A direct challenge to Abstract Expressionism’s subjectivity and gestural vigor, Photorealism was informed by the Pop predilection for representational imagery, popular iconography and tools, like projectors and airbrushes, borrowed from the worlds of commercial art and design.
Whether gritty or gleaming, the subject matter favored by Photorealists is instantly, if vaguely, familiar. It’s the stuff of yellowing snapshots and fugitive memories. The bland and the garish alike flicker between crystal-clear reality and dreamy illusion, inviting the viewer to contemplate a single moment rather than igniting a story.
The virtues of the “photo” in Photorealist art — infused as they are with dazzling qualities that are easily blurred in reproduction — are as elusive as they are allusive. “Much Photorealist painting has the vacuity of proportion and intent of an idiot-savant, long on look and short on personal timbre,” John Arthur wrote (rather admiringly) in the catalogue essay for Realism/Photorealism, a 1980 exhibition at the Philbrook Museum of Art, in Tulsa, Oklahoma. At its best, Photorealism is a perpetually paused tug-of-war between the sacred and the profane, the general and the specific, the record and the object.
“Robert Bechtle invented Photorealism, in 1963,” says veteran art dealer Louis Meisel. “He took a picture of himself in the mirror with the car outside and then painted it. That was the first one.”
The meaning of the term, which began for Meisel as “a superficial way of defining and promoting a group of painters,” evolved with time, and the core group of Photorealists slowly expanded to include younger artists who traded Rolleiflexes for 60-megapixel cameras, using advanced digital technology to create paintings that transcend the detail of conventional photographs.
On 1stDibs, the collection of Photorealist art includes work by Richard Estes, Ralph Goings, Chuck Close, Audrey Flack, Charles Bell and others.
$5,560Sale Price|20% Off
Exhale: Photorealistic Oil Painting, Contemporary, Framed
Located in Atlanta, GA
Photorealist painter, Miguel Nuñez was born in Uruguay, in the city of Maldonado in 1966. Maldonado is located on the banks of the Río de la Plata and th...
Canvas, Oil
Intimate Perspective by Josephine Cardin Contemporary Fashion photography
Located in DE
Artist: Josephine Cardin Medium: Photography Limited edition of 30 “From this new and intimate perspective, she learned a simple, obvious thing she had always known, and everyone k...
Photographic Paper, Pigment
"Hope" - Abstracted Impressionist Landscape, Oil Painting on Gesso Board
Located in Denver, CO
"This was based on the idea of seeing the light or hope ahead but having no path to get there. So we make our own path..." - Dominic Harmans About the Artist: Dominic Harman (b. 197...
Oil, Gesso
$420
Greek Beach Bliss, Handmade Cyanotype on Watercolor Paper, Swimming Body in Blue
By Kind of Cyan
Located in Barcelona, ES
This is an exclusive handprinted limited edition cyanotype. "Greek Beach Bliss" is a cyanotype of a woman's feet in the fresh water of a sandy beach shore in Greece. Details: + Tit...
Handmade Paper, Monotype
Palace, Signed Photorealistic Oil Portrait by Di Li Feng
By Di Li Feng
Located in Long Island City, NY
Di Li Feng, born 1958, is a Chinese contemporary artist, now working as Professor in the Lu Xun Academy of Fine Arts, in China. Born in a small Chinese town, he graduated from the Ch...
Canvas, Oil
"#1488" converse sneakers, still life, blue, orange, black, laces, rubber, shoes
Located in Edgartown, MA
The work of Santiago Garcia explores the wondrous, colorful and always intriguing world between figuration and abstraction. Through contextualization of reality, the Uruguayan artist...
Canvas, Acrylic
Willie Nelson at the 4th July Picnic 1979
By Scott Newton
Located in Austin, TX
Willie Nelson, taken at the 4th July Picnic in 1979 in Austin Texas by photographer Scott Newton Signed limited edition print, printed on heavyweight cotton photo rag with a matte f...
Archival Pigment
$530
Blue Rolling Waves off Sidney, Seascape Diptych Cyanotype, Australian Coast Surf
By Kind of Cyan
Located in Barcelona, ES
This is an exclusive handprinted limited edition cyanotype. "Rolling Waves off Sidney" is a gorgeous original cyanotype diptych showing energetic waves embracing the Australian coas...
