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.
Portrait of a Young Girl in a Striped Dress, c. 1895-1905.
Located in Stockholm, SE
Paul Fischer (1860–1934) Denmark Portrait of a Young Girl in a Striped Dress, c. 1895-1905. signed lower right “Paul Fischer” oil on canvas unframed 34 × 23 cm (13.4 × 9.1 in...
Canvas, Oil
A Sunny Day
Located in Edinburgh, GB
The painting depicts a clear, sunny day. Bright sunlight illuminates a dazzlingly white house. The blue sky contrasts with the silhouette of the white stone house. In the foreground ...
Oil
$2,518
An Unremarkable Evening, Realist Acrylic on Canvas, Signed 70 x 95 CM
Located in Zofingen, AG
This painting captures an intimate, seemingly ordinary evening that gradually reveals a quiet psychological tension. A young woman sits on the floor beside a bed, dressed in vivid tu...
Cotton Canvas, Acrylic
Enjoing a summer day
Located in Zofingen, AG
The composition is centered around a harmonious group of white porcelain vessels, united into a single luminous shape. Against this quiet white mass, the vivid cherries seem to come...
Canvas, Oil
David Smith (1949-) English realist 20thC oil painting RIVER CHELMER ESSEX
By David Smith
Located in Cirencester, GB
ARTIST: David Smith (1949-) British TITLE: "River Chelmer At Langford" SIGNED: lower right MEDIUM: oil on canvas SIZE: 50cm x 30cm inclusive of frame CONDITION: very good DETAIL...
Oil
Blue lilies Azure Resonance Abstract Floral Oil Painting on Canvas, Signed, XXXL
Located in London, London
Abstract contemporary floral decor Blue flowers still-life. Original floral abstract expressionism oil painting on canvas. XXXL Extra-large original artwork. Artist: Katarina Joy...
Canvas, Cotton Canvas, Oil, Acrylic
Two Hummingbirds with Floral
Located in Pasadena, CA
Acquired by the gallery directly from the artist Signed: Center Back FRAMED/UNFRAMED: 24" x 24" x .5' Artist Statement "The pursuit of realism is not merely a technical exercise,...
Oil, Panel
$269
Pocket Fig-original still life oil painting - contemporary realism artwork
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
Pocket Red Apple-original still life oil painting - contemporary realism artwork
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
$269
Pocket Fig-original still life oil painting - contemporary realism artwork
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
Cherries in Porcelain #201, Original painting, still life, fruit
Located in Deddington, GB
Cherries in Porcelain - #201 An original oil painting on aluminium composite material panel (ACM) of a cluster of glossy cherries with a traditionally decorated Chinese bowl lit by natural daylight through the artist’s studio window. For Pete, still life is not about assembling elaborate compositions but about discovering quiet conversations between everyday things that might otherwise go unnoticed. In Cherries in Porcelain, the deep crimson fruits are set against the cool elegance of a blue and white porcelain bowl. The restrained decoration of the ceramic provides a gentle counterpoint to the glossy rich colour of the fruit, while the warm wooden surface introduces a further note of contrast and the slender touches of green of the stems provide punctuation. Rather than seeking photographic precision, Pete’s aim is to capture the quiet presence of the objects and the sense that they belong together. Painted in oils using traditional techniques, Cherries in Porcelain continues Pete Underhill’s exploration of everyday subjects that reward prolonged observation. He hopes it invites the viewer to pause for a moment and appreciate the quiet beauty that can be found in the simplest of things. Additional information Cherries in Porcelain #201 Pete Underhill Painted in the artist’s Leicestershire Studio in July 2026. Signed the artists’s PGU monogram An original oil painting of cherries...
Metal
A Jockey on a Racehorse. Antique framed oil on canvas. Sir Herbert James Gunn
Located in St. Albans, GB
Sir Herbert James Gunn (1893 - 1964) A Jockey Before the Race Signed Oil on Canvas Provenance: Christies sporting art This is a striking, dynamic equestrian oil painting by the ren...
Canvas, Oil
New York City Winter Snow Painting Michael Budden Along Fifth Avenue
Located in Chesterfield, NJ
Along Fifth Avenue, NYC oil/canvas 24 x 20 unframed, 30.5 x 26.5 x 1.5 framed. signed LR Along Fifth Avenue is an oil painting on canvas by award winning contemporary artist Michael ...
Oil
Romantic Lakeside Sunset with Seated Woman, Antique Oil Painting
Located in Stockholm, SE
Mary Kirschbaum, Sweden Woman by a Lake at Sunset, c. 1890 signed oil on canvas unframed 23 × 33 cm (9.1 × 13 in) framed 33 × 43 cm (13 × 16.9 in) Provenance: Private collection, ...
