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Realist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

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
"Elie", Trees Inhabited by Human in Nature, Pigments Ink Drawing on Paper
"Elie", Trees Inhabited by Human in Nature, Pigments Ink Drawing on Paper

"Elie", Trees Inhabited by Human in Nature, Pigments Ink Drawing on Paper

By Frank Girard

Located in Clermont-Ferrand, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes

This drawing by Frank Girard is created with pigments, Chinese ink, watercolors, acrylic, and colored pencils on 300g/m2 neutral white paper. It is not framed. Through drawings, the...

Category

2010s Realist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Paper, Ink, Acrylic, Watercolor, Color Pencil, Pigment

Hummingbird A Miniature Jewel-toned Colorful Realist Bird Painting
Hummingbird A Miniature Jewel-toned Colorful Realist Bird Painting

Hummingbird A Miniature Jewel-toned Colorful Realist Bird Painting

By Dina Brodsky

Located in New York, NY

A captivating miniature painting by renowned artist Dina Brodsky, known for her masterful technique in gouache and watercolor. This exquisite work, painted on authentic animal parchm...

Category

2010s Realist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Paper, Parchment Paper, Watercolor, Gouache

Sunset
Sunset

Sunset

By Irina Burda

Located in Zofingen, AG

When even change has become familiar. This work reflects on the paradoxical moment when change itself becomes a constant — no longer evoking fear, but instead blending into the fabr...

Category

2010s Realist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Archival Paper, Carbon Pencil

Lonely and lively lake / - Calm and Movement -
Lonely and lively lake / - Calm and Movement -

Lonely and lively lake / - Calm and Movement -

Located in Berlin, DE

Reinhard Stangl (*1959 Leipzig), Lonely and lively lake, 1985. White heightened blue colored pencil drawings on brown paper, each 21 cm x 29 cm, signed lower right and once dated 198...

Category

1980s Realist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Paper

Portrait of an Italian Peasant -  Victorian art watercolour painting
Portrait of an Italian Peasant -  Victorian art watercolour painting

Portrait of an Italian Peasant - Victorian art watercolour painting

By Federico Bartolini

Located in Hagley, England

This beautiful 19th century Italian watercolour portrait painting is by noted artist Frederico Bartolini. It was painted circa 1890 in Rome and is signed and in good condition behind...

Category

19th Century Realist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Watercolor

Church Interior
Church Interior

Church Interior

By Ray Quigley

Located in Buffalo, NY

A modern illustration by American artist Ray Quigley depicting two men inside of a church.

Category

1950s Realist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Gouache, Illustration Board, Ink

Sepia Crayon Drawing Called At Full Gallop, by English Artist James Gillick
Sepia Crayon Drawing Called At Full Gallop, by English Artist James Gillick

Sepia Crayon Drawing Called At Full Gallop, by English Artist James Gillick

By James Gillick

Located in Stockholm, SE

This striking artwork, titled "At Full Gallop," is a testament to James Gillick's profound admiration for horses and his extraordinary skill as an artist. Executed in sepia crayon on...

Category

2010s Realist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Paper, Crayon

From Folklore to Disney: Tenggren’s 1919 Scene with Boy and Ceremonial Horn
From Folklore to Disney: Tenggren’s 1919 Scene with Boy and Ceremonial Horn

From Folklore to Disney: Tenggren’s 1919 Scene with Boy and Ceremonial Horn

By Gustaf Tenggren

Located in Stockholm, SE

Gustaf Tenggren (1896-1970) The Horn (1919) signed Tenggren. Ink, watercolor and gouache on cardboard unframed 29.5 x 30 cm (11 ⅝ x 11 ¾ in) framed 41.5 x 42 cm (16 ⅜ x 16 ½ in) h...

Category

1910s Realist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Ink, Watercolor, Gouache

Winter’s First Snowfall On A Kentish Farm Framed Kent English Landscape Painting
Winter’s First Snowfall On A Kentish Farm Framed Kent English Landscape Painting

Winter’s First Snowfall On A Kentish Farm Framed Kent English Landscape Painting

By Rowland Hilder

Located in Sutton Poyntz, Dorset

Rowland Hilder. British ( b.1905 - d.1993 ). The First Of Winter’s Snowfall On A Kentish Farm. Watercolor On Paper. Signed Lower Right. Image size 14.8 inches x 21.3 inches ( 37.5c...