Emulsion, Watercolor, Lithograph, Monotype, Rag Paper
FADED - contemporary photorealistic acrylic painting
By Lynette Cook
Located in Burlingame, CA
'Faded' depicts Chinese immigrant woman looking out from the window of her Chinatown home. The building is covered with cascading shadows that are created from the building's metal...
Canvas, Acrylic
$2,500Sale Price|64% Off
Sunshine Yellow
By Jose Borrell
Located in Atlanta, GA
This painting is in excellent condition and has only been shown in a gallery setting. While having attended renowned art schools in Spain, including the Fine Arts School of Alcoy ...
Oil, Canvas
"Dusk" - Abstract Expressionist Cityscape, Oil Painting on Canvas
Located in Denver, CO
"Dusk, what a lovely time to see the emergence of the city lights, the shift of warm to cool hues. The speckled sky. The sleeping behemoths of concrete and glass." - Dominic Harman ...
Gesso, Oil
The Beatles 1963 by Norman Parkinson
Located in Austin, TX
The Beatles, John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr at the President Hotel, Russell Square, London, 12 September 1963 by Norman Parkinson NORMAN PARKINSON POST...
C Print
$7,500
Richard Estes - Salzburg Cathedral photorealist silkscreen on paper Signed/N
Located in New York, NY
Richard Estes Salzburg Cathedral, 1983 Silkscreen in colors on Fabriano Cottone Pencil signed and numbered 248/250 on the front Silkscreen in colors on Fabriano Cottone, signed in pe...
Screen
$2,071
Glass and Lemons, ORIGINAL Realism Still Life Oil Painting 40X40cm, Signed
Located in London, Chelsea
We offer complimentary worldwide shipping and cover all tariffs and import taxes for this artwork. This exceptional artwork is currently on display and available for sale at Signet C...
Canvas, Oil
$355Sale Price|72% Off
1965 NYC Shopping Couple, Black and White Photorealist Photograph
Located in Slovak Republic, SK
The picture is an edition ( Edit. of 50) and part of a book about NYC, which Kallay done in 1965 for a German book publisher.
Photographic Paper
The Rolling Stones
By Art Kane
Located in Austin, TX
The Rolling Stones, taken in 1966 by Art Kane Originally photographed in London by Art Kane for McCall’s Magazine’s 1966 photo essay‘ Teen Idols’, Kane lay on his back and had the b...
C Print
"Coyote" Original Artwork, Pigment Print and Colored Pencil
By Kate Breakey
Located in Denver, CO
Artist's Statement: This image was from a series made with a trail camera set up very close to my home in the Sonoran Desert in Arizona. I've captured many desert creatures, bobcat, ...
Gold Leaf
"The Last" Citrus Elegance Still Life Oil Canvas
Located in Denver, CO
"The Last," a 2013 oil on canvas by Victoria Novak, is a testament to the timeless beauty and elegance of still life painting. Measuring 19.70 x 39.40 i...
Canvas, Oil
Ricqlès pour une sorcière, Oil Painting, Figurative, Contemporary Realism
By Jade Boissin
Located in AIX-EN-PROVENCE, FR
Work : Original Oil Painting, Handmade artwork and Unique Work. Medium : Oil painting on naturel wood panel. Artist : Jade Boissin Subject : Ricqlès pour une sorcière (FR -Title) Ri...
Oil
$380Sale Price|70% Off
Filled with Light, Photorealist Black and White Photograph, 1965, New
Located in Slovak Republic, SK
The picture belongs to. a set of photographs, done by Kallay in NYC in 1965 for a German book publisher.
Photographic Paper
$1,120Sale Price|20% Off
"Locked, " Oil Painting
By Karen Offutt
Located in Denver, CO
Karen Offutt's "Locked" is an original, handmade painting that depicts a close up view of a feminine face at three quarters view, her brown hair frames her porcelain face. About th...
Oil, Canvas
Toust - original realism still life painting - contemporary Art
Located in London, Chelsea
We offer complimentary worldwide shipping and cover all tariffs and import taxes for this artwork. This exceptional artwork is currently on display and available for sale at Signet C...
Linen, Acrylic
$450
"A Day to Remember II" - Photorealist Still Life, Oil Painting on Aluminum
Located in Denver, CO
Karina Rodríguez is a contemporary artist known for her hyperrealistic painting. Her works are regularly still lifes, composed with great determination to achieve the perfect balance...