Canvas, Oil
Small garden. Hyacinths
Located in Zofingen, AG
" Against a quiet, muted backdrop, a cluster of hyacinths blooms in a humble ceramic pot, capturing the tender awakening of a new season. Delicate white, vibrant pink, and soft purp...
Canvas, Oil
$3,147
The masquerade
Located in Paris, FR
BALS Wim (1973- ) 'The masquerade' Oil on wood. Signed. Certificate on the back signed by the artist. Willem Bals, known professionally as Wim Bals, is a contemporary Belgian paint...
Oil
"Patient Martyr" - Realist Male Portrait, Oil Painting on Aluminum Panel
Located in Denver, CO
"Patient Martyr" is a realist oil painting on aluminum panel by American painter Zack Zdrale, depicting a male model with his arms outstretched and intertwined above his head, leanin...
Oil, Panel
$8,000Sale Price|20% Off
"Hendrick Hudson" Realist Hudson River Steamboat Oil Painting on Canvas Framed
Located in New York, NY
This vibrant painting depicts the historic Hendrick Hudson side-wheel steamboat, majestically cruising across the Hudson River on a bright sunny day. The grand three-deck vessel, wit...
Canvas, Oil
"Portrait of a Woman"
Located in Edinburgh, GB
"Portrait of a Woman" by Yuriy Lyamin is a captivating artwork that beautifully explores the soft essence of the female form. Rather than focusing on strict realistic details, the ar...
Oil, Canvas
Pacific Sunset Waves, Contemporary Cyanotype on Paper, Navy Blue, Beach House
By Kind of Cyan
Located in Barcelona, ES
This is an exclusive handprinted limited edition cyanotype. "Pacific Sunset Waves" is an original cyanotype that abstractly shows the sunset reflections on the sea. Details: + Titl...
Emulsion, Mixed Media, Watercolor, Photographic Paper, Lithograph, Monop...
$118Sale Price|20% Off
British Chalk Pencil Sketch of a Cow Posed Lying On The Grass
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
Encounter
Located in Edinburgh, GB
At dawn in the winter forest, the white horse and the white bear accidentally encountered each other. This is only the first glimpse of each other, the first moment of their meeting....
Acrylic
$3,319
Hyperrealistic Acrylic Painting 'The Missing Move', 90x120 cm, Signed
Located in Zofingen, AG
Certain works of art do not describe an event—they preserve its emotional residue. They remind us that the most profound transformations rarely occur in moments of visible drama, but in the quiet intervals that divide life into what existed before and everything that follows. This painting inhabits precisely that elusive territory. The composition presents an interior of remarkable stillness. A young woman, dressed in white and seen only from behind, stands before expansive panoramic windows. Beside her, a black cat quietly shares the moment. In the foreground, an antique billiard table...
Cotton Canvas, Acrylic
Fig - original still life oil painting - contemporary realism artwork
Located in London, Chelsea
Gallery service: Complimentary worldwide shipping is offered, with Signet Contemporary Art covering all tariffs, customs duties and import taxes, making international collecting simp...
Canvas, Oil
Two Daschounds. An antique painting of dogs framed and signed
Located in St. Albans, GB
Heinrich SPERLING German School Picture Size: 15 x 18" (38 x 46cm) Framed Size: 22 x 25" (56 x 64cm) Signed and framed Sperling was born March 23rd 1844 in Warnkenhagen, and died 2...
Canvas, Oil
$106Sale Price|20% Off
British Chalk Pencil Sketch of a Cow With Horns Facing Away
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
$118Sale Price|20% Off
British Chalk Pencil Sketch of a Cow With Horns Resting on The Grass
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
Impressionistic Seascape Painting Michael Budden Beach Sunrise
Located in Chesterfield, NJ
Morning Drama oil/panel image 8 x 10 unframed, 14.5 x 16.5 framed signed LL Morning Drama is an oil painting on panel by award winning contemporary artist Michael Budden that showca...
Oil
Cat Awaits the Apocalypse, Realist Acrylic Painting on Cotton Canvas
Located in Zofingen, AG
This refined interior scene captures a moment of psychological stillness, where presence and perception quietly intersect. The poised figure of a woman contrasts with the alert silho...
Cotton Canvas, Acrylic
$269
Pocket Pear - original still life oil painting - contemporary realism artwork
Located in London, Chelsea
Gallery service: Complimentary worldwide shipping is offered, with Signet Contemporary Art covering all tariffs, customs duties and import taxes, making international collecting simp...
