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.
$680Sale Price|20% Off
Impressionistic Realistic Moonlight Landscape Oil Painting Michael Budden
Located in Chesterfield, NJ
Crescent Moonrise Study oil/panel 8 x 6 unframed 14.25 x 12.25 x 1 framed. Signed LR Crescent Moonrise is an oil painting on canvas by award winning contemporary artist Michael Bud...
Oil
Evolution
Located in Zofingen, AG
The painting features two pieces of art. The difference between their creation is about 2000 years. The first is the sculpture, Venus de Milo, the most famous of all ancient Venuses....
Canvas, Oil
$1,592
«Under a Heavy Sky» — Realistic Oil Seascape of Turquoise Waters and Storms
Located in Zofingen, AG
The sky lowers itself, as if reaching for the sea. Dense and dark, it carries an unspoken weight. The turquoise water does not resist — it glows from within, breathing steadily, ac...
Oil, Canvas
$107Sale 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
«The Calm Before the Rain» — Hyperrealistic Oil Landscape Painting
Located in Zofingen, AG
The sky slowly gathers its weight, holding the promise of rain. Clouds breathe in silence — light still lingers in their folds, yet the depth beneath them darkens. The sea remains c...
Canvas, Oil
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
Mid Century Oil Painting -- The White Persian Kitten, Signed
Located in Soquel, CA
Mid Century Figurative -- White Persian Kitten by Mildred Kaucher Charming mid century portrait of a white Persian kitten with blue eyes and pink ears and nose by Los Gatos artist M...
Metal
Сoffee tradition
Located in Zofingen, AG
Original oil painting on canvas, still life painting made under natural light. This artwork is painted using high-quality fine linen canvas. Signed on the front and back of artwork. ...
Canvas, Oil
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
$1,400
1899 Irma Vauthier Antique Oil Painting European Genre Scene by Gilt Frame
Located in Palm Coast, FL
An atmospheric late 19th-century European School oil on canvas depicting a poignant rural genre scene of women and children gathered beside a stone cross, set within a sweeping, wind...
Oil
Fromage
Located in Zofingen, AG
This original oil painting captures a still life scene viewed from above, inviting you to explore its intimate details. At the center, a wooden board showcases a variety of cheeses, ...
Canvas, Oil
$1,592
“Line of Stillness” — Contemporary Seascape Painting of Calm Ocean Horizon
Located in Zofingen, AG
This work is about how formality dissolves when you’re surrounded by the right people. What is usually governed by rules, timing, and expectations quietly turns into something softer...
Canvas, Oil
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
Listed Artist Hewett Jackson Original Oil Painting Tall Ship Seascape Framed
Located in Palm Coast, FL
Up for sale is a large original oil painting on canvas by listed maritime artist Hewett R. Jackson (1914–2007). This striking nautical scene depicts a majestic tall sailing ship brea...
Oil
$2,265
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
"Guardian of the Plains" - Oil Animal Painting on Wood (2025)
By Terra Novak
Located in Denver, CO
"Guardian of the Plains" depicts a detailed buffalo profile against a warm yellow background. Inspired by Yellowstone National Park, the buffalo embodies wisdom, strength, and the en...
Wood, Oil
"The Dark Waters" Painting, Acrylic on Canvas, Signed
Located in Zofingen, AG
This refined contemporary painting combines narrative elegance with a strong visual signature. The striking red boat immediately anchors the composition, floating against richly text...
Cotton Canvas, Acrylic
Metsälampi (Forest Pond), 1942
Located in Stockholm, SE
Metsälampi (Forest Pond) is a 1942 oil painting on panel by the Finnish artist Ragnar Ungern, depicting a forest pond with overhanging trees reflected in its still waters. Created in...
Oil, Wood Panel
"View From Hess" - Original Oil Landscape Painting on Linen
Located in Denver, CO
Artist Statement: View From Hess captures the vast openness south of Denver where the land meets the rise of the Front Range. Painted in soft hues, the work evokes the fleeting momen...
Linen, Oil
"Through the Flames of Sunset" — Realistic Oil Seascape with Sailing Boat at Fie
Located in Zofingen, AG
A lone sailboat drifts quietly across the glowing sea as the sky burns with the last light of sunset. Fire and water meet at the horizon, capturing a fleeting moment of silence and w...
Canvas, Oil
“Where Everything Begins” — Hyperrealistic Seascape at Dawn
Located in Zofingen, AG
A moment of silence between night and day. The sea still holds the coolness and depth of darkness, yet the first path of sunlight already appears on the water — a sign of beginning, ...
Canvas, Oil
$390Sale Price|76% Off
French school Still Life fruits Oil painting Signed
Located in Zofingen, AG
➡️Still Life painting from C Romey⬅️ ⏩It is signed C Romey⏪ Cecil Romey 1889-1973 ⭐Medium:⭐ Oil on canvas ⭐Technique: ⭐Impasto painting with expressive brushwork. ⭐Size:⭐55x38 c...
Oil, Stretcher Bars, Gesso
$531
«Botany 4» Original floral painting. Circular small canvas . Gift . Home decor
Located in Oslo, NO
This artwork, a circular painting, deftly captures a vibrant botanical ensemble on a textured backdrop. Set against a muted, earthy background, the piece features an array of intrica...
Canvas, Oil
$600Sale Price|20% Off
New York City Theater Painting Michael Budden Phantom of the Opera Study
Located in Chesterfield, NJ
Mystical Phantom oil/panel 8x6 unframed, 13.38 x 11.25 framed signed LR Mystical Phantom is an oil painting study on canvas panel by award winning contemporary artist Michael Budden...
Oil
Natalie Portrait Painting, Realism, Silvery-Ocher, 110x80 cm
Located in Oslo, NO
The portrait depicts a beautiful girl in the prime of her youth, when her whole life is ahead and full of hope. Despite the fact that it depicts a specific person, this portrait can ...
Canvas, Oil
"Cloud Composition 2" Original Realist Skyscape with Clouds
Located in Denver, CO
"Cloud Composition 2" 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
Henrietta Abel-Smith (1987-) original oil painting DEER SKULL ANTLERS still life
Located in Cirencester, GB
ARTIST: Henrietta Abel-Smith (1987-) Brtiish TITLE: "Study Of A Deers Skull' SIGNED: lower right MEDIUM: oil on canvas SIZE:48cm x 40cm inclusive of frame CONDITION: very good DE...
Oil
Quiet day
Located in Zofingen, AG
A poised still life rendered in luminous oil, where light glides across a draped table, revealing the tender gleam of porcelain and the play of silken folds. Two white jugs, a cup a...
Canvas, Oil
«A Second Before the Touch» — Hyperrealistic Seascape Oil Painting of Ocean Wave
Located in Zofingen, AG
The wave rises and comes to stillness. Light passes through the water and remains within it. Movement slows, almost disappearing. This moment still holds its form. Nothing is broken ...
Canvas, Oil
Crowded Street Scene From Luntmakargatan, Stockholm
Located in Stockholm, SE
Olof Arborelius (1842–1915) From Luntmakargatan, Stockholm oil on paper mounted on board signed with monogram “OA” unframed 24 × 30 cm (9.4 × 11.8 in) frame 35 × 41 cm (13.8 × 16.1...
Oil, Board, Laid Paper
$8,131
Dolomite Landscape - Huge Italian Austrian Mountain River Waterfall Oil Painting
Located in Sevenoaks, GB
A beautiful and huge mid 19th century oil on canvas depicting a landscape in the Dolomites, by Karl Moser. Excellent quality work on exhibition scale by this important Austrian arti...
Canvas, Oil
Pocket Peach - original realism still life fruit - 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...
Canvas, Oil
Pocket Blue Damson - original realism still life fruit - 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...
Canvas, Oil
Fireflies II - contemporary, figurative, portrait, oil on canvas
Located in Bloomfield, ON
This realistic oil portrait of a young man is by Daniel Hughes. In a field surrounded by the magical glow of dozens of fireflies, a young man stands alone, looking towards hills in ...
Oil, Canvas
$107Sale Price|20% Off
British Chalk Pencil Sketch of Small White Sheep 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
$134
British Chalk Pencil Sketch of a Horse Patiently Waiting at The Wooden Fence
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
"Return of the Prodigal Son" Realist Acrylic Painting on Canvas
Located in Zofingen, AG
This painting captures a quiet yet emotionally charged moment where symbolism gently emerges from everyday life. A woman embraces a black cat whose direct gaze creates an immediate p...
Cotton Canvas, Acrylic
"The New Scene of Van Eyden" Acrylic on Canvas, Signed
Located in Zofingen, AG
In The New Scene of Van Eyden, I reimagine a classical genre scene as a contemporary reflection on self-perception. Three figures — myself, my avatar, and the avatar’s companion — sh...
Acrylic, Cotton Canvas
"Forest shadows", green, Landscape Paintings, paper, vertical, mixed media
Located in Oslo, NO
This expressive mixed media sketch on paper (study for a large painting) captures the essence of a dense forest landscape with bold brushstrokes and layered textures. The interplay o...
Paper, Acrylic, Pencil
Listed Artist Hewett Jackson Original Oil Painting Tall Ship Seascape Large
Located in Palm Coast, FL
Up for sale is a large original oil painting on canvas by listed maritime artist Hewett R. Jackson (1914–2007). This striking nautical scene depicts a majestic tall sailing ship brea...
Oil
$1,594Sale Price|40% 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
$108Sale Price|20% Off
British Chalk Pencil Sketch of a Cow with Horns In The Water Loche
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
"What Am I Looking At?.." Signed Acrylic Painting, Realist
Located in Zofingen, AG
This artwork blends calm seaside serenity with an unexpected, dreamlike encounter. A solitary girl stands on the shore, dressed in timeless black-and-white attire, her posture compos...
Acrylic
$2,241
«Eternal Pulse» – Ocean Wave Oil Painting in Refined Vert Bosphore Palette
Located in Zofingen, AG
The sea knows no rest. It breathes, it lives, it calls — in every movement, in every shimmer of light. This wave is a moment between calm and storm, a breath that holds eternity with...
Oil, Wood Panel
Chile Sandias, Oil Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
Red chiles are a great source of pride in New Mexico. In this still life, artist Duane Brown depicts the peppers as the Sandia Mountains, a range east of Albuqu...
Oil
Basket Of Red Cherries Still-Life Oil Painting With Gilt Frame
Located in Frederiksberg C, DK
This still life painting depicts a woven basket brimming with ripe cherries, delicately arranged on a tabletop against a subdued background. The cherries are rendered with a sheen, t...
Canvas, Oil
"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...
Acrylic, Cotton Canvas
$4,616Sale Price|20% Off
"The Norwegian Madonna" Original realistic portrair. Large vertical oil painting
Located in Oslo, NO
This painting was created specifically for the New masculinity collection on Singulart. The topic is very relevant and concerns many people .Gender roles have ceased to be as specifi...
Canvas, Oil
An Old 19th Century Genre Interior Depicting An Afternoon Nap, 1877
Located in Stockholm, SE
Jakob Kulle (1838–1898) Sweden An Afternoon Nap, 1877 signed and dated oil on canvas unframed 61 × 48 cm (24 × 18.9 in) framed 79 × 67 cm (31.1 × 26.4 in) Provenance: Purchased di...
Canvas, Oil
"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
Portrait of an Edwardian Dandy (Man)
Located in Wilton Manors, FL
Portrait of an Edwardian Dandy Gentleman, 2003. Acrylic on canvas, 16 x 20 inches. Signed with monogram and dated lower right.
Cotton Canvas, Acrylic
Antique 1868 Oil Portrait Young Woman European Lady Gilt Frame 19th Century
Located in Palm Coast, FL
This authentic 19th-century oil portrait depicts a young European woman in traditional attire, painted with refined academic realism and quiet emotional restraint. The sitter is shown in three-quarter view, wearing a straw hat with a blue ribbon, a lace-trimmed blouse, and a dark bodice, delicately holding a small basket of flowers. The soft transitions of light across the face, gentle blush tones, and composed expression reflect mid-19th-century European portrait traditions, closely aligned with Biedermeier and early Realist aesthetics. The background is intentionally subdued, allowing full focus on the sitter’s character and presence. Brushwork is controlled and confident, with careful modeling of facial features and textiles. The composition suggests a formal studio portrait rather than a genre scene, typical of European academic painting of the period. 📏 Measurements: Painting approx. 19.5" × 24"; Framed approx. 30" × 26" 🎨 Medium: Oil on canvas 🖋️ Artist: Signed and dated 1868 in the lower right (signature partially legible) 🖼️ Frame: Original period gilt wood frame; minor wear, losses, and age-related surface imperfections ✔️ Condition: Stable age-related craquelure throughout. Frame shows minor historical damage consistent with age. This is a genuine antique European oil painting...
Oil
"Astana. Expo Plaza"
Located in Edinburgh, GB
Astana. Expo Plaza When architecture becomes a dream come true Before you is evidence of the meeting of classical painting with the futuristic genius of architecture. In 2018, Alex...
Oil
$1,277Sale Price|25% Off
The Coriolanus Clipper Sailing Ship at Sea - Vintage 20th Century Oil Painting
Located in Preston, GB
The Coriolanus Clipper Sailing Ship at Sea - Vintage 20th Century Oil Painting by J Bishop. Art measures 32.5 x 26.5 inches Frame measures 36.5 x 30.5 inches This impressive oil p...
Canvas, Cotton Canvas, Oil
Antique American Modernist Framed Dog Portrait Signed Large Oil Painting
Located in Buffalo, NY
Antique American dog portrait oil painting. Oil on board. Signed. Framed. Provenance from a Sag Harbor, NY collection. Handsomely framed in a wood molding. Excellent condition, rea...
Oil, Board
$651Sale Price|40% Off
Mountain Lake Forest Landscape Scene - Vintage Art 20th Century Oil Painting
Located in Preston, GB
Mountain Lake Forest Landscape Scene - Vintage Art 20th Century Oil Painting by J Bishop. Art measures 17 x 14 inches Frame measures 21 x 18 inches Vintage painting, ornate gold f...
Oil, Cotton Canvas, Canvas
Tigress Acrylic and Oil Painting on Canvas, Realist Style, 2000
Located in Sitges, Barcelona
Author: Rodolfo Ramírez Cardo (Havana, Cuba) Title: Version of “Tigress” by Karl Bang Year: 2000 Technique: Acrylic and oil on canvas Dimensions: 64 x 85 cm (25.2 x 33.5 in) (unframe...
Canvas, Oil
$960Sale Price|20% Off
Impressionistic Moonlight Seascape OilPainting Michael Budden Mystical Monlight
Located in Chesterfield, NJ
Mystical Moonlight oil/panel 8 x 10 unframed 13.25 x 15.25 framed. An oil painting on canvas by award winning contemporary artist Michael Budden that showcases a beautiful moonlit ...
Oil
$1,200Sale Price|20% Off
Winter Snow Scene Landscape Oil Painting by Michael Budden Beautiful Light
Located in Chesterfield, NJ
Afternoon Transitions oil/canvas 14 x 18 unframed, 19.5 x 23.5 framed Afternoon Transitions is an oil painting on canvas by award winning contemporary artist Michael Budden that show...
Oil
$10,383
“Pulse of the Ocean” — Hyperrealistic Oil Seascape Painting of Sunset Waves
Located in Zofingen, AG
The ocean pulses like a heart in love with the sunset. Its waves are gentle touches, holding the secrets of endless love.
Oil, Wood Panel