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.
"Gusty (Plein Air Golden Gate Canyon SP)" by Tracy Wall, Original Painting
By Tracy Wall
Located in Denver, CO
"Gusty (Plein Air Golden Gate Canyon SP)" by Tracy Wall (United States) is an original, handmade oil painting that depicts a landscape and is framed and ready to hang. As an artist,...
Canvas, Oil
"Kerch. Kamysh-Burun Bay"
Located in Edinburgh, GB
Kerch. Kamysh-Burun Bay Alexander Khrapachov, 2012 Canvas, oil • 55×70 cm --- This work is the living breath of the Black Sea, captured on the shore of the legendary Kamysh-Burun ...
Oil
$1,125
"Field of Memories" by Christopher Clark, Original Painting, Sunlit Landscape
Located in Denver, CO
Christopher Clark's "Field of Memories" is an original, hand made oil painting that depicts a landscape of two trees backlit by a brilliant sun shining on a poppy field. Christophe...
Oil, Canvas
"Against the backdrop of mountains"
Located in Edinburgh, GB
Against the backdrop of mountains In this intimate painting by Alexander Khrapachov, nature appears in its most lyrical form. The artist skilfully combines academic precision of composition with impressionistic sensitivity to light, creating an image that exudes calm and harmony. The park trees, bathed in soft sunlight, take on a special expressiveness in contrast to the cold grandeur of the mountain peaks. Khrapachov subtly senses this dialogue between warmth and coolness, between near and far, between the man-made park space and the eternal primal nature of the mountains. Each brushstroke of oil conveys not only form, but also the mood of the moment — the moment when nature reveals its most poetic essence. The 2025 work demonstrates the maturity of the author's vision — Khrapachov, born in 1981, continues the classical traditions of Ukrainian landscape painting...
Oil
Railway : The Signal - Original oil on canvas - Signed
Located in Paris, IDF
Jules CAVAILLES Railway : The Signal Original oil on canvas Signed bottom left also signed and titled on the back 33 x 20" (82 x 50 cm) at view Presented in a luxuous Delf fr...
$4,500
Hyper-Realistic Painting of Safari Jungle Animals in Foliage for 1994 Zooball
Located in Houston, TX
Hyper-realistic painting of jungle animals by Houston based artist Andy Dearwater. The work features a menagerie of animals including a zebra, gori...
Paper, Gouache
Lake Loleta Morning
By Jim McVicker
Located in Pasadena, CA
Provenance Acquired by the gallery directly from the artist Signed "McVicker" on lower left Artist Statement "This pastoral scene was painted on site over several days at a locatio...
Linen, Oil
$800
"Garden Shadows" by Sheri Farabaugh, Original Painting, CO Governor's Mansion
Located in Denver, CO
"Garden Shadows" by Shari Farabaugh (United States) is a handmade landscape oil painting that depicts an ornate window painted from the grounds of the Colorado Governor's Mansion in ...
Oil
Evening Stroll, Santa Monica
Located in Pasadena, CA
Provenance Acquired by the gallery directly from the artist Signed "Alexey Steele' on lower left corner FRAMED: 15" x 18" x 1.5" UNFRAMED: 9" x 12" Exhibitions California Highlights; A Collection of Curated Favorites Showcasing Quintessential California Inspired Subjects, American Legacy Fine Arts...
Linen, Oil
Elegance in Contemplation
Located in Zofingen, AG
This painting depicts an elegant horse with a focus on its head and neck. The horse has a smooth, glossy brown coat that contrasts beautifully with the warm golden background. Its po...
Canvas, Oil
Ventura River Channel; Santa Ana Road, Ojai Valley
By Ray Roberts
Located in Pasadena, CA
Acquired by the gallery directly from the artist Signed " Ray Roberts" on lower right UNFRAMED: 24" x 30" FRAMED: 30.75" x 36.625" x 1.5" Artist Statem...
Linen, Oil, Panel
"Last Light" (2025), Oringinal Midwestern Landscape, Oil Painting
Located in Denver, CO
Andrzej Skorut's "Last Light" is an oil painting that depicts clouds looming over the vast plains with distant mountains in the background. This piece is framed at 46.50 x 51.50 inch...