Oil, Canvas
King Charles Spaniel puppy bath painting (Oklahoma Artist)
By Jay Weaver
Located in Wilton Manors, FL
Jay Weaver (?-1960). Is This Necessary?, 1952. Oil on canvas measuring 12 x 16 inches. Framed measurement: 18 x 22 inches. Signed by artist lower right. 1952 Salmagundi label af...
Canvas, Oil
Bulldog with a Food Bowl-oil on board, early 20th century, French.
Located in SANTA FE, NM
Bulldog with a Food Bowl French, early 20th century Oil on board Illegibly signed, lower left 9 1/2 x 12 1/2 (15 x 18 frame) inches A tender and thoughtful portrayal of a seated bul...
Oil, Panel
"Hindsight" - Original Still-Life and Landscape, Oil Painting on Panel
By Emma Kalff
Located in Denver, CO
"This painting was made based off of a photo I took from a bus window in Mexico, near Puerto Vallarta. The image stuck with me as the idea of an idyllic hillside. It felt to me like ...
Oil, Panel
"Kenosha Skies" - Western Landscape and Skyscape, Oil Painting on Linen
Located in Denver, CO
Artist Statement: This painting captures the luminous midday atmosphere above Colorados Kenosha Pass, where expansive skies stretch endlessly above the Continental Divide. Using a co...
Linen, Oil
$2,197
Cowboy: The Freedom Rider- Western painting, American Artist, Horse painting
Located in Oslo, NO
cowboy, horse, prairie, Western art, Western painting, American art, American artist, freedom, Wild West "This painting was inspired by American Westerns and the films of the Wild W...
Canvas, Oil, Linen
"Cloud Composition 7" Original Realist Skyscape with Clouds
Located in Denver, CO
"Cloud Composition 7" is a realistic capturing of a golden skyscape, created with oil paint on panel. This piece is framed at 9.5 x 9.5 inches and is ready to hang. Jesse Mangerson ...
Oil, Panel
$3,600Sale Price|20% Off
New York City Winter Oil Painting Fifth Avenue Flags St Patricks Michael Budden
Located in Chesterfield, NJ
Winter On Fifth Avenue, St Patrick's, Flags 24 x 18 unframed. and 30.25 x 24.5 framed signed LL Winter On Fifth Avenue, St Patrick's, Flags is an oil painting on linen by award winn...
Oil
$106Sale Price|20% Off
British Chalk Sketch of A Young Horse with White Markings
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
$2,550
Boy From Hood - 21st Century, Contemporary, Figurative, Hyperealism, Africa
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
Shipping Procedure Ships in a well-protected tube from Nigeria This work is unique, not a print or other type of copy. Accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity. About Artist Fal...
Canvas, Oil
Please Don't Ask What I'm Thinking
Located in Zofingen, AG
This painting presents a solitary figure caught in a moment of profound stillness. A young woman crouches close to the ground, her body gathered inward in an almost instinctively pro...
Lacquer, Cotton Canvas, Acrylic
$960Sale Price|20% Off
Impressionistic Realistic Moonlight Landscape Oil Painting Michael Budden
Located in Chesterfield, NJ
Moon Sliver oil/panel 8 x 10 unframed 13.50 x 15.50 x 2 framed. Signed LR Moon Sliver is an oil painting on canvas by award winning contemporary artist Michael Budden that showcase...
Oil
$1,465Sale Price|25% Off
Impasto Oil Painting of River Tree Scene British Postwar & Contemporary Artist
Located in Preston, GB
Impasto Oil Painting of River Tree Scene British Postwar & Contemporary Artist, Terry Evans Terry Evans is a British Postwar & Contemporary Painter born in 1943, known for h...
Canvas, Mixed Media, Oil
$1,321Sale Price|60% Off
Oil Painting of Horses & Farmer in the English Countryside by British Artist
By James Wright
Located in Preston, GB
Oil Painting of Horses & Farmer in the English Countryside by 20th Century Modern British Artist, James Wright Art measures 24 x 18 inches Frame measures 29 x 23 inches Pres...
Canvas, Cotton Canvas, Oil
View from Il Cellese, Oil on Canvas Landscape Painting, Realism Style
Located in London, Chelsea
We offer complimentary worldwide shipping and cover all tariffs and import taxes for this artwork. In View from Il Cellese, Jeanette Meehan expands on her exploration of interior f...