Category

Mid-20th Century Realist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Watercolor, Paper

Flower. Paper, pastel 33x27 cm
Flower. Paper, pastel 33x27 cm

Flower. Paper, pastel 33x27 cm

By Victor Karnauh

Located in Riga, LV

Flower. Paper, pastel 33x27 cm Victor Karnauh (1950, Dnepropetrovsk Oblast, Ukrainian SSR – 2012, Dnepropetrovsk Oblast, Ukraine) – a painter, a monume...

Category

1990s Realist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Paper, Pastel

1883 Watercolour Tom Tower Christ Church Oxford "W H Hill" College University

1883 Watercolour Tom Tower Christ Church Oxford "W H Hill" College University

Located in London, GB

To see our other views of Oxford and Cambridge , particularly suitable for wedding and graduation presents, scroll down to "More from this Seller" and below it click on "See all from...

Category

1880s Realist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Watercolor

Design for the Midland Hotel, Manchester Architectural Drawing Railway Hotel

Design for the Midland Hotel, Manchester Architectural Drawing Railway Hotel

Located in London, GB

To see our other Architectural Drawings, scroll down to "More from this Seller" and below it click on "See all from this Seller" and then search. A Design For The Midland Hotel Manc...

Category

Late 19th Century Realist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Carbon Pencil

Mountains  1989. Paper, watercolor, 10x14 cm

Mountains 1989. Paper, watercolor, 10x14 cm

By Nikolai Uvarov

Located in Riga, LV

Mountains 1989. Paper, watercolor, 10x14 cm Landscape with orange mountains. "Mountains" is a captivating watercolor painting that showcases the artist's skill in capturing the c...

Category

1980s Realist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Paper, Watercolor

Dream of flying dandelions
Dream of flying dandelions

Dream of flying dandelions

By Evgeniy Monahov

Located in Zofingen, AG

This live sketch was made on the same day as the first sketch for the painting “Passion for Color”, which later became famous. The posing session was difficult, Polina was tired and ...

Category

2010s Realist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Paper, Tempera, Permanent Marker

Bee from the side. Paper, mixed media, 21x30 cm
Bee from the side. Paper, mixed media, 21x30 cm

Bee from the side. Paper, mixed media, 21x30 cm

By Juris Utans

Located in Riga, LV

Bee from the side Paper, mixed media, 21x30 cm Juris Utāns (1959-2022) was a Latvian painter. Worked in the field of critical realism, socially active and political art. Juris Uta...

Category

2010s Realist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Mixed Media, Paper

Mode Drawing : Black and Color Dresses - Original watercolor & Gouache drawing
Mode Drawing : Black and Color Dresses - Original watercolor & Gouache drawing

Mode Drawing : Black and Color Dresses - Original watercolor & Gouache drawing

By Rosy Andreasi-Verdier

Located in Paris, IDF

Rosy ANDREASI-VERDIER (1934-2015) Mode drawing : Black and Color Dresses Original gouache, watercolor and charcoal drawing Bears the Rosy Andreasi Verdier Archives stamp bottom righ...

Category

Mid-20th Century Realist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Charcoal, Watercolor, Gouache

View of Piazza S. Marco - Watercolor by N. Cipriani - Late 19th Century
View of Piazza S. Marco - Watercolor by N. Cipriani - Late 19th Century

View of Piazza S. Marco - Watercolor by N. Cipriani - Late 19th Century

By Nazzareno Cipriani

Located in Roma, IT

View of Piazza San Marco is an amazing colored watercolor on paper realized in the last years of 19th Century by the Italian artist  Nazzareno Cipriani (Rome, 1843-1925). Signed in ...

Category

Late 19th Century Realist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Watercolor

Self Portrait
Self Portrait

Self Portrait

By Michael Gilbery

Located in London, GB

Pencil on paper 50cm × 24cm (67cm × 40cm framed) Gilbery’s talent as an artist was first noticed aged 17, when his portrait of his father was hung in the Royal Academy. He gained a ...