Oil, Wood Panel
"Glow, " Oil Painting
By Karen Offutt
Located in Denver, CO
Karen Offutt's "Glow" is an original, handmade painting that depicts a close up view of a feminine face with her eyes closed as her necklace and alabaster skin reflect brightly again...
Oil, Panel
"5I" Original Photograph of Marilyn Monroe, Hand Signed
Located in Chatsworth, CA
GEORGE BARRIS 5I FROM "THE LAST PHOTOS" ORIGINAL PHOTO FROM ORIGINAL NEGATIVE 20 X 16 INCHES HAND SIGNED BY ARTIST PRINTED IN 1987 This piece is an original photograph of Marilyn Mo...
Photographic Paper
Pineapple Pink - Original Figurative Still Life Fruit Food Painting
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Kathleen Keifer's original artworks represent one of the most significant expressions of New California Realism. Keifer brings a fresh perspective to her colorful scenes of everyday ...
Canvas, Acrylic
"Desert Break" (2025) Realistic Female Portrait, Oil Portrait Painting on Canvas
By Serge Marshennikov
Located in Denver, CO
This beautiful original photorealist oil painting is framed at 21 x 21 inches, and is ready to hang. About the Artist: Serge Marshennikov was born in 1971 in Ufa (Bashkiria, USSR). ...
Canvas, Oil
The Heirloom / oil on linen
By Mimi Jensen
Located in Burlingame, CA
Persimmons, cobalt blue table linens and silver are the focus of this elegant and dramatic still life. Colors include silver, orange and blue. Photorealist oil painting on canvas. T...
Canvas, Linen, Oil
Paris de Noche (Paris at Night): Photorealist Oil Painting
Located in Atlanta, GA
This painting is in excellent condition and has only been shown in a gallery setting. Size listed does not include the frame. Frame adds around 3 inches to each side to the posted ...
Canvas, Oil
1920s Photo of the Seawell Cushion Wheel Co. Baseball Team of Detroit
Located in San Francisco, CA
A 1920s Detroit-based company baseball team gathered for this photo. The Sewell Cushion Wheel Company’s players wear uniform shirts bearing the timeless term “All Cush,” (frankly, wo...
Photographic Paper
Kate Bush
Located in Austin, TX
Portrait of singer and dancer, Kate Bush by acclaimed photographer, Gered Mankowitz, taken in his London studio in 1978. Kate Bush has seen a huge resurgence...
C Print
MAN RAY (1890-1976), SURREAL MODERNIST ABSTRAC, 1934 Photogravure, FIRST EDITION
By Man Ray
Located in Pembroke Pines, FL
Artist: Man Ray (American born, 1890 - 1976) Title: SURREAL MODERNIST ABSTRACT Date Of Negative: 1934 Type Of Print: Authentic Vintage Sheet Fed Photogravure/Heliogravure. Date Of Pr...
Photogravure
Waves of Freedom
Located in Zofingen, AG
"Waves of Freedom" captures the moment when water washes away all constraints and expectations, allowing the soul to breathe freely. Each brushstroke symbolizes the journey toward in...
Oil, Wood Panel
Untamed - Photorealistic Mixed Media Painting of Ocean Waves
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Steven Nederveen's art is a testament to the complex and ever-evolving relationship between humans and nature. His vivid nature scenes, often seemingly uplifting and idyllic, also reveal the darker aspects of our connection with the natural world. Through his work, Nederveen explores the dualities of our relationship with nature - the love and destruction that can coexist within us. His masterful use of color and light illuminates the beauty and mystery of natural environments such as oceans and...
Mixed Media, Acrylic, Wood Panel
$3,150
David Bowie Tea and Sympathy New York City, framed signed limited edition print
Located in Austin, TX
Ready to ship immediately. Free domestic US shipping. Signed limited edition, framed 20x24" print of David Bowie by Kevin Cummins, taken outside the Tea & Sympathy, the legendary Br...
C Print
Kate Bush Lionheart album cover
Located in Austin, TX
Portrait of singer and dancer, Kate Bush by acclaimed photographer, Gered Mankowitz, taken in his London studio in 1978 for the cover of her album, Lionheart. Gered recalls, "The cover series of portraits that I shot for Lionheart in August 1978. I art directed the album cover and my assistant at the time, Richard Grey...