Oil
Shepherd with Flock of Sheep, Realist Oil on Canvas, Signed, 1910-1919
Located in Naples, Florida
A signed and dated oil on canvas by British artist Robert Watson (1865–1916), depicting a shepherd tending his flock along a mountain path in the Scottish Highlands. The composition ...
Canvas, Oil
Robert K. White "Trail Side - Laguna Hills" 4.5-Foot Landscape, Oil on Canvas
Located in Miami, FL
ROBERT KENNETH WHITE (b. 1950) – “OAK CREEK CANYON” (AKA “TRAIL SIDE – LAGUNA HILLS”) ⚜ Oil on Canvas ⚜ Hand Signed Lower Right ⚜ Frameless Display A QUIET CALIFORNIA TRAIL SCENE IN...
Canvas, Oil
19th Century British School
Located in San Francisco, CA
Charming 19th Century painting of a grandmother and grandauughter in front of their thatched cottage. It is an oil on canvas measuring 18 inches by 14. The frame measures 20 3/4 by 1...
Oil
"Kerch. Beachgoers"
Located in Edinburgh, GB
"Kerch. Beachgoers — sun-kissed evidence of summer bliss In this enchanting canvas, Alexander Khrapachov masterfully extols the eternal beauty of Kerch Bay's Yuz-Oba, where the sky,...
Oil
$911
Oil Painting of River Landscape in Ireland Countryside by Modern Irish Artist
Located in Preston, GB
Oil Painting of River Landscape in Ireland Countryside by Modern Irish Artist. This original oil painting is an early example of the more traditional...
Canvas, Oil
"Fantasy Landscape"
By Bartolomeo Pedon
Located in Edinburgh, GB
Bartolomeo Pedon (1665-1732) – Fantasy Landscape Medium: Oil on canvas Dimensions: 84 x 121 cm (unframed), 98 x 132 cm (framed) Provenance: Private collection This captivating oil ...
Canvas, Oil
$741Sale Price|25% Off
Antique Oil Painting of Soldiers and Woman on the Street
Located in Buffalo, NY
Antique oil painting of soldiers and woman on the street. Oil on board. Framed.
Oil, Board
A house in the country, probably near Morristown NJ
By Frank Waller
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Frank Waller (American, 1842-1923) House in the Country Oil on canvas, 10 1/2 x 20 1/4 inches FRAMED: 16 x 26 inches (approx.) Signed and dated at lower left: "Frank Waller Study 19...
Canvas, Oil
Pools of Hahamongna; Arroyo Seco
By Peter Adams
Located in Pasadena, CA
Provenance Acquired by the gallery directly from the artist. UNFRAMED: 30" x 40" FRAMED: 39" x 48.5" x 3" Artist Statement “For this large painting I did a number of preparatory ...
Oil, Panel
"Adobe Ruin - New Mexico" Oil Painting
By Stephen Day
Located in Denver, CO
Stephen Day's (US based) "Adobe Ruin - New Mexico" is an original, handmade oil painting that depicts a caved in rust colored Abode exposed to the elements of the high desert. Stephen Day was born in Sheridan, Wyoming, and, while growing up he lived in Santa Fe, New Mexico, Aspen Colorado, and Durango, Colorado. He always felt the wonderfully unique beauty of the west but until he became an artist he really didn't know how to fully respond to that beauty. Day is now a full-time artist living in Taos, New Mexico. Working mainly in oil he paints various subjects from life but the landscape is his first love. He says of his working philosophy, "I paint almost exclusively from life trying to capture the feeling and the mood of the subject before me. This work philosophy forces me to paint quickly to get a spontaneous and fresh response, because everything around us (including ourselves) is in a constant state of change." Day frequently paints on location and uses these smaller paintings to create larger studio paintings. Artist's Background: 1976 - Bachelor of Arts Degree, McMurry College, Abilene, Texas 1980 - Master's Degree, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, Texas Studied at the Art Students League of Denver with Bruce Cody...
Oil
"Evening at Peconic" Realist oil painting, grassy terrain and water, small scale
Located in Sag Harbor, NY
"Evening at Peconic" is a small scale realist oil painting of the Peconic Bay as seen from land. It depicts a grassy landscape and water in the background, with a wisp of clouds in t...