Category

Mid-20th Century Realist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Paper, Pencil

The coast  1969, watercolor on paper, 20.5x28.5 cm

The coast 1969, watercolor on paper, 20.5x28.5 cm

By Herberts Mangolds

Located in Riga, LV

The coast 1969, watercolor on paper, 20.5x28.5 cm Herberts Mangolds (1901-1978) Graphic, army officer. In 1920 he graduated from the Artillery Cadet School of Latvian and many mili...

Category

1960s Realist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Paper, Watercolor

Cephas Jamaican Restaurant & Grocery, Painting, Watercolor on Paper

Cephas Jamaican Restaurant & Grocery, Painting, Watercolor on Paper

By Mike King

Located in Yardley, PA

This restaurant has been a fixture in Ybor City which is in Tampa Fl. for decades. Cephas, the owner, is Jamaican, and he cooks Jamaican food for the locals. He’s decorated the bui...

Category

2010s Realist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Watercolor

Joseph Arthur Powell - Early 20th Century British Watercolour of a Watermill

Joseph Arthur Powell - Early 20th Century British Watercolour of a Watermill

By Joseph Arthur Powell

Located in London, GB

JOSEPH ARTHUR POWELL (1876-1961) A Watermill Watercolour Unframed 38 by 55 cm., 15 by 21 ¾ in. (mount size 54 by 70 cm., 21 ¼ by 27 ½ in.) Born in London he was the son of the su...

Category

Early 20th Century Realist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Watercolor

Woodpecker, realist animal portrait, watercolor and gouache
Woodpecker, realist animal portrait, watercolor and gouache

Woodpecker, realist animal portrait, watercolor and gouache

By Dina Brodsky

Located in New York, NY

Dina Brodsky is a contemporary realist miniaturist painter and curator known for her detailed drawings of architecture, trees, and wildlife. Her miniatures carry with them the tradit...

Category

2010s Realist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Paper, Watercolor, Gouache

White sailboat. Paper, pastel 27x33 cm
White sailboat. Paper, pastel 27x33 cm

White sailboat. Paper, pastel 27x33 cm

By Victor Karnauh

Located in Riga, LV

White sailboat. Paper, pastel 27x33 cm Victor Karnauh (1950, Dnepropetrovsk Oblast, Ukrainian SSR – 2012, Dnepropetrovsk Oblast, Ukraine) – a painter, ...

Category

1990s Realist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Paper, Pastel

Batumi. 1987, paper, watercolor, 18x30.5 cm
Batumi. 1987, paper, watercolor, 18x30.5 cm

Batumi. 1987, paper, watercolor, 18x30.5 cm

By Nikolai Uvarov

Located in Riga, LV

Batumi. 1987, paper, watercolor, 18x30.5 cm The watercolor painting portrays a landscape scene of Batumi, a city in Georgia. The artist skillfully uses watercolor techniques to depi...

Category

1980s Realist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Paper, Watercolor

"DALLAS SKYLINE" ILLUSTRATION / DRAWING FOR THE BOOK "Five Years Forward"  1961
"DALLAS SKYLINE" ILLUSTRATION / DRAWING FOR THE BOOK "Five Years Forward"  1961

"DALLAS SKYLINE" ILLUSTRATION / DRAWING FOR THE BOOK "Five Years Forward" 1961

By Buck Schiwetz

Located in San Antonio, TX

Buck Schiwetz (1898-1984) Houston Artist Image Size: 10 x 15.5 Framed Size: 16.5 x 22 Medium: Pencil/charcoal on Paper Unsigned from his estate "Dallas" Cityscape Buck Schiwetz (1898-1984) Dallas Skyline by E. M. “Buck” Schiwetz — 1961 by Paula Bosse This drawing reminds me of those wonderful telephone book covers (the ones with all the hidden jokes and intricate details) that I used to pore over as a child. (By the way, when clicked, this image is absolutely HUMONGOUS.) From the booklet Five Years Forward: The Dallas Public Library, 1955-1960 (more of which can be accessed here). Copyright © 2014 Paula Bosse. All Rights Reserved. Edward Muegge Schiwetz was a painter whose work recorded the state of Texas from the country to the city. In addition, Schiwetz was a magazine illustrator, graphic artist, writer, preservationist, and architect. Edward Schiwetz was born and raised in Cuero, Texas and learned to draw and paint under the instruction of his mother. He graduated from Cuero High School (1916) and received a baccalaureate in architecture from Texas A & M college, College Station...

