the 19th century. Size app.: 49 x 64 cm (roughly 19.3 x 25.2 in) and nice golden gesso frame ca 65.5 x 81.5 cm (roughly 25.8 x 32.1 in). Very Good condition, age wear, cracks on a wooden board, minor losses, retouches, cleared and conserved. Please study good resolution images for overall cosmetic condition. In person actual painting may appear darker or brighter than in our pictures, strictly depending on sufficient light in your environment. Weight of app. 6.4 kg is going to measure some 10 kg volume weight packed for shipment. Johan Philip Korn first began his career as a decorative painter. He was a student of artist Johan Sevenbom (1721-1784). After further studies he changed to landscape painting in the Rococo style of French artist François Boucher (1703–1770) and often after Dutch copper engravings. In 1759, Korn became master of the Stockholm...

Category

18th Century Realist Art

Materials

Wood, Oil

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.