Oil, Canvas
$617Sale Price|25% Off
After the storm. 2020. Watercolor, paper, 70 x 96 cm
Located in Riga, LV
After the storm. Watercolor, paper, 70 x 96 cm Sea after the storm Zigmunds Šņore was born in 1942 in Latvia. His works has been exhibited since 1969 and are held in private collec...
Paper, Watercolor
FINE ORIGINAL ANTIQUE 18th CENTURY BRITISH OIL PAINTING MAN O WAR
Located in Ferndown, GB
FINE ORIGINAL ANTIQUE 18th CENTURY BRITISH OIL PAINTING MAN O WAR IN HARBOUR Description Good Condition canvas but very old with some browning in places (see picture). Cleaned ,re-...
Oil
$469Sale Price|33% Off
Ottone Zorlini (Italian master) - 20th century mountain lake plein air view
Located in Varmo, IT
Ottone Zorlini (Treviso 1891 - San Paolo 1967) - Landscape with Lake and Mountains. 23.5 x 30.5 cm unframed, 38.5 x 45 cm with frame. Oil on cardboard, in a wooden frame. - Signed...
Oil, Cardboard
Entering Beaver Meadow; Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado
By Brian Blood
Located in Pasadena, CA
Consigned to the gallery by H&N Fine Art as part of the Katherine A. Norris Legacy Collection Signed "WM Stout 2019" on lower left FRAMED: 25.75" x 29.5" x 1.125 UNFRAMED: 19....
Oil, Wood Panel
Sky Full of Stars, Oil Painting
By Jesse Aldana
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
A rare sight of snow covers the iconic Big Sur coastline on an evening of beauty and calm. Twinkling stars and the moon punctuate the sky, creating a display ...
Oil
Language of the Sky, Oil Painting
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist Comments
Ocean waves crash onto the shore beneath a dramatic, stormy sky, with colors dancing throughout the scene. This seascape evokes the idea of finding light in d...
Oil
The Pico/ Aliso Station; First St., Los Angeles
Located in Pasadena, CA
Provenance Acquired by the gallery directly from the artist Signed "Obermeyer" on lower right Artist Statement "Escaping the traffic of the freeway and slipping into downtown from ...
Oil, Panel
$480Sale Price|20% Off
'Brentor, ' by Andrew Douglas, Watercolor Painting
By Andrew Douglas
Located in Oklahoma City, OK
This late 19th century framed 14" x 27" watercolor painting by artist Andrew Douglas depicts an ominous landscape in a dark and neutral palette of browns, gray, and yellow. In the fo...
Watercolor
"Serene Mountain Lake Scene"
Located in Edinburgh, GB
19th-Century Landscape Painting – Serene Mountain Lake Scene Artist: Unidentified Period: 19th Century Medium: Oil on Canvas Dimensions: Framed: 31 x 35 cm ...
Canvas, Oil
Malibu Sunrise
By Jove Wang
Located in Pasadena, CA
Provenance Acquired by the gallery directly from the artist Signed "Jove Wang" on lower left. FRAMED: 31" x 37" x 2.25" UNFRAMED: 22" x 28"
Canvas, Oil
$13,171Sale Price|20% Off
Victorian Nottingham City Landscape 1887 - British 19th century art oil painting
By Sir John Arnesby Brown
Located in Hagley, England
A superb British Victorian city landscape oil painting by noted Nottingham born artist John Arnesby Brown, painted in 1887. This rare early work is a product of Arnesby Brown's time ...
Oil
Quadtych of Pocket Upstar Tulip, Veronique Tulip, Snowdrop 2, Bluebells 2024 art
Located in Deddington, GB
This quadtych includes 4 pocket paintings from Dani Humberstone's spring collection: Pocket Upstar Tulip, Pocket Veronique Tulip, Spring Collection: Pocket Bluebells and Pocket Snowd...
Canvas, Oil
Antonio Reyna, Palaces by a Canal, Venice
Located in Madrid, ES
ANTONIO REYNA Spanish, 1859 - 1937 PALACES BY A CANAL, VENICE signed and located "A. Reyna / Venezia" (lower right) oil on canvas 29-1/8 x 57-7/8 inches (74 x 147 cm.) framed: 34-1/4...