Canvas, Oil
$106Sale Price|20% Off
British Chalk Pencil Sketch of A Bull Lying Down
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
New York City Flags Winter Cityscape Urban Oil Painting by Michael Budden
Located in Chesterfield, NJ
Flags Above the Avenue The image measures 12 x 9 unframed, 18.5 x 15.5 framed signed LL Flags Above the Avenue is an oil painting on canvas panel by award winning contemporary artis...
Oil
Antique 19th Century British Oil Painting by G. Wylle Rural Landscape Gilt Frame
Located in Palm Coast, FL
Up for sale is an antique British oil painting on canvas, signed “G. Wylle” in the lower area, depicting a picturesque riverside village scene with historic stone buildings, a tower ...
Oil
$3,776
Western Light-original modern landscape abstract oil painting-contemporary Art
Located in London, Chelsea
This exceptional artwork is currently on display and available for sale at Signet Contemporary Art Gallery and online. We offer complimentary worldwide shipping and cover all tariffs...
Canvas, Oil
Hedonist
Located in Edinburgh, GB
This captivating oil painting explores the delicate intersection of female sensuality and whimsical surrealism. It features an Anthropomorphic rabbit elegantly lounging upon a beautifully detailed, rich burgundy corset...
Oil, Acrylic
India Madras Painting on board Portrait of Serving Girl with Pot c 1910
Located in Norfolk, GB
Madras School C 1910 Acrylic on board 11.5" x 8" Address on verso This painting dating to the early 20th century, c 1910, shows a young woman, possibly from Madras (see info on reverse), The colours follow the conventions of a genre of art called Company School painting...
Mixed Media, Board
Pomegranates
Located in Zofingen, AG
The serene ceramic jar anchors the composition, creating a quiet dialogue between matte surfaces and glossy fruit. The carefully draped striped tablecloth introduces rhythm and movem...
Canvas, Oil
$1,051Sale Price|60% Off
Castlewellan Lake in Northern Ireland by 20th Century British Landscape Artist
Located in Preston, GB
Castlewellan Lake in Northern Ireland by 20th Century British Landscape Artist, Spencer Coleman. Unique Vintage Original, Oil on Canvas...
Oil, Mixed Media, Cotton Canvas, Paint, Cotton, Canvas, Gesso
$1,080Sale 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...
Oil, Cardboard
"What?.." Surreal Figurative Painting, Acrylic on Canvas, Signed
Located in Zofingen, AG
This painting invites the viewer into a quiet, surreal moment suspended between reality and dream. A young woman, draped in black, leans forward onto a round wooden table, her postur...
Cotton Canvas, Acrylic
Ginny Williams, Bird Painting, Blue and White Chinoiserie, Oil on Panel
Located in Atlanta, GA
A colorful bullfinch perches atop a blue and white vessel in Ginny Williams’ charming Bullfinch and Blue. Set against a softly patterned background, the composition combines the endu...
Oil, Board
Evening in Tuscany, Original realism lansdcape painting, Oil on Canvas, 122x91cm
Located in London, Chelsea
Gallery service: Complimentary worldwide shipping is offered, with Signet Contemporary Art covering all tariffs, customs duties and import taxes, making international collecting simp...
Canvas, Oil
Roses Original Oil Painting, Realist Style, Framed, Circa 1940
Located in CORAL GABLES - MIAMI, FL
Antonio Vidal Rolland (Barcelona, 1889 - 1970. Artwork signed by the artist. acrylic on canvas Catalan painter. Disciple of José Ruiz Blasco father of Picasso a Lonja and Aleix Clapé...
Oil
Original Oil Painting on canvas, Still Life, Flowers, Signed, Framed
Located in Palm Coast, FL
Up for sale is a beautiful original oil painting on canvas. This painting is a classical and elegant floral still-life composition, featuring a lush bouquet of vibrant flowers arrang...
Oil
Louis Perrey “Vanity” — A Belle Époque Portrait of Elegance
Located in New York, NY
A refined Belle Époque portrait of a young woman absorbed in her reflection, gracefully holding an oval hand mirror. Louis Perrey captures the intimate ritual of feminine toilette wi...
Canvas, Oil
New York City Winter Oil Painting Upper Fifth Avenue Flags Michael Budden
Located in Chesterfield, NJ
Upper Fifth Avenue Flags oil/canvas 24 x 20 unframed, 31.75 x 27.75 x 1.5 framed Signed LL Upper Fifth Avenue Flags is an oil painting on linen by award winning contemporary artist ...
Oil
A hyperrealist canvas by Heinz Schönhammer transforms a café classic into an unforgettable still life.
With a solo show at the Denver Art Museum and a commission from the Met, the Cree Canadian painter has become an international sensation.