C Print
"Sky 54" Oil Painting
Located in Denver, CO
James Van Fossan's "Sky 54" is an original, handmade oil painting that depicts a skyscape of grey and white clouds arching through a blue sky.
Oil, Panel
"Convergence" by David Cheifetz, Surreal Oil Painting (2025)
Located in Denver, CO
David Cheifetz's "Convergence" is an original, handmade oil painting that depicts a woman converging with a city. About the Artist: David is an internationally acclaimed and collec...
Oil
Russian Tea Room, Photorealist Screenprint by Harry McCormick
Located in Long Island City, NY
Harry McCormick, American (1942 - ) - Russian Tea Room. Medium: Serigraph, signed and numbered in pencil, Edition: 250, Size: 28 in. x 40 in. (71.12 cm x 101.6 cm)
Screen
$401Sale Price|26% Off
Boat Spain Oil on Canvas Painting, Photorealist, Framed, 1990s
Located in Sitges, Barcelona
Signed Adolfo Perez Frame size 75x64 cm.
Canvas, Oil
Bowl of Cherries, Photorealist Acrylic Painting by Charles Wildbank
Located in Long Island City, NY
A bright, photorealistic still-life painting of a silver bowl full of cherries, perched atop a white marble surface. The artist has taken immaculate care to preserve the shiny aspect...
Acrylic
The Super Constellation Lockheed - Full Framed Fine Art Museum Quality Print
Located in Brussels, BE
Artwork # 1 on 5 sold in limited edition in perfect condition This photo was made in the 50's, the negative was digitized during the artist's lifetime and the technical parameters (...
Archival Pigment
"I always thought that records were meant to be Broken" (Ferrari F2004)
By Shan Fannin
Located in Denver, CO
About Painting: My husband and I photographed this gorgeous lady in 2018 when we took a trip to Maranello, Italy to visit Ferrari. It was such a treat to see this amazing vehicle tha...
Canvas, Acrylic
"Nane - Qagyuhl" Native American in Grizzly Costume - Photogravure Print
Located in Soquel, CA
"Nane - Qagyuhl" Native American in Grizzly Costume - Photogravure Print Photogravure of a Native American man from a photo by Edward Sheriff Curtis (American, 1868-1952). The man i...
Paper, Ink
Weightless, Timeless: Oil Painting of Two Women Swimming in Pool
Located in Hudson, NY
Horizontal figurative photo-realist painting of women swimming in an aqua blue pool "Weightless, Timeless," painted by Hudson Valley artist, Samantha French, is 2019 oil on canvas, 48 x 60 inches Sides are cleanly painted white so additional framing is optional Excellent condition and ready to hang as is This photorealist figurative painting captures a peaceful water scene of a women leisurely floating in a crisp, aqua blue pool. The sunlight reflecting off their sun kissed skin complements the cool color palette, making for a serene visual experience. The brush work is highly detailed with little texture (impasto) on the surface. The horizontal painting on canvas is currently unframed and has clean, white painted sides, so additional framing is optional. About the Artist: Born and raised in north central Minnesota, Samantha French graduated from the Minneapolis College of Art and Design in 2005. French’s current body of work explores the idea of escape, the tranquility and nostalgia for the lazy summer days of her childhood. The series is inspired by Samantha’s own reflections and memories of her childhood summers spent in the lakes of Northern Minnesota. French actively exhibits her paintings and is included in many private and public collections throughout the country while her work has garnered extensive international and national press. She is a full-time painter and keeps a studio in New York’s Hudson Valley. "My current body of work is focused on swimmers underwater and above. Using vague yet consuming memories from my childhood summers spent immersed in the tepid lakes of northern Minnesota, I attempt to recreate the quiet tranquility of water and nature; of days spent sinking and floating, still and peaceful. These paintings are a link to my home and continual search for the feeling of the sun on my face and warm summer days at the lake. They are my escape, a subtle reprieve from the day-to-day. At the same time, I am drawn to an idealistic time before my own, where swim caps and wool swimsuits were commonplace. This combination of memory, observation and photography has allowed me to preserve the transitory qualities of water and remembrance." Artist Resume: 2019 Winter Swim, Rubine Red...