Canvas, Oil
Impressionistic Realism Ocean City Beach Seascape Oil Painting Michael Budden
Located in Chesterfield, NJ
Original Summers Point Bridge to Ocean City, NJ oil/canvas 20 x 28 image size 26 x 34 framed (frame shows some age with marks, etc. on sides but shows well front on) An oil painting ...
Oil
$5,268Sale Price|20% Off
Portrait of a Young Woman at the Seashore - British Victorian art oil painting
Located in Hagley, England
This beautiful oil painting on canvas dates to circa 1840 and is by British Victorian artist William Edward Frost who was noted for his depiction of nudes and feminine beauty. The ov...
Oil
Plow Field at Dawn in Mountain Landscape 18th Century Antique Large Oil Painting
Located in Stockholm, SE
The painting captures a serene moment on the foothill plateau, just as the day is beginning to wake up. The mountains are still wrapped in a soft blanket of morning fog, giving the s...
Canvas, Wood, Oil
California Spring Landscape
Located in San Francisco, CA
Artist: Norma Josephine Shug Rodriguez– American (1906- 2006) Title: untitled - California Spring Landscape Year: ca 1965 Medium: Oil on Canvas Size: 24 x 36 inches Framed size: 32 x 44 inches Signature: Signed lower left Condition: Very good Frame: framed. Frame in poor condition This painting by Norma Rodriguez is composed of oil on canvas. The painting depicts a spring landscape in the hills of California. The painting is in very good condition. The inexpensive frame is in good condition except there is a stain in the upper right linen liner. Therefore, I am rating the frame in poor condition. Please see the pictures. I will ship the painting only, without the frame unless the buyer specifies otherwise. Born in San Francisco, California on June 14, 1906. Norma Shug began painting in 1923 and studied locally at the California School of Fine Arts, University of San Francisco, and with Maria von Ridelstein. Married in 1926, as Norma Marotto she did botanical illustrations of California wildflowers...
Canvas, Oil
"Sea view. Odesa"
Located in Edinburgh, GB
Oleksandr Khrapachov invites us to an intimate encounter with the Odessa coastline—a place where time seems to stand still between memories and dreams. This 2025 work was born out o...
Canvas, Oil
Shadow and Light, Pasadena Arroyo
By Calvin Liang
Located in Pasadena, CA
Provenance Acquired by the gallery directly from the artist. Signed Calvin Liang on lower left Description An impressionist, plein air oil painting, depicting back-lit (contre jour) sycamore trees in Pasadena's Arroyo Seco. The tranquil scene displays a play of dappled light and shadows projected...
Canvas, Oil
OIL PAINTING Signed C L 19th Century BELGIUM SCHOOL
Located in Ferndown, GB
OIL PAINTING 19th Century BELGIUM SCHOOL Fine Original Antique 19th Century British OIL PAINTING GOLD GILT FRAME By/attributed Cha...
Oil
"Sunset"
Located in Edinburgh, GB
This painting was painted outdoors. The beauty of an evening sunset in purple tones. A warm summer evening in a meadow.
Canvas, Oil
$9,500
"Spanish Village" Paul Sample, Mid 20th Century European Scene, Pastel Colors
By Paul Sample
Located in New York, NY
Paul Sample Spanish Village, 1958 Signed lower right; titled on artist label affixed to the reverse Acrylic on Masonite 23 1/4 x 33 inches Provenace Milch Galleries, New York Privat...
Masonite, Oil
$220
Pocket Gooseberry (Hairy) 2, Orig. Oil Painting, Still Life, Gooseberry, Frui
Located in Deddington, GB
Pocket Green Gooseberry (Hairy) 2 is an original oil painting by Dani Humberstone as part of her Pocket Painting series featuring small scale realistic oil paintings, with a nod to b...
Canvas, Oil
Winter Begins; Truckee River
By Kathleen Dunphy
Located in Pasadena, CA
Acquired by the gallery directly from the artist Signed "Kathleen Dunphy" on lower left. UNFRAMED: 24" x 48" FRAMED: 32" x 56" x 1.625" Artist Statement "I painted this piece in ...
Linen, Oil
$169Sale Price|20% Off
Sea 1989. Paper, watercolor, 15x20 cm
Located in Riga, LV
Sea 1989. Paper, watercolor, 15x20 cm Landscape with sea and clouds The watercolor painting depicts a serene seascape, showcasing the artist's interpretation of the sea and clouds. The artist skillfully uses watercolor...
Paper, Watercolor
Three Pheasants in a Corn Field
Located in Columbia, MO
G. Martin Three Pheasants in Corn Field 2000 Oil on canvas 32 x 42 inches Signed lower right recto
Oil
The Village Bridge, 19th Century Scottish, River, Town, Genre Painting
Located in Wiscasset, ME
William Smeall was a Scottish artist based in Edinburgh. He is best known for his street scenes of the city, though he also painted rural subjects. His work is in the collections of ...
Oil, Board
$169Sale Price|20% Off
Mountains 1989. Paper, watercolor, 11x21 cm
Located in Riga, LV
"Mountains" is a watercolor artwork created in 1989 on paper. The dimensions of the artwork are 11x21 cm. The painting focuses on depicting a scene of majestic mountains. Watercolo...
Paper, Watercolor
Sailboats at Dana Point
By Calvin Liang
Located in Pasadena, CA
Provenance Acquired by the gallery directly from the artist Signed "Calvin Liang" on lower left Exhibited A Collector's Feast, American Legacy Fine Arts, November 16 – December 15,...
Canvas, Oil
W . THORNLEY OIL PAINTING 19th CENTURY Gold Gilt Frame
Located in Ferndown, GB
OIL PAINTING 19th CENTURY SHORE SCENE 19th Century Good condition on Canvas .. Piece has been professional cleaned Frame is in Good condition for age (see pictures) Descriptio...
Oil
"Figs" (2023) By Quang Ho, Original Oil Painting
By Quang Ho
Located in Denver, CO
Quang Ho's (US based) "Figs" is an oil on panel depicting figs growing on a tree with lush green foliage. About the artist: Quang Ho was born on April 30, 1963, in Hue, Vietnam. He...
Oil
View of the Roman Forum - "Colonna di Foca" - Original Watercolor 1885 ca.
By Settimio Giampietri
Located in Roma, IT
Hand Signed. This artwork is shipped from Italy. Under existing legislation, any artwork in Italy created over 50 years ago by an artist who has died requires a licence for export re...
Paint, Watercolor
"Seascape with Harbor and Tower"
Located in Edinburgh, GB
Seascape with Harbor and Tower Medium: Oil on canvas Dimensions (Framed): 97 x 67 cm Dimensions (Canvas): 75 x 47 cm No signatured This exquisite 18th-century seascape captures a liv...
Canvas, Oil
Stonebridge, Yosemite
By Tim Solliday
Located in Pasadena, CA
Provenance Acquired by the gallery directly from the artist Signed "T. Solliday" on lower left. Exhibited California Art Club’s 107th Annual Gold Medal Exhibition, Natural History...
Canvas, Oil
"Valencian Flower Pickers ", Early 20th Century Oil on Canvas by José Mongrell
Located in Madrid, ES
JOSÉ MONGRELL Spanish, 1870 - 1937 VALENCIAN FLOWER PICKERS signed “J. Mongrell” lower left oil on canvas 29-1/4 x 45 inches (74 x 114 cm.) framed: 42-3/...
Canvas, Oil
$40,000Sale Price|20% Off
"Turnip"
By Giacomo Ceruti
Located in Edinburgh, GB
Giacomo Ceruti, known as Il Pitocchetto (1698-1767) – “Turnip” Medium: Oil on canvas Dimensions: 204 x 124 cm (unframed) Provenance: Private collection This remarkable painting, “T...
Oil, Canvas
1857 Swedish Romantic Oil Seascape Sailing Fishing Boats Signed by Marcus Larson
Located in Stockholm, SE
This seascape oil painting was created in Paris in 1857 by the renowned Swedish master Simeon Marcus Larson (1825-1864). It dates from the artist's most accomplished period and offer...
Canvas, Wood, Oil