Category

1960s Realist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Charcoal, Pencil

Apache (Image Makers) Native American 1939 Indian Portrait Drawing
Apache (Image Makers) Native American 1939 Indian Portrait Drawing

Apache (Image Makers) Native American 1939 Indian Portrait Drawing

Located in Wilton Manors, FL

Boleslaw Cybis (1895-1957). Apache (Image Makers), Indian Negro Series, image #15 of 18 unique image that comprise the drawing series. Conte on paper, sheet measures 18 x 23 inche...

Category

1930s Realist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Paper, Conté

Mountains  1989. Paper, watercolor, 11x21 cm

Mountains 1989. Paper, watercolor, 11x21 cm

By Nikolai Uvarov

Located in Riga, LV

Mountains 1989. Paper, watercolor, 11x21 cm The snowy mountains in watercolor evoke a sense of awe, peace, and the serene grandeur of nature. The delicate and transparent qualities ...

Category

1980s Realist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Paper, Watercolor

Flower 06, Painting, Watercolor on Watercolor Paper
Flower 06, Painting, Watercolor on Watercolor Paper

Flower 06, Painting, Watercolor on Watercolor Paper

By Helal Uddin

Located in Yardley, PA

I painted in my garden :: Painting :: Realism :: This piece comes with an official certificate of authenticity signed by the artist :: Ready to Hang: No :: Signed: Yes :: Signature L...

Category

2010s Realist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Watercolor

Women in blue and yellow, vintage poster design by A. E. Halliwell
Women in blue and yellow, vintage poster design by A. E. Halliwell

Women in blue and yellow, vintage poster design by A. E. Halliwell

Located in London, GB

A. E. Halliwell (1905-1987) Women in blue and yellow Gouache 30 x 47 cm c.1930 Provenance: Family of the artist A.E. Halliwell (1905–1986) was a British artist, illustrator, and d...

Category

1930s Realist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Ballpoint Pen

Keble College Chapel, watercolour by David Garland
Keble College Chapel, watercolour by David Garland

Keble College Chapel, watercolour by David Garland

Located in London, GB

David Garland (b.1941) Keble College Chapel Watercolour 28 x 38 cm This richly coloured watercolour was painted by David Garland for the 1971 edition of the 'Oxford Almanack.' Th...

Category

1970s Realist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Watercolor

Side profiles, sketch by Keith Vaughan
Side profiles, sketch by Keith Vaughan

Side profiles, sketch by Keith Vaughan

By Keith Vaughan 1

Located in London, GB

Keith Vaughan Side profiles Ballpoint pen sketch 17 x 13 cm Born in 1912, Keith Vaughan was a British painter known for his modernist and semi-abstract depictions of the male fig...

Category

Mid-20th Century Realist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Ballpoint Pen

Great grandfather at sea II. Watercolor, paper, 67 x 95, 5 cm
Great grandfather at sea II. Watercolor, paper, 67 x 95, 5 cm

Great grandfather at sea II. Watercolor, paper, 67 x 95, 5 cm

By Zigmunds Snore

Located in Riga, LV

Great grandfather at sea II. Watercolor, paper, 67 x 95,5 cm Dark sea with two ships Zigmunds Šņore was born in 1942 in Latvia. His works has been exhibited since 1969 and are held...

Category

2010s Realist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Paper, Watercolor

Clare Bridge, watercolour by Mark McCrum
Clare Bridge, watercolour by Mark McCrum

Clare Bridge, watercolour by Mark McCrum

Located in London, GB

Mark McCrum Clare Bridge Watercolour 29 x 39 cm Signed and dated to lower right Mark McCrum, born in Cambridge, England, is a distinguished author and artist known for his diverse...