Canvas, Oil
Suzie, Framed Oil on Canvas painting by Harry McCormick
Located in Long Island City, NY
Artist: Harry McCormick, American (1942 - ) Title: Suzie Year: circa 1980 Medium: Oil on Canvas, signed l.r. Size: 41 x 52 inches (104.14 x 132.08 cm) Frame Size: 42.5 x 52.5 inches
Canvas, Oil
Lemon - original realism still life painting - contemporary Art
Located in London, Chelsea
We offer complimentary worldwide shipping and cover all tariffs and import taxes for this artwork. This exceptional artwork is currently on display and available for sale at Signet C...
Linen, Acrylic
Comfort in Chaos by Josephine Cardin Contemporary Fashion photography
Located in DE
Artist: Josephine Cardin Medium: Photography Limited edition of 30 "Another conversation with no destination, another battle never won. Each side is a loser, so who cares who fired...
Photographic Paper, Pigment
Jimi Hendrix Contact Sheet Print
By Ed Caraeff
Located in Austin, TX
Signed limited edition contact sheet print by Ed Caraeff of Jimi Hendrix, drummer John “Mitch” Mitchell and bassist Noel Redding before a performance at the Hollywood Bowl, Californi...
Archival Pigment
Joe Dallesandro Andy Warhol Trash promo photo
Located in Wilton Manors, FL
Jack Mitchell, American Photographer (1925-2013). Joe Dallesandro, ca. 1973. 11 x 14 inches; 12 x 15 inches framed. Period print from artist's studio. The image was intended for ...
Photographic Paper
$716Sale Price|20% Off
American School Super Realist Still Life Surreal Original Oil Painting
Located in Buffalo, NY
Vintage American modernist still life oil painting. Oil on canvas. Signed verso.
Canvas, Oil
$3,920Sale Price|20% Off
David Bowie and Elizabeth Taylor signed Lifetime Edition
Located in Austin, TX
Lifetime prints are the last remaining prints available, signed by Terry O’Neill and obtained from the Terry O’Neill Archive in London. Signed limited edition, silver gelatin print ...
Silver Gelatin
"1965 Ford Mustang Grill - Dynasty Green" by Shan Fannin, Acrylic Painting
By Shan Fannin
Located in Denver, CO
"1965 Ford Mustang Grill - Dynasty Green" by Shan Fannin is an original acrylic painting depicting a close up view of a Mustang ornament cast in blue light. Born 1969 in California,...
Cotton Canvas, Acrylic
The Cure 1980 by Jill Furmanovsky
Located in Austin, TX
Signed limited edition fine art print of The Cure on the road in Holland and Belgium during their 1980 'Seventeen Seconds' tour. Signed and numbered by Jill Furmanovsky in pencil an...
Archival Pigment
Peaches Still Life Oil Painting, Contemporary Realism, 60x60 cm
Located in London, Chelsea
We offer complimentary worldwide shipping and cover all tariffs and import taxes for this artwork. This exceptional artwork is currently on display and available for sale at Signet C...
Canvas, Oil
Serenity with Tea-original impressionism portrait painting-contemporary Art
By James Zamora
Located in London, Chelsea
We offer complimentary worldwide shipping and cover all tariffs and import taxes for this artwork. This exceptional artwork is currently on display and available for sale at Signet C...
Oil, Panel
$434Sale Price|88% Off
1960s Black and White Photorealistic Car Photography, Signed, 58x34 cm
By Karol Kallay
Located in Slovak Republic, SK
The photography belongs to a cycle of photographies of NY, published in the book "New York", Verlag und Volk, Berlin 1967. Signed by the author on the back, certificate will be inclu...
Photographic Paper
The Window
By Mimi Jensen
Located in Burlingame, CA
Mimi Jensen uses bold colors to depict theatrically lit objects. Her paintings invite speculation into possible metaphors – California Home+Design magazine Ms. Jensen is a Still Li...
Canvas, Oil
"Orange and Green" - Surrealist Still-Life, Oil Painting on Panel
By Scott Fraser
Located in Denver, CO
"Orange and Green" is an original photorealist painting by American painter Scott Fraser, depicting a variety of vine ripened tomatoes. This piece rests at 5 x 11, and is framed at 1...
Oil, Panel
The Cure, New York 1980 by Allan Tannenbaum
Located in Austin, TX
Signed limited edition print of Robert Smith and The Cure taken on Columbus Ave, NYC, April 1980 by Allan Tannenbaum 17" x 22" Paper - Edition 50 Printed to the highest quality on...
Archival Pigment