Category

1980s Realist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Watercolor

Prospect of Durham from the River 19th Century Watercolour

Prospect of Durham from the River 19th Century Watercolour

Located in London, GB

To see our other views and maps of England - including London, Durham, Oxford and Cambridge, scroll down to "More from this Seller" and below it click on "See all from this Seller" -...

Category

19th Century Realist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Watercolor

Eileen Soper - 20th Century British Drawing of Birds at a Nest

Eileen Soper - 20th Century British Drawing of Birds at a Nest

By Eileen Soper

Located in London, GB

EILEEN SOPER (1905-1990) The New Home – Birds at the Nest Pencil Unframed, in conservation mount only 8.5 by 11 cm., 3 ½ by 4 ¼ in. (mount size 28 by 29 cm., 11 by 11 ½ in.) Prov...

Category

Mid-20th Century Realist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Pencil

Apple tree_02, Painting, Watercolor on Watercolor Paper

Apple tree_02, Painting, Watercolor on Watercolor Paper

By Helal Uddin

Located in Yardley, PA

This is one of my studio paintings. I love watercolor because it’s a very challenging medium. I used Daniel Smith Extra Fine Watercolors with world-class acid-free Arches 300gsm wa...

Category

2010s Realist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Watercolor

Elephants
Elephants

Elephants

Located in Wilton Manors, FL

John Higginbotham (b.1963). Serengeti, 1984. Pencil on paper, image measures 15 x 21 inches. Framed measurement: 23 x 29 inches. Signed and dated by artist lower right.

Category

1980s Realist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Paper, Pencil

Eileen Soper - 20th Century British drawing of chicks in the nest

Eileen Soper - 20th Century British drawing of chicks in the nest

By Eileen Soper

Located in London, GB

EILEEN SOPER (1905-1990) The Coconut Nest Box Dated l.r.: June 14 1956, bears artist’s studio stamp on the reverse Pencil Unframed, in conservation mount only 18 by 15 cm., 7 by 6 in. (mount size 37 by 33.5 cm., 14 ½ by 13 ¼ in.) Provenance: The artist’s estate; Chris Beetles, London; Private collection. Eileen Alice Soper was born in Enfield, Middlesex in 1905. In 1908 the family moved to Harmer Green, Welwyn in the Hertfordshire countryside and she was the live in that same house of the rest of her life. She attended Hitchen Girls School and was artistically trained by her father, the noted illustrator and etcher, George Soper...

Category

Mid-20th Century Realist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Pencil

Wolf Portrait Animal Watercolor on Paper Handmade Painting, One of a Kind

Wolf Portrait Animal Watercolor on Paper Handmade Painting, One of a Kind

By Artyom Abrahamyan

Located in Granada Hills, CA

Artist: Artyom Abrahamyan, Work: Original Painting, Handmade artwork, One of a Kind Medium: Watercolor on Paper Year: 2026 Style: Classic Art Title: Wolf Portrait Size: 12 x 16 inc...

Category

2010s Realist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Paper, Watercolor

White Rose, Painting, Watercolor on Watercolor Paper

White Rose, Painting, Watercolor on Watercolor Paper

By Helal Uddin

Located in Yardley, PA

Plein air painting :: Painting :: Realism :: This piece comes with an official certificate of authenticity signed by the artist :: Ready to Hang: Yes :: Signed: Yes :: Signature Loca...

Category

2010s Realist Drawings and Watercolor Paintings

Materials

Watercolor

Realist drawings and watercolor paintings for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a wide variety of authentic Realist drawings and watercolor paintings 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 drawings and watercolor paintings created in this style to introduce contrast in an otherwise neutral space in your home, the works available on 1stDibs include elements of blue, orange, purple, green and other colors. Many Pop art paintings were created by popular artists on 1stDibs, including Victor Roschkov, Carl August Walther, Gustave Poetzsch, and Frank Girard. Frequently made by artists working with Paint, and Watercolor 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 drawings and watercolor paintings, so small editions measuring 0.1 inches across are also available. Prices for drawings and watercolor paintings made by famous or emerging artists can differ depending on medium, time period and other attributes. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $61 and tops out at $985,000, while the average work sells